How do I prepare my teeth and gums before starting SureSmile aligner treatment?

Before starting SureSmile aligner treatment, you must have good oral health, which includes completing any necessary cleanings, fillings, gum treatments, or oral surgeries like wisdom tooth extractions. Canyon Gate Dental ensures these steps are done first because aligners move teeth through bone and gums, so active decay or gum disease must be treated to provide a stable foundation for effective tooth movement.

What are SureSmile attachments and why might I need them during treatment?

SureSmile attachments are small, tooth-colored bumps bonded to specific teeth to give the aligners something to push against, enabling movements like rotating teeth or moving them vertically that smooth surfaces cannot achieve. These attachments are typically placed when you receive your first trays and are removed at the end of treatment. While they can make aligners more noticeable, especially on front teeth, their use depends on your individual treatment plan.

What is interproximal reduction and how does it affect my teeth during SureSmile treatment?

Interproximal reduction (IPR) is a controlled reshaping process that removes a small amount of enamel between certain teeth to create space for proper alignment. It is part of the digital treatment plan and only applied where necessary, not across all teeth. This procedure helps ensure your teeth can move into their correct positions without overcrowding, and your dentist will inform you which teeth will be reshaped and by how much before treatment begins.

What should I expect during the first weeks of wearing SureSmile aligners?

During the initial weeks of SureSmile aligner use, you may experience minor tenderness or pressure as your teeth begin to move, which often feels strongest when switching to a new tray. Some patients also notice a temporary lisp that usually resolves within one to two weeks. Proper tray care is essential, including rinsing trays after removal, gentle brushing with mild soap, and avoiding hot water to prevent warping.

How long do I need to wear a retainer after completing SureSmile aligner treatment?

After finishing SureSmile aligner treatment, wearing a retainer as directed by your dentist is crucial to prevent teeth from shifting back to their original positions. SureSmile retainers are designed for up to 12 months of wear, with specific daily wear times that may change over the retention period. Patients are advised to have a backup retainer in case of loss or damage, and some may require refinement aligners before starting retention.

Before SureSmile Aligners in Orem: Prep and Retainers

What to Know Before Getting SureSmile Aligners: Prep Work, Attachments, and Retainers

Before you get SureSmile aligners in Orem, plan for four things beyond the trays themselves. Your teeth and gums need to be healthy first, so cleanings, fillings, gum treatment, and any oral surgery come before treatment starts. Many patients get small tooth-colored attachments, and some need light reshaping between teeth to make room. The first weeks bring pressure, a brief lisp, and a new cleaning routine. And a retainer plan should be settled before your final tray.

If you’re still deciding whether aligners fit your teeth or your schedule, start with SureSmile in Orem: What to Know Before You Start, which covers the consultation, daily wear, and cost questions. This guide picks up from there.

Get Your Teeth and Gums Ready Before SureSmile Aligners

SureSmile’s own patient consent form puts it simply: you should have good oral health before you start aligner treatment. Aligners move teeth through the bone and gums, so active decay or gum disease needs to be handled first. Any planned oral surgery, such as a wisdom tooth extraction, must be completed before treatment starts.

At Canyon Gate Dental in Orem, that usually means a few steps:

A cleaning and exam. Your SureSmile aligners are made from a 3D scan of your teeth. Plaque, tartar, or a cavity that changes a tooth’s shape later can affect how the trays fit.
Fillings or other repairs. Treating decay before the scan means your trays are built around the teeth you’ll actually have.
Gum treatment if needed. Inflamed or infected gums aren’t a stable base for moving teeth.

Tell Dr. Young about existing dental work, too. According to the SureSmile consent form, dental implants can’t be moved by aligners, and existing crowns may need to be re-cemented or, in some cases, replaced during treatment. Knowing where implants, crowns, and bridges sit helps shape the plan before the first tray is made.

The consent form also warns that poor hygiene during treatment can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Trays hold whatever is on your teeth against the enamel for hours at a time, so starting clean and staying clean go together.

What SureSmile Attachments Are and Why You Might Need Them

Attachments are small, tooth-colored bumps bonded to certain teeth. They give the aligner something to push against, which helps with movements a smooth tooth surface can’t grip, like rotating a tooth or moving it up or down. They’re removed when treatment ends.

The SureSmile consent form is upfront that attachments can make it more noticeable that you’re wearing aligners. Dentsply Sirona, which makes SureSmile, says its straight trimline design helps reduce the number of attachments needed, but not every case can skip them. Ask how many you’ll have and which teeth they’ll be on before you start. For many Orem patients, front-tooth attachments are the deciding detail.

Attachments are usually placed at the visit when you get your first trays, using a template that positions each one in the right spot. Because they’re bonded material, they can chip or pop off, so tell the office if one comes loose rather than waiting for your next check-in. A missing attachment can change how a tray fits.

If you’re planning to whiten, ask about timing. Attachments are made of tooth-colored bonding material, and bonding doesn’t change color with whitening. Whitening after the attachments come off, or planning both together, helps avoid mismatched shades.

