Line-M-Up™ invisible aligners are wildly popular, but patients must take proper care of them on a daily basis!
Dr. Karpac’s trademarked Line-M-Up™ invisible aligner system has revolutionized how orthodontic patients experience their treatment. Countless patients have significantly reduced their treatment timelines by investing in Line-M-Up™, so it’s no wonder why our invisible aligners have grown in popularity throughout recent years!
There are many reasons why parents and patients should choose invisible aligners, but there are also many daily care tips that patients need to keep in mind in order to ensure that their aligner trays stay fresh.
Below are some care tips for parents and Line-M-Up™ patients to keep in mind!
Committing to Taking Good Care of Your Line-M-Up™ Invisible Aligners
One of the top reasons why people love invisible aligners so much is because they have minimal impacts on a patient’s daily routine. True to their branding, Line-M-Up™ invisible aligners are comprised of a transparent material that’s difficult for anyone to recognize. Invisible aligners are also removable, which allows orthodontic patients to eat pretty much whatever they want throughout their treatment process.
But with these advantages come some daily care concerns that parents and patients should know about. For instance, invisible aligners can get stained rather easily when you forget about them while drinking beverages like soda or coffee. This is just one of many reasons why it’s so crucial to remain committed to taking good care of your Line-M-Up™ aligners and ensuring that they look and function great.
The truth is that invisible aligner patients simply have to commit to making some adjustments to their daily routine in order to take good care of their aligner trays, but these adjustments are always easy. We’ll delve deeper into these daily care commitments in the below sections!
Learning How to Properly Clean Invisible Aligners
Because invisible aligners can easily get stained or scratched, it’s crucial for patients to understand how to clean their aligner trays without inadvertently harming them.
Line-M-Up™ has similar care instructions as compared to other common aligner brands, and the best cleaning method is to thoroughly soak your aligners in a warm-water solution that includes an aligner tray cleaning solution or unscented hand soap. It’s also important for patients to remember that they should soak their aligner trays for at least 20 minutes per day, and this should preferably be done during dinnertime when you’re planning on having them out anyways.
Line-M-Up™ patients must also utilize a soft-bristled toothbrush to carefully remove any debris or plaque that has accumulated on their aligner trays, and must also thoroughly rinse their aligners prior to placing them over their teeth again.
It’s also important to note that lukewarm water is a big part of the cleaning process, because hot water can potentially warp an aligner tray’s shape. This can detrimentally impact how the trays fit over a patient’s teeth, and in some scenarios, it might require tray replacements. Patients should also be very careful about scrubbing their aligner trays too hard, because this can lead to scratches that impact the system’s invisible aesthetics.
But what’s most important to remember is that properly cleaning your invisible aligners will help guarantee that they look and smell great on a daily basis, which can also go a long way for patient confidence throughout the treatment journey!
Understanding Which Cleaning Materials to Avoid
Another important factor of properly cleaning your invisible aligners is understanding which cleaning materials are best to be avoided.
Although it might seem like your aligners should be cleaned with toothpaste, it’s actually important to avoid using toothpaste because of how abrasive it can be on your aligner trays. The same thing can be said for DIY cleaning solutions that include household products like dyed soaps, baking soda, denture cleaners or scented soaps. Dyed soaps can easily stain your aligners, and scented soaps can make your aligners taste strange.
The basic rule-of-thumb when it comes to invisible aligner cleaning materials is that you should only use professional-grade aligner solutions or clear, unscented soap while cleaning your aligner trays.
Making Aligner Care a Part of Your Oral Hygiene Routine
Your aligner trays absolutely must be thoroughly cleaned before you start using them at the beginning of each day, and they need to be properly rinsed at the very least before going to bed each night.
The best way for Line-M-Up™ patients to remember their aligner cleaning responsibilities is to work these tasks into their daily oral hygiene routines. This can include soaking your aligners while you eat breakfast or while you’re going through your morning routine so they’re ready by the time you’re getting into your typical oral hygiene routine.
While you’re brushing and flossing your teeth, you should also take a few minutes to properly clean your aligner trays. This will go a long way to save you time and make your aligner upkeep just another part of your regular oral health routine.
Another big factor that Line-M-Up™ patients should keep in mind is their mid-day cleaning routine. You’ll need to take your aligner trays out while you eat lunch, so it also makes sense to properly clean your mouth and trays after your lunches and snacks!
Properly Storing Your Invisible Aligners
While Line-M-Up™ patients aren’t wearing their aligner trays, they’ll need to store them in an airtight case that seals them away from any harmful bacteria, curious pets, or other common mishaps like accidentally throwing them in the garbage.
Using your designated aligner tray case also helps to prevent losing them. This quick and easy storage step can protect your aligners from all sorts of issues!
Adjusting Your Eating Habits
Although invisible aligners allow patients to essentially eat whatever they want throughout their treatment, it’s essential to remove your aligner trays prior to eating or brushing your teeth. This is why most Line-M-Up™ patients will carry an orthodontic toolkit with them on a daily basis, because this allows them to be better prepared for necessary upkeep habits.
Some eating habit adjustments that you might need to make include having larger snacks instead of multiple snacks throughout the day, because cleaning and preparing your aligners after multiple snacks can quickly get tedious!
Replacing Invisible Aligners When Necessary
Although everyone’s treatment plan is unique, it’s likely that you’ll be replacing your aligner trays every 2-3 weeks. One issue that some invisible aligner patients go through is understanding when their aligners need to be replaced prior to their designated treatment timeline replacement.
If your aligners aren’t fitting correctly or have become warped in a way that’s made them uncomfortable, it could mean that you need a premature aligner tray replacement. The same thing can be said when your aligners have become severely stained or scratched and no longer appear clear. Lost or damaged aligners also need to be replaced as quickly as possible, and patients will likely need to wear a previous aligner set as they wait for their replacement trays to arrive—unless you’re about to wear your next set of aligners anyways, in which case you’d likely switch a few days early.
Reach Out To JK Orthodontics To Learn More About Our Line-M-Up™ Invisible Aligners!
Just like traditional braces, Line-M-Up™ invisible aligners also require patients to take a few extra daily care steps. The good news is that integrating invisible aligners into your oral health routine is very simple, and the above tips are a great starting point for both parents and patients to keep in mind.
JK Orthodontics is a leading provider of invisible aligners in the Columbus metro area, and this is largely due to Dr. Karpac’s very own trademarked Line-M-Up™ technology.
Reach out to us online or give us a call at 614-766-0330 to get in touch with our team today and learn more about Line-M-Up™!