When I had a badly decayed tooth extracted, I got a partial denture to fill in the gap. I didn't mind it at first, because I was just so happy to have my painful tooth out of my mouth. Over time, I began to get tired of taking it out at night. I asked my dentist if I was could get a dental implant, and he said that my gum disease did not make me a good candidate, but a fixed bridge may be a good option for me. I went with his suggestion, and I have no regrets. I love feeling like I have a real tooth again that I don't have to remove at night. I created this blog to remind other people with a missing tooth that they have many replacement options, and if one is not for you, then try another that may be right.
Invisalign aligners are extremely popular, especially since they are so difficult to see when secured in your mouth. And, while they are pretty foolproof in terms of use, there are some difficulties that you may come across. Keep reading to learn about a few of them and how you can solve the problems.
Teeth Not Moving Quickly
Your cosmetic dentist will construct an overall treatment plan that will outline the length of time that you will need to wear your aligners. For most people, the wear period will be anywhere from one to several years. And, while some people's teeth will move according to this plan, yours may not.
Specifically, teeth should move according to the cosmetic dentist's two-week micro-movement plan. And, aligners are made with the two-week movements in mind. If your teeth are stubborn, then this plan may need to be extended to three weeks per wear period. This is a common problem for older individuals with dense jaws and teeth that have remained in the same position for decades.
Also, if the wear period needs to be extended every time you go to switch your aligners, then you may simply need to wear your aligners more throughout the day. A 22 hour per day wear period is suggested, but you can try to extend this to 23 hours if you need to.
Sharp Plastic Pieces
Invisalign aligners are meant to sit snug on the teeth, and they should sit about one millimeter below the gumline. However, sometimes the aligners are made with just a bit more plastic than they should be and this can cause them to cut and scrape the gums.
If you notice that your new set of aligners are cutting the gum tissues, then you can take them back to your cosmetic dentist or orthodontist for a slight adjustment. The professional will round off some of the high areas, so they are more comfortable to wear.
If you do not have time to make an appointment, then you can make minor adjustments yourself at home. You will need to be careful when doing so though. So, use a gentle, use very little pressure, and hold the aligners with two hands when trying to work with them.
Identify the high areas and use a clean, small nail file to remove a small portion of the plastic. Remove a little at a time and then slip the aligners in your mouth to see if they still cut your gums.
Share20 January 2019
