CONGRATULATIONS ON STARTING YOUR AIRWAY
FOCUSED CLEAR ALIGNER THERAPY! PLEASE FOLLOW
THESE GUIDELINES TO GET THE BEST RESULTS:
Wearing Your Aligners
•Wear your aligners 22+ hours per day. Only remove them for eating, drinking (except water), and brushing/flossing, unless
instructed otherwise by your dentist.
•Change to your next set of aligners according to your dentist’s schedule (usually every 1–2 weeks). Switching prior to bed time is recommended to help reduce any discomfort associated with initial movements in new aligners.
•Always insert aligners starting from the front teeth and then gently push over your back teeth.
•Wear elastics as indicated by dentist (does not apply for everyone).
Eating & Drinking
•Remove aligners before eating or drinking anything other than plain water, unless instructed otherwise.
•Avoid chewing gum or smoking while wearing aligners (can stain or damage them).
•Store your aligners in the case when not in your mouth — never wrap in a napkin (easy to throw away!).
Oral Hygiene
•Try to do a gentle, quick brush, floss and/or WaterPik after every meal before putting aligners back in. If you are unable to do so, swish with water vigorously to remove food from teeth.
•Clean aligners gently with a soft toothbrush and clear, unscented soap or toothpaste. Do not use hot water (can warp).
•Soak aligners in a small cup of diluted hydrogen peroxide (3%brown bottle) with water (when not wearing, for example, if home and eating or brushing or when you’ve been instructed to wear aligners as retainers). Zima Pods are highly recommended by Dr. Angie and can be purchased online.
Comfort & Fit
•Some pressure or soreness is normal when starting a new aligner — this means they are working.
•If aligners are not seating comfortably, call us to get in ASAP. Losing an attachment can happen and can normally wait until the next progress visit, as long as trays are fitting and are comfortable.
•Mouth muscle massage combined with myo- functional therapy is an important part of the process and must be done daily.
Important Reminders
•If you lose or break an aligner, contact our office right away.
•Keep previous aligners until instructed otherwise, in case you need to go back a step.
•Bring all old aligners to every progress visit. We will throw away as we see fit.
•Attend all scheduled check-ups so we can track your progress.
✅ Consistency is key! The more closely you follow these instructions, the faster and more effective your treatment will be.