There are plenty of dos and don’ts know matter what type of orthodontic treatment you undergo. There are rules you must follow and things you must avoid. Invisalign is different than conventional metal braces because it does allow the wearer more freedom, but there are still behaviors you must adopt to ensure that the treatment works as effectively as possible.
1. Don’t eat with the trays in.
It isn’t always easy to take Invisalign in and out of your mouth, especially when you’re wearing attachments or when you’re in the first few days of getting used to a new set of trays and your teeth are sensitive. But it’s very important to remove the trays for every meal and snack so food particles don’t get stuck in the aligners and they don’t get stained or broken.
2. Do wear the trays around the clock.
Invisalign is not a 24-hour-a-day alignment method, but it’s pretty close. The recommendation is to wear the trays 20 to 22 hours a day – yes, even Invisalign for adults. That gives you about two to three hours of time for eating, snacks, and cleaning your trays.
3. Don’t sip all day.
You may have a great love for all-day coffee, soda, or energy drinks, but any beverage besides water has the potential to stain your trays. The whole point of Invisalign is wearing braces no one can see, right? If you stick with this habit, you’ll ruin the undercover element of clear braces.
4. Do brush your teeth often.
When you have braces of any kind, you need to brush your teeth more often and do so meticulously. With Invisalign, you don’t have the tedious job of cleaning in and around brackets and wires, but you are responsible for carefully brushing and flossing after every meal and making sure no food is caught around your attachments. The last thing you want is to for decay to develop between your snug-fitting trays and your teeth.
5. Don’t leave your trays out in the open.
Anytime you remove your trays, store them in your Invisalign case. The aligners are clear and hard to see, so if you wrap them in a napkin at dinner to keep them out of the way they could easily be thrown away. If you put them in your pocket, they could go through the wash. You don’t want to be faced with the prospect of investing in multiple replacement aligners when you only wear each set for two weeks at a time. The more your trays are lost or damaged, the more your treatment gets off track and longer it will take to complete your alignment.
6. Do remember the goal.
Any type of orthodontic treatment is a commitment. When Invisalign is feeling like a slog, when you feel like you just can’t keep the trays in any longer, it’s OK to give yourself a break for a few minutes, to regroup and remember the goal: straight, healthy teeth. Invisalign is a discreet, easy way to achieve a beautiful, aligned smile. The benefits of this alignment method are many, and they’re worth every inconvenience you may encounter along the way.
Want to learn more about Invisalign and find out if you’re a good candidate for this treatment? Schedule a consultation with Center City orthodontists and Invisalign providers Drs. Roberts & de Marsche.