If you have braces or clear aligners, should you continue visiting your dentist every 6 months for professional cleanings? Can your dentist even clean your teeth with braces on?
Spoiler alert: YES, it’s actually essential that you still visit your dentist throughout your orthodontic treatment!
Here’s everything you need to know:
TL;DR: Do you still go to the dentist with braces or aligners?
- Yes, regular dental visits every 6 months are essential, even during orthodontic treatment.
- Start with a healthy foundation: a cleaning before treatment helps ensure your teeth and gums are ready.
- Braces require extra attention since brackets and wires can trap plaque. Professional cleanings are even more important.
- Dentists are fully equipped to clean around braces and can safely take X-rays during treatment.
- Clear aligners make cleanings easier.J ust remove them before your appointment and maintain your normal routine.
- Orthodontists and dentists work together to protect your oral health while creating your new smile.
Preparing Your Smile Before Getting Braces or Aligners
Orthodontic treatment works best when your teeth and gums are healthy. A strong, healthy foundation helps your treatment move more efficiently and comfortably.
Before getting started, it’s important to have a professional dental cleaning within the past six months. This ensures your braces or aligners are placed on clean, healthy teeth.
Once treatment begins, continuing to see your dentist every six months is just as important. Regular dental cleanings, combined with your orthodontic check-ins, help protect your oral health while your new smile takes shape!
Can you get your teeth cleaned while wearing braces?
Yes! In fact, keeping up with regular dental cleanings is especially important while wearing braces.
Even with advanced KLOwen™ braces that use a more hygienic self-ligating mechanism, brackets and wires create more places for plaque and tartar to build up. Just like your daily at-home cleaning routine, professional cleanings play a key role in keeping your teeth and gums healthy throughout treatment.
The good news? Your dentist is used to caring for patients with braces. They have the tools and techniques to clean around brackets and wires safely and effectively, including flossing between your teeth without damaging your appliances.
If needed, Drs. Angie and Chris Canales are always happy to coordinate with your dentist and can temporarily remove your wires to make treatment or cleaning easier.
Can you get X-rays with braces?
Yes, you can still get dental X-rays while wearing braces, and you should continue having them taken as recommended by your dentist.
The materials used in braces won’t be harmed by dental X-rays, and X-rays are still an important part of monitoring your oral health throughout treatment.
Routine X-rays help your dentist detect issues like tooth decay (cavities) and other concerns that may not be visible during a regular exam.
Teeth Cleaning with Clear Aligners: What to Expect
Dental cleanings are typically very simple with clear aligners. You’ll just remove your aligners for your appointment, then place them back in once your cleaning is finished. Since there are no brackets or wires involved, your dentist can clean your teeth much like they normally would.
If you have attachments or buttons as part of your treatment, your dentist can still work around them without issue.
One of the benefits of clear aligners is that your oral hygiene routine stays mostly the same. Since you remove them to brush, floss, and eat, it’s usually easy to keep your teeth clean throughout treatment.
Still have questions about dental cleaning with braces or clear aligners?
If you have questions about caring for your teeth during orthodontic treatment, please reach out to us. We’re always here to help! Our goal is to make your smile journey as smooth, healthy, and stress-free as possible.
At Canales Orthodontics in Alabaster and Gardendale, your board-certified orthodontists Drs. Angie and Chris Canales are here to guide you every step of the way with honest recommendations, clear answers, and personalized care.
Ready to begin your smile journey? Book your complimentary consultation with our orthodontic office in Alabaster or Gardendale today, or get answers from home first with a virtual consultation!
