What to do when clear aligners break?

When it comes to teeth straightening, Clear Aligners have become a preferred alternative to traditional braces. They are known for addressing teeth alignment issues and correcting them with a comfortable approach without including any sort of external metallic brackets or wires. Clear aligners are just invisible plastic trays that are customized to fit your teeth. By exerting gentle pressure they bring about a desirable change leading to a perfect smile. Clear aligners bring a range of advantages for orthodontic patients, however, patients must ensure to handle them with care. In case of mishandling or not storing properly, clear aligners might break. In this blog, we will be informing our readers what could be the right approach in case their clear aligners break.

Clear Aligner treatment

Gone are the days when orthodontic patients had to go through intense pain and discomfort to get their teeth straightened. Over time clear aligners have revolutionized orthodontic treatment by making it a comfortable and aesthetic approach for patients. It has become a perfect option for people who do not want to compromise their appearance while undergoing teeth straightening treatment. The average time duration for clear aligner treatment is four to six months which further depends on the severity of the case of an individual.

How do Clear Aligners break?

Clear aligners are made of plastic, and customized to each patient’s requirements. The average wearing time of clear aligners is 20 - 22 hours a day and patients can easily remove them during meal time and to ensure their oral hygiene. However, patients must store clear aligners in a box when not wearing them. Clear aligners can be damaged as a result of the following.

• Accidental Damage can cause clear aligners by dropping them, stepping on them, or mishandling them.
• Chewing or Biting clear aligners can exert excessive pressure on them resulting in cracks or scratches.
• Improper cleaning methods can result in aligner damage or weakening of the material.
• Exposing clear aligners to high temperatures can result in damage.
• In case of poor fit, your aligners can be damaged.
• Bruxism can be one of the reasons for clear aligner breakage.

Steps to take when your Clear Aligners break

Clear aligners can break for several reasons, however, orthodontic patients are advised to take the following steps to overcome the damage.

Tips to avoid aligner breakage

By following the tips mentioned below you can avoid your aligners from breaking.

• Handle your aligners with care and avoid dropping or mishandling them.
• Clear aligners are removable, always remove your aligners before having your meals.
• Store them in a container when not wearing.
• Follow safe cleaning methods.
• Avoid using excessive force when trying to fit them.

To conclude, clear aligners are a known effective way to get your teeth straightened. Due to their removable and invisible feature, orthodontic patients can keep their overall appearance intact even during the treatment. These aligners are plastic-made and customized which helps exert pressure on the teeth to bring them to the desirable place. However, in case of mishandling or not storing them properly can lead to aligner damage. This blog could help you to gather information in case your aligner breaks.