Invisalign: Dos And Don'ts
Invisalign is a comfortable, affordable, and discreet way to correct your smile. While many people prefer it over the traditional metal brackets, there are still some dos and don'ts that you need to be familiar with before you begin Invisalign treatment. Keep reading to learn what these are so that you can ensure your treatment goes off without a hitch.
Do Wear Your Invisalign Aligners for Most of the Day
Invisalign can be effective, but it will only work if you wear the aligners as instructed. They will only be effective at shifting your teeth if they are in your mouth for about 20 to 22 hours each day. Ultimately, you should only be taking the aligners out of your mouth to drink, eat, brush, and floss your teeth.
Don't Forget to Remove Your Aligners When You Eat and Drink
It is important that you remove your aligners when you eat or drink, unless it is just plain water. Your Invisalign aligners are not designed to withstand the pressure that you would place on the aligners if you tried to chew food with them in. Plus, food and drinks can get trapped in between the teeth and the aligners, which increases the risk of stained teeth and cavities. In addition, it can result in the aligners becoming discolored.
Do Clean Your Aligners on a Daily Basis
As you wear the aligners, bacteria and plaque will end up accumulating on them. It is important that you clean your aligners to get rid of that bacteria. To clean your aligners, you should use a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush them gently. You can rinse the aligners first thing in the morning and right before bed, as well as before placing them back into your mouth after eating.
Don't Expose Your Aligners to Extreme Heat
When you rinse your aligners, make sure that you use lukewarm water. You never want to use hot water. You never want to leave your aligners in a hot vehicle. You also never want to drink hot coffee, hot chocolate, or another hot beverage with your aligners in. The extreme heat will impact the fit of the aligners, which could also impact your treatment.
Do Store Your Aligners in a Safe Case
Any time that you take out your aligners, they need to be stored in their case. Aligners can easily be thrown away accidentally since they are clear and small in size. In addition, if they fall on the floor, there is a good chance that your pets will get ahold of them, start chewing on them, and cause serious damage to them. The last thing that you want to do is have to purchase replacement aligners, as this is an additional cost and it will put your treatment off track.
For more information, reach out to an orthodontist in your area.