Wearing clear aligners on video calls

Clear aligners are meant to be worn most of the day, so most video calls happen with them in. The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) says 20 to 22 hours a day or as prescribed.

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What can show on camera

• The trays. They are clear plastic shaped over your teeth.
• Attachments. Many plans bond small tooth-colored bumps, called attachments, to some teeth so the trays can grip. Invisalign says some show more than others: those on front teeth are easier to see than those on back teeth. They usually stay on until the end of treatment.
• Marks on the trays. Food and drinks left on the trays can stain them, and stained trays are easier to see than clear ones. Invisalign advises brushing the trays with a soft toothbrush and rinsing them in lukewarm water before they go back in. More is in how to clean clear aligners.
• Plans without attachments. At-home plans are usually made without them, which also limits the movements they can make. The difference is explained in Invisalign and at-home aligners.

If how you look on camera matters for your work, ask at the first appointment whether your plan needs attachments and on which teeth.

Taking the trays out for a call

You can take the trays out for an important call, but taking them out does not remove the attachments, and the time counts against the hours you were told to wear them. The AAO says inconsistent wear can slow progress or compromise the result. Put the trays in their case, not a pocket or a napkin, and put them back in when the call ends.

Speech in the first days

Speech can be affected when you start, and it usually settles within a few days. If you can, start treatment a few days before a presentation or an interview rather than the day before. More on the first weeks is in Invisalign and at-home aligners.

Drinks during a call

Plain water is the only drink the AAO says to have with trays in. Take them out for coffee, tea and other drinks, or keep a glass of water for calls. What to do about meals and snacks is in eating and drinking with clear aligners.

Whitening

If you want whiter teeth as well as straighter ones, ask the dentist responsible for your aligners when to whiten. The ADA says whitening can cause temporary sensitivity, and only natural teeth whiten; tooth-colored fillings and similar materials keep their color. Gel also lightens enamel more readily than the material attachments are made of. Whether to whiten during treatment or after the attachments come off is the dentist's decision. Options are in whitening your teeth.

How treatment starts

There are two routes:

• An examination in person. A dentist or orthodontist examines you and takes a scan or impressions, then plans the treatment and sees you during it.
• An impression kit at home. You take impressions yourself and send them back; a dentist or orthodontist working with the company reviews them and plans the treatment, and progress is checked through photos.

Either way, a dentist or orthodontist has to decide whether aligners suit your teeth. The stages are in how at-home aligner treatment works, and what aligners can and cannot fix is in what clear aligners can fix.

Before a call

• Keep the case within reach.
• Have water, not coffee, on the desk if the trays are in.
• Check your camera preview if you have just started or have new attachments.
• If you took the trays out, put them back in when the call ends.