Clear Aligners for Straightening Teeth — Meat and Milk, Yom Kippur | Vessels and appliances | Sheilot

Clear Aligners for Straightening Teeth — Meat and Milk, Yom Kippur

Question

I am undergoing orthodontic treatment using the Invisalign method: transparent plastic aligners (an orthodontic appliance) that are custom-fitted to the teeth, and they are replaced once a week. The aligners cover the teeth from all sides up to the gums, but they are not sealed, and food gets inside them. According to the instructions, I must wear them 24 hours a day, including while eating.

My questions are:
1. Regarding the laws of meat and milk: Is it necessary to clean the aligners every time I switch between meat and dairy, in addition to waiting six hours after meat or rinsing and waiting before eating meat? If so, how should they be cleaned: is rinsing sufficient, or must they be brushed with a toothbrush and toothpaste? Is it necessary to clean both the aligners and the teeth, or only the aligners?
2. On Yom Kippur: Is it sufficient to clean the aligners with a toothbrush and toothpaste, or must they be soaked or replaced with a new aligner? It is important to note that one cannot simply replace an aligner at any time, but only once a week on a fixed day.

Thank you very much.
Attached File

Answer

Shalom u’verachah 

1. It is obligatory to clean the aligners between meat and milk or vice versa, with water and soap or with water and toothpaste. 

2. It is sufficient to clean them well so that no food residue remains. 

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