Curious about what the first 24 hours of clear aligner treatment are like? Join our Social Media Manager, Megan, as she navigates her first day with Urban Smile clear aligners.
Hour 0 – The start appointment
The big day is here! A month after my consultation, my aligners have been designed by Dr Sarah Lawrence and arrived at Urban Smile Hawthorn.
I arrived early for my 10:30am appointment and was greeted by Abby at the front desk. My Oral Health Therapist for the day was Trish, who welcomed me and led me to the treatment room.
Once I got comfortable, Trish walked me through the treatment plan Dr Lawrence had prepared for me. I’ll be getting 20 aligners initially, with IPR (interproximal reduction) around aligner #14. Once I finish the first 20 aligners, I’ll get a refinement set to make sure my Dream Smile is exactly as I want it.
While taking me through the plan, Trish was so warm and welcomed any questions I had. She was very patient, even when I asked to watch the animation of my smile play several times, because I wanted to see it from every angle!
The appointment itself went by quite fast. Trish handed me the signature Urban Smile sunglasses and I lay back in the chair to relax while she worked on my smile. Dr Lawrence planned attachments for almost all my teeth – except my front two, the most visible ones!
Throughout my appointment, Trish and Simon, the Dental Assistant, explained each step and were so gentle with me. Turns out I have a particularly small mouth, so they had to adjust to a smaller working area. Honestly one of my favourite things was the way that every time they wanted me to open wider, they asked it in a singsong voice which made me laugh. 
After all the attachments were on and Trish was satisfied that everything was perfect, it was time for me to practice putting in my aligners! Trish guided me through it with helpful advice, such as pressing them down on my back teeth and doing one side at a time.
Simon then walked me through the care instructions for my aligners. He was incredibly thorough, which put me right at ease. Finally, he handed me a goodie bag filled to the brim with my aligners, some Urban Smile merch and samples of BioMin toothpaste! I was also given a print out of all instructions, so I don’t forget anything.
Hours 1- 4 – Getting comfortable with removing and inserting my clear aligners
Just as I was getting used to the aligners and attachments, lunchtime arrived. It’s getting a little easier to remove my aligners each time and I made sure to keep them in their case. This is a habit I’m determined to stick to, as misplaced aligners can easily end up thrown away with rubbish or in a beloved pet’s mouth as a new chew toy!
Lunch was a breeze and I gave my aligners a rinse before I dug into the pasta I brought from home. Since it had been a big day, I also treated myself to an iced coffee and an almond croissant. Because I need to take my aligners out each time I eat, I want to make sure I’m not getting hungry too often!
After lunch I popped my aligners back in so that I can hit my 22 hours of wear per day target. Consistency with my aligner wear and regularly using chewies will keep my journey on track!
My Tip: Always store your aligners in their case to avoid losing or damaging them.
By mid-afternoon I started to feel the aligners putting pressure on my teeth. It’s not too painful, but my teeth did feel a little tender. Simon warned me about this in my appointment, and it shouldn’t last too long.
I also noticed that there’s a bit of a sharp edge on my bottom aligner. Again, Simon had prepared me for this and later I’ll use a nail file to soften the edge. Apparently, it will also continue to soften throughout the week as I wear them more.
Hours 5-8 – My first ever Dental Monitoring scan
After work, it’s time to do my first ever Dental Monitoring scan. I’m a little nervous because I want to do it right, but luckily there’s a training scan in the app for me to practice with. Plus, I get to review the scan before I send it to the Urban Smile team, so I can redo it if needed.
Opening up all the boxes in my goodie bag feels a little like Christmas! My ScanBox Pro from Dental Monitoring comes with everything I need, including a cute mesh travel bag to keep it safe. I quickly figured out how to clip in my phone and I was good to go!
My first scan took a little getting used to. It was hard to hit the right angles with the ScanBox but thankfully the Dental Monitoring app has bubble shaped guides on screen that pop when you get the right spot. I’m glad I waited to do this until I got home – it took longer than I expected to get right, but I know it will be easier each time from here on out.
It takes about 12 hours for the scan to process, I’m not expecting anything exciting from my first scan as I’ve only just started, but in the coming weeks the scan results will tell me when I’m ready to move onto my next set of aligners. I can’t wait to see the progress!
My Tip: Your first scan will take some extra time, but don’t stress—it will get easier with practice!
I’ve noticed that after a few hours of wearing the aligners, my teeth are starting to feel quite tender. It’s especially noticeable when removing/reinserting my aligners. I can feel the aligners gently applying pressure, particularly on my upper front teeth. This makes sense, as my front teeth have an overjet that will require significant movement to correct.
Due to the tenderness, I’m hesitant to remove my aligners for additional snack breaks. Honestly, that’s probably for the best as staying consistent with my 22 hours of daily wear is a top priority for me.
Hours 9-18 – Sleeping with clear aligners
Time to sleep with my aligners for the first time! Before bed, I took extra care brushing my teeth around the attachments as I noticed when eating that food got stuck in them a little. It’s also the perfect time to give my aligners a clean for the first time! I got a sample of EverSmile Aligner Cleaner in my welcome goodie bag, so I’m giving that a try. Just squirt in some of the foam, let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse it out!
The team recommended BioMin toothpaste, which is a premium toothpaste that remineralises my teeth. It’s extra important to keep my teeth healthy while they’re being straightened! It’s now a staple in my routine to keep my teeth healthy during treatment. Adding in my aligner care to my routine only took a couple of extra minutes, and soon I was cosy in bed.
My Tip: Incorporate aligner cleaning into your nightly routine to keep them fresh.
Hours 19-24 – Day 1 with clear aligners complete!
After almost 24 hours with my clear aligners I’m thrilled with how smoothly the first day went. The aligners didn’t bother me while sleeping and after a solid 9 hours of uninterrupted wear, the tenderness I felt earlier had also improved.
The longer my aligners are in, the more they feel like they’re ‘supporting’ my teeth and helping to reduce any tenderness. I’m still getting used to the feeling of the aligners in my mouth, but any lisping I experienced when I first put them in is pretty much gone.
I’m still trying to build good habits around my aligner care but with repetition and consistency I’ll get there!
My Key Takeaway: The first day might feel a bit different, but with patience and consistency, you’ll adjust quickly and stay on track to your Dream Smile.
If you’re thinking about clear aligner treatment, Book a Free Consultation today to find out more.