Your Clear Aligner Guide

Wear your aligners 20–22 hours per day, every day. The only time they should be out is when you are eating, drinking anything other than water, or brushing and flossing.

Your first aligner is always the most difficult to remove — do not panic. It gets much easier after the first day or two as the plastic slightly adapts. Use the PUL tool included in your kit to hook under the back edge of the aligner and gently peel it away from your teeth — think of it like peeling a sticker, working from the back corners forward, one side at a time.

Every hour out counts. Falling short on wear time is the most common reason treatment runs longer than planned.

If you miss a day, do not skip ahead — simply resume your current set.

Do not drink coffee, tea, wine, or colored beverages with your aligners in. They will stain the plastic and trap liquid against your teeth, increasing the risk of cavities.

Your treatment is monitored remotely through the Dental Monitoring app. Each week, submit a scan through the app. Our team reviews it and confirms whether you are ready to advance or need a few more days in your current set.

Download the Dental Monitoring app and complete your setup before your first scan — setup instructions were provided at your appointment.

Do not advance to your next aligner set until you receive confirmation from our team through the app. Advancing too early can compromise your results.

If you have questions between appointments, you can message our team directly through the Dental Monitoring app.

Advance only when Dental Monitoring confirms your teeth have tracked correctly. Switch to your new set at night before bed — mild tightness the first day or two is normal and means the aligners are working.

Use the Chewies included in your kit after seating each new set. Bite down and chew along the aligner from back to front for 5–10 minutes. This pushes the aligner tightly against your teeth and helps your teeth move faster and more efficiently.

Always keep your previous set. If a new set breaks or is lost, your prior set serves as a backup. Never discard a completed set until treatment is fully finished.

Small tooth-colored buttons called attachments have been bonded to some of your teeth. These give your aligners the grip needed to move teeth in specific directions. They are barely visible and will be removed at the end of treatment.

Avoid biting hard foods directly on them. If one pops off, it is not an emergency — let us know at your next visit.

IPR involves gently polishing a tiny amount of enamel from between specific teeth to create space for movement. It is standard, safe, and the amount removed is minimal — often less than the thickness of a fingernail.

You may notice brief sensitivity between the teeth for a day or two afterward. This resolves quickly and causes no long-term changes.

Rinse your aligners with cool water every time you remove them. Never use hot water — it can warp the plastic and ruin the fit.

Clean your aligners gently with a soft toothbrush and a small amount of clear, unscented dish soap or a dedicated aligner cleaning tablet. Avoid toothpaste — it is abrasive and will scratch the surface, making the aligners cloudy.

Do not soak aligners in colored mouthwash — it will stain them.

Always store them in their case when not in your mouth. Wrapping aligners in a napkin is the most common way they are accidentally thrown away.

Brush your teeth after every meal before reinserting your aligners. Trapping food or sugar against your teeth under plastic is a recipe for cavities.

Floss once daily and rinse thoroughly with water if you cannot brush after a meal.

Continue your regular hygiene visits throughout treatment.