ARE THE ALIGNERS PAINLESS? CAN THE ALIGNERS CAUSE PAIN?
ARE THE ALIGNERS PAINLESS? CAN THE ALIGNERS CAUSE PAIN?
PAIN/COMFORT From DIGITAL ORTHODONTICS - Solo Edition by Dr. Bak Nguyen
Aligners will pressure your teeth so it triggers your body's hormonal response to remold the bone around the teeth in the new guided position. That is how we move teeth. So yes, you will feel pressure. Pain, that is a whole other level.
That said, some aligners and some movement might be more sensitive, so yes, the aligners can cause some sensitivity. That said, compared to braces, the sensitivity is minimal. I have patients who had braces before and now are back in aligners to treat relapse telling me if this works because they do not feel anything. They are comparing it to what they felt with braces.
So yes, you may from time to time experience discomfort due to the aligners. Yes, you will feel the pressure. Pain is usually not on the menu. That said, we each have different pain thresholds, so all I can say is that this is less painful than braces.
That said, one common discomfort is when patients are heavily grinding their teeth. Grinding will cause the teeth to be sensitive. If you consult a dentist on the matter, the first thing that they will recommend is to have a nightguard which is what an aligner is! So you already have the solution in your mouth. Usually, after a few days, the pain should go away. If not, please consult your attending.
The other thing that many patients are concerned about is IPR, commonly named interproximal reduction. That procedure too does not involve pain. It is to create space in between your teeth to accommodate all of them in your arch.