As you are getting used to your clear aligners, you may be excited about a smooth orthodontic journey ahead. You get to achieve the straighter smile you love without any metal, and you get to stick with your regular diet. However, if it’s time to eat, you might have trouble taking out your trays. Plenty of people have experienced the same thing, so here are four tips to make removing them easier.
1.) Take a Drink of Lukewarm Water
If you have been drinking cold water to help relieve some aligner discomfort, then this can be the reason they are hard to remove now. The cooler temperature may have made them less flexible, so try gulping some lukewarm water instead. Just be sure it’s not too hot so you don’t burn yourself or warp the trays. You can also wait just a few minutes for your mouth to warm up by itself!
2.) Pull from Your Back Teeth First
It’s oftentimes harder to take out your trays from the front, so try doing it from your molars first. Wash your hands, then use your fingertip to try to remove it from one side. If you have any luck, then move on over to the other and shimmy it loose. Repeat the process for the other aligner, and you’re all set.
3.) Use a Towel or Glove
You may notice your aligners are slippery when they’re wet. To help give yourself some more traction, you can wrap your finger in a towel or put on a glove. This can absorb moisture that’s around while increasing friction, so you can get a better grasp of your trays.
4.) Get an Aligner Hook
The tips above might be working for now, but if you are still having trouble, then consider getting an aligner hook. These are a special tool that’s a plastic hook with a ring at the end. You simply put it on your finger and position the tip of it at the back of the tray. Pull away from your teeth, and you might have success! Just be sure you don’t yank too hard; it can slip and hurt yourself.
Hopefully, one of these tips works for you. Once you find one that gives you consistent success, keep using it throughout your orthodontic journey. That way, you don’t have to fret anymore and remove your aligners like a pro.
About the Practice
At Beacon Dentistry of Weatherford, you benefit from a team of skilled dentists who look after you and your oral health. We are happy to help you with your misalignment and malocclusions, shining light on reliable treatments like clear aligners. By sticking with you every step of the way, you can trust that you have a smooth smile-straightening experience, knowing how you can avoid delays throughout. If you have any questions, schedule an appointment or call our office at (817) 594-7302.