Get the most out of your Invisalign treatment!
Posted on 2nd October 2019 at 12:23
Over fifteen years, I have helped hundreds of people straighten their teeth with Invisalign braces. This revolutionary orthodontic treatment has allowed more than 7 million people to straighten their teeth without the inconvenience of bulky fixed wire braces. However, it requires some commitment on your part to ensure the best possible results. Here’s how to get the most out of your Invisalign treatment.
Commit to wearing your aligners
Invisalign is a removable brace treatment, which offers many advantages when it comes to eating and cleaning your teeth. However, it does require some willpower to wear your aligners for the recommended amount of time each day. To ensure treatment is as effective as possible you’ll need to keep your aligners in for 22 hours a day, removing them only to eat or for special occasions. This is particularly important when you start a new set of aligners.
Take good care of your aligners
As you’ll be wearing your aligners for the majority of the day, it’s important to keep them clean and bacteria-free. Use an electric toothbrush under cool or tepid running water to brush your aligners every time you brush your teeth. Do not use toothpastes on the aligners, as this risks scratching them. Take your retainer case with you when you are out and about so you are less likely to misplace your aligners when you take them out to eat.
Keep a spare set of aligners handy
Always wear at least some aligner. If you lose or damage your aligners it may take a while to get a replacement set, which will delay your orthodontic progress and may even cause teeth to move in an uncontrolled direction. Keeping your previous set of aligners as a backup will limit how much you set your treatment plan back should you misplace your current set.
Introduce a new set of aligners at night
Invisalign treatment rarely causes significant discomfort, but you may find that the first couple of days you wear a new set of aligners puts additional pressure on your teeth than can cause some soreness. Putting in new aligners at bedtime enables your mouth to get used to the new fit overnight, reducing discomfort levels by the next morning.
Practice proper oral hygiene
Your aligners fit closely around your teeth, which means anything left there will be kept in place by the aligners rather than being washed away with saliva. Rinsing and using inter-dental brushes every time you remove your aligners to eat anything and rinsing every time your drink anything other than water is essential for maintaining good dental health during treatment.
Use the “chewies” provided
Research has shown that your treatment will be more predictable if you use “chewies” to bite your aligners into position every time you insert them. My experience has been that this effect is so powerful, that chewing on these little aids for just thirty minutes per day can significantly speed up your treatment. I have clients who have managed to halve their treatment time in this way!
Interested in orthodontic treatment? Contact us today to book your free Invisalign consultation.
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