Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on various sectors of the economy across geographical boundaries. As expected, the healthcare sector, too, has suffered, with reduced footfall in clinics and patients opting for telemedicine and video appointments. This has severely affected the dental health and hygiene industry as people shied away from perceived invasive procedures involving the oral cavity. Several dental examination procedures require water spray jets that generate aerosols and can be a major carrier of SARS-CoV-2. As for treatment with clear aligners, despite being a minimally invasive procedure, the pandemic still affected the industry to some extent.

COVID-19 and Clear Aligners

Clear aligners provide extremely nifty solutions to orthodontic problems by straightening misaligned teeth. They gently apply pressure on the teeth from either side to move them to the desired position. The aligners need to be changed every one or two weeks, which could sound like a challenge during the pandemic. But that’s the best part of being treated with clear aligners; they can be replaced at home without the doctor’s help. And, the entire series of aligners are shipped to you right at the beginning of the treatment. It is pertinent to note here that dental clinics across the USA have come up with better safety precautions so that their patients can have a safe and hassle-free clear aligner fitting procedure.

Clear Aligners and self-care

A major worry weighing in on the minds of patients during this pandemic is the post-procedure care that any dental work requires. After all, we have become used to masks and have been asked to be particularly careful with our hand hygiene, which means minimal touching of the mouth. Now, in this kind of environment, patients can get worried and delay their much-needed clear aligner treatment. Meanwhile, clear aligners require a certain level of cleanliness and hand hygiene, irrespective of the pandemic. They need to be removed several times a day before every meal and kept in a sanitized environment. All of this has played a major role in keeping many patients away from getting treated on time. 

The way forward

While many people are hesitant about visiting clinics, it is actually inflicting long-term damage on their oral health. Regular problems like tooth cavity, periodontitis, chipped tooth, if not taken care of on time, can lead to severe health hazards. The same goes for clear aligners. While they may seem worth the wait, in reality, a lost day can effectively delay that perfect smile for you as shifting of teeth is a slow but careful process that takes its desired amount of time.