Wearing clear aligners to reset your smile is a far cry from the hardware and rubber bands of yesteryear. But while the aligners might look almost invisible, they won’t necessarily feel invisible — because they’re working hard to give you your best smile. As they adjust your teeth, you’ll likely need to adjust to wearing them.

Here are some things that might happen when wearing aligners that are totally normal.

1. Your mouth feels sore

Your aligners have to put pressure on your teeth to get them moving, and that can feel uncomfortable. They’ll need some time to relax into wearing aligners, but most discomfort should go away after the first few days of a new set of aligners.

When you try a new sport or exercise move for the first time, muscles that aren’t accustomed to the new movement might feel sore the next day or few days. The same happens with aligners — you’re suddenly asking more of your mouth muscles and gums and teeth.

But just like working out, there’s a payoff if you keep wearing clear aligners. Taking an over-the-counter pain medicine, like ibuprofen, may help ease this pain just as it would easing post-workout muscle pain.

2. Your teeth feel loose.

Don’t freak out. This is totally normal when wearing clear aligners.

Some people say teeth feel loose and mobile. That’s very, very normal, because we are moving them. It’s a different feeling for customers who have never been through an orthodontic treatment.

3. Your teeth feel … funny

Your aligners have to put pressure on your teeth to get them moving, and that can feel uncomfortable. They’ll need some time to relax into wearing aligners, but most discomfort should go away after the first few days of a new set of aligners. Even if you don’t feel discomfort, you’ll still notice the aligners in your mouth at first and it will probably feel a little odd. Don’t stress – we promise you’ll get used to it.

4. The aligners don’t fit like you expected.

Maybe they feel too loose, or they aren’t snapping into place correctly. If you’ve been wearing one set of aligners for a while, and they’re getting loose, that’s usually a good sign that the aligners are doing their job. If they aren’t snapping in, you can always use your Movemints, or reach out to our dental team for any tips.

5. An edge feels rough.

When you go through your day and start talking, you may notice an edge that feels rough or sharp. This happens. You can use your emery board to lightly file that area. Be sure to file in the same direction to prevent any more rough edges.

6. You may have a little lisp when wearing clear aligners.

It won’t last, but, yeah, it’s real. Some people find that they speak with a bit of a lisp when first wearing aligners, but others don’t think it changes the way they talk at all. It depends on the person.

Just stick with it. After a few days, your mouth will adjust, and the lisp go away. And remember: You’re the one paying the most attention to your every word – most other people will likely never notice.

7. You take a lot more selfies.

Whether you’re just tracking progress (which we recommend) or enjoying the results you’re seeing, you’ll probably see your camera roll fill up with lots of teeth pics.

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