Care Instruction

SHARE:

Care Instructions

Clear Braces & Invisalign in Huntington Beach, CA

You deserve a smile you truly feel proud of, and at Harner Orthodontics, our mission is to help you achieve one. As a leading orthodontist serving patients throughout the Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, and Fountain Valley areas, we're proud to offer a wide variety of treatment options ranging from metal braces to Invisalign, and we treat patients of all ages at our office. But in addition to the care we provide in our office, how you care for your orthodontic appliances at home is critical to the success of your treatment. Here are a few simple guidelines to help you take great care of your orthodontics. 

How to Care for Metal & Clear Braces

The nooks and crannies of metal braces make the perfect hiding places for plaque and bacteria to form, so oral hygiene is among the most important parts of caring for your braces. During treatment, in addition to upon waking and before bed, you should try your best to brush your teeth after eating each meal. You’ll also need to use a floss threader to properly floss your teeth, and we’d recommend carrying an interdental toothbrush with you to help with cleaning on the go. 

In addition to oral hygiene, you’ll need to be careful about the foods you eat. Any foods that are too hard, crunchy, sticky, or gooey can cause serious damage to braces, so you’ll need to carefully monitor your diet to avoid them. 

Caring for Invisalign Aligners

While wearing Invisalign, you’ll remove your aligners both to eat and to practice oral hygiene, so the care regimen is a little simpler than that of braces. With that being said, you’ll still need to be very diligent with oral hygiene and make sure to brush your teeth and scrub your aligners anytime you remove them or put them back in. Additionally, we recommend periodically soaking your aligners in a glass of tap water with a denture cleaning solution to provide a deeper clean. 

Make sure to use lukewarm water when cleaning aligners, as warm or hot water can cause them to melt and deform. Finally, be sure to always place your aligners in their custom-made case any time you remove them from your mouth – otherwise, it’s far too easy to wrap them up in a napkin and accidentally throw them out!

Caring for Retainers

When you finally finish with braces or Invisalign and switch to retainers, you’ll still need to take good care of them. We recommend brushing them every time you remove them and periodically soaking them in a denture cleaner to keep them fresh and clean. You’ll also want to be careful to use your purpose-built retainer case, as again, far too many patients accidentally wrap their retainers in a napkin and toss them. But with proper care and diligent wear, your retainers will help safeguard your smile for a lifetime!

Contact Your Huntington Beach Area Orthodontist

We hope these guidelines help you take better care of your orthodontic appliances, and if you still have questions about any part of the process, we're here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our orthodontic office and the treatments we offer, or feel free to use the appointment request link above to schedule your consultation today. We can't wait to hear from you, and we're excited to help you achieve the smile of your dreams!