Watertown, SD (South Dakota) Orthodontists Robert A. Arnold, DDS, and Ryan W. Arnold, DDS


		\|Types of Braces \|Types of Appliances \|Clear Aligners \|Braces Diagram \|Brace Painter \|Oral Care Video When inserting aligners, rinse with warm water to help them slip over your teeth comfortably. Each aligner is marked with a "U" for upper, an "L" for lower and stage number you are in. Apply equal pressure and make sure they are seated all the way. Be sure NOT to bite aligners into place. The aligners are to be worn a minimum of 22 hours a day. The consistent pressure on your teeth is what will make them move. If the aligners are out of your mouth your teeth are not moving. Take aligners out only to eat, drink, brush and floss. Do not eat anything sticky or chewy while wearing the aligners. No gum chewing. Except for water, patients should not drink with aligners. Hot drinks will distort aligners, and soft drinks may stain them. Teeth may be sore with each aligner placement. The soreness is normal and should disappear. Normal pain medications (Tylenol, Advil, etc) can be taken. Your speech may also sound different for the first couple of days. Aligners are to be kept in the provided case whenever out of the mouth. No exceptions. This will prevent you from losing or breaking them. Keep them out of reach of children and animals. Likewise, do not boil them or leave them in the car because the heat will distort them. If you should lose or break an aligner please call our office immediately. Aligners are to be cleaned with toothpaste or warm soapy water twice a day. Do not use denture cleaner or mouthwash. Designate the blue storage case for the current set of aligners that are being worn. The red storage case is for the most recently used set. Should you lose or break the current set, we will ask that you go back to the old set until a new set has been made. Note: All patients should continue to have regularly scheduled cleanings with your General Dentist. Your dentist should not remove composite attachments. In addition, please consult Arnold Orthodontics prior to receiving dental restorations, as this may affect the fit of aligners. Consider clear aligners to get the beautiful straight teeth you've always wanted– without braces. A complimentary consultation with Dr. Arnold can determine if clear aligners is right for you. What is it? Clear aligners uses a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you're wearing. So you can smile more during treatment as well as after. Clear aligners are made with 3-D computer imaging technology, and has been proven effective. More than 70% of orthodontists in the US and Canada are certified to treat with clear aligners. Why would I want it? Not only are the aligners invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment, plus brushing and flossing are no problem. They are also comfortable, with no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment. And, no metal and wires usually means you spend less time in your doctor's office getting adjustments. Clear aligners also allow you to view your own virtual treatment plan when you start, so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete. How does it work? You wear each set of aligners for about two weeks, removing them only to eat, drink, brush, and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth will move – little by little, week by week – until they have straightened to the final position the orthodontist has prescribed. You'll visit our office about once every six weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned. Total treatment time averages 9-15 months and the average number of aligners worn during treatment is between 18 and 30, but both will vary from case to case. Back to Top