Interproximal Reduction: Making Room Between Teeth

Interproximal reduction, or IPR, is a small amount of reshaping between certain teeth to create space for them to line up. The SureSmile consent form lists it plainly: teeth may require reduction between them or minor shaping to make room for movement.

IPR sounds worse than it is when patients first hear “shaving teeth.” It’s part of the digital treatment plan, not an improvised step, and it’s limited to the contacts where the plan needs space. If your plan includes it, ask Dr. Young which teeth, roughly how much, and at which appointment. Some patients prefer to know before they see the first set of trays.

Your First Weeks With SureSmile Aligners

Expect some pressure. The consent form says minor tenderness when switching to a new aligner is expected. Many people switch trays at night so the first hours of pressure happen while they sleep. Pain that doesn’t settle, or a tray that won’t seat, is worth a call to the office.

You may also notice a lisp. According to the consent form, aligners can temporarily affect speech, and that usually disappears within one or two weeks. If you have a presentation, interview, or class you’re leading in Orem or at UVU, starting treatment a week or two earlier gives you time to adjust.

Then there’s daily tray care. Clear aligner care instructions agree on a few basics:

Rinse trays every time you take them out.
Brush the inside gently with a soft toothbrush and a clear, mild soap. Skip toothpaste, which can scratch the plastic and make it cloudy.
Use lukewarm or cold water only. Hot water can warp the trays.
Keep trays in their case whenever they’re out of your mouth.

Brush and floss your own teeth before putting the trays back in. The consent form also warns against eating or drinking sugary foods while wearing aligners, so the soda or sweetened coffee you used to sip at your desk now needs a tray-out break and a rinse.

Plan for SureSmile Retainers Before Your Last Tray

Straight teeth don’t stay put on their own. The SureSmile consent form states that teeth may shift after treatment and that retainers must be worn as directed by your doctor to control that tendency. Retention is part of the treatment, not an optional add-on.

Dentsply Sirona says SureSmile Retainers are designed to be worn for up to 12 months when cared for as directed, and suggests keeping a backup set in case one is lost or broken. Before your final tray, ask:

Which type of retainer you’ll get and how many sets.
How many hours a day to wear it at first, and when that changes.
How often retainers are replaced, and what happens if one is lost or cracked.

Some patients also need refinement aligners after the first series. The consent form notes that additional scans or refinement trays may be needed, which can push the retainer date back a bit. Ask how refinements fit into your plan so the end date doesn’t catch you off guard.

Questions to Ask Before Your First SureSmile Aligners

Bring this list to your Orem consultation or the visit where your plan is reviewed:

Do I need a cleaning, fillings, or gum treatment before my scan?
How do my crowns, bridges, or implants affect the plan?
How many attachments will I have, and on which teeth?
Does my plan include reshaping between teeth, and where?
How often will I come in for check-ins, and can those fit around work or UVU classes?
What retainer will I get, how long do I wear it each day, and what if I lose it?

Writing the answers down gives you a clear picture of the whole treatment, not just the trays, before you commit. It also makes it easier to compare what you hear at the consultation with what you read here.

Dentist and adult patient reviewing a SureSmile aligner treatment timeline on a 3D scan in Orem, Utah

Start SureSmile Aligners in Orem With Canyon Gate Dental

Canyon Gate Dental offers SureSmile clear aligners at 440 W 800 N in Orem, with Dr. Nick Young guiding each treatment plan from 3D scan to retainer.

Call 801-764-9444 to book a SureSmile consultation. If you’re due for a cleaning or have work to finish first, we can schedule that too so your SureSmile aligners start on a healthy foundation. We see patients from Orem, Lindon, Provo, Pleasant Grove, and across Utah Valley.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a cleaning before starting SureSmile?

Usually, yes. SureSmile’s consent form says you should have good oral health before starting, and a cleaning and exam is how that’s checked. Any cavities or gum problems are treated before your scan.

Can I get SureSmile if I have a crown or dental implant?

Often, yes, but it affects the plan. Implants can’t be moved by aligners, and crowns may need re-cementing or, in some cases, replacing during treatment. Tell your dentist about all existing work at the consultation.

Are SureSmile attachments noticeable?

They’re tooth-colored, but they can make aligners more noticeable, especially on front teeth. Ask how many you’ll need and where before starting. They’re removed at the end of treatment.

Does interproximal reduction damage teeth?

IPR removes a small, planned amount of enamel between specific teeth to make room for movement. It’s part of your digital plan, not done everywhere. Ask your dentist which teeth and how much before treatment begins.

Can I whiten my teeth while wearing SureSmile aligners?

Talk to your dentist about timing. Attachments are made of bonding material that doesn’t whiten, so whitening after they come off, or planning both together, helps avoid uneven color.

How do I clean SureSmile aligners?

Rinse them each time you remove them, brush them gently with a soft brush and clear, mild soap, and use only lukewarm or cold water. Skip toothpaste and hot water, and store them in their case.

How long do I wear a retainer after SureSmile?

As long as your dentist directs. Teeth can shift after treatment, so retainers are part of keeping results. SureSmile says its retainers are designed for up to 12 months of wear before replacement.

Before SureSmile Aligners in Orem: Prep and Retainers