How to Take Care of Your Invisalign Aligners
Posted on September 16, 2022
The Invisalign brand alone speaks to one of its advantages: it’s virtually invisible, which can be a big confidence boost. In fact, according to Doc Player, up to 47% of Invisalign teen users surveyed had a boost of self-esteem in the process of treatment. However, you’ll need to take good care of your aligners if you want them to continue looking clean and unobtrusive. If not, they may lose their original color, collect plaque, and even begin to smell bad. Let’s discuss a few ways to take care of your aligners.
Wearing and Taking Out Your Aligners
Line the aligners with the front of your teeth, press up and then continue pushing towards your back teeth until they are completely set. They’ll be snug at first, but you’ll get used to them. Always remove your aligners from the rear when you want to eat, brush, or do anything else that requires you to remove them. Usually, there are no attachments to the aligner, making it easier to lift from the back to the inside. Always keep your aligners in case when you are not wearing them. If you leave your aligners alone on a table or wrapped in a napkin, they may get lost or broken.
Eating With Your Invisalign Aligners
One of the best parts of Invisalign is that you do not have the same food restrictions as those undergoing orthodontic treatment with braces. However, you will still need to take your Invisalign trays out when eating and drinking anything other than water.
After finishing your drink or food, make sure you rinse your mouth thoroughly before placing your trays back in. If possible, brushing your teeth before wearing your trays would be the best option.
Cleaning Your Aligners
If you use aligners, it is important to brush your teeth after eating to remove any food particles lodged between your teeth and the aligners. If you can’t clean your teeth, at least give them a quick rinse before inserting your aligners again. You can easily maintain your aligners by rinsing them in cold water and brushing them with a clean toothbrush. Our recommendation is to use Invisalign’s Cleaning Crystals once a week, preferably in the middle of the week. Since aligners are plastic, you shouldn’t wash them in hot water or in the dishwasher.
You should have your aligners in your mouth for 22 hours per day, removing them only to eat and brush your teeth. To maximize comfort and effectiveness when switching to the next set of trays, put on the new pair of aligners at night, after dinner. Just make sure you brush and floss before inserting the aligners. Due to a lack of interruptions throughout the night, this period of time allows for more efficient motion in the teeth and enhanced comfort.
Should you decide to pursue the Invisalign route, maintaining the health of their aligners is critical. Give us a call today for help with your Invisalign aligners. We have a team of experienced professionals that you can trust!