At Aura Orthodontics, we’re the premier Invisalign provider in the Fraser Valley and Dr. Vishal Sharma, Dr. Everett Lin and Dr. Julia Koo have perfected thousands of smiles with the treatment. Why have so many of our Surrey, Abbotsford and Langley orthodontic patients opted for Invisalign and Invisalign Teen? It’s because the aligners are convenient, comfortable and, most importantly, clear! Today, we’re sharing how to make your treatment even simpler and more effective with our best Invisalign tips and tricks.
Table of Contents
1. Wear Your Invisalign Aligners According to Plan
Wearing your Invisalign aligners for about 22 hours per day is the best of all of our Invisalign tips and tricks. That’s because the only way the aligners can do their job and straighten your teeth is if they’re in your mouth. For maximum straightening success, only remove your aligners to eat, drink and brush and floss your teeth. Change them according to the schedule we discuss at the start of your treatment. Since each set is designed to facilitate specific tooth movements, it’s important to move through the series in order. If you stick with your treatment plan and follow the instructions for wearing your Invisalign aligners, you’ll really set yourself up for Invisalign success.
2. Talk as Much as Possible at First
Some patients feel like they have a little bit of a lisp for a few days when they begin Invisalign treatment. It’s because you have to get used to having something taking up space in your mouth. Once you’re acclimated, we promise, your speech will go back to normal. Another of our best Invisalign tips is to just keep talking. The more you talk, the faster you’ll adjust to your aligners. Read aloud, call a friend and chat on the phone, talk to yourself or sing along to your favorite songs.
3. Plan for Some Sensitivity
When you first start wearing Invisalign aligners and, sometimes, when you switch to a new tray, your teeth will feel sensitive. Any discomfort is generally very mild, goes away quickly and just means your treatment is working! To combat sensitivity, stick with soft foods and cold drinks for a day or two. You may also want to consider changing your aligners before bed so that you can sleep through some of the sensitivity. If you need to, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever. If you take it before putting in your first set of aligners or changing aligners, the medication will have kicked in by the time any tenderness starts.
4. Take Your Aligners Out Before Eating and Drinking
You’ll need to remove your aligners before eating or drinking anything aside from water. While drinking beverages with Invisalign aligners in can seem harmless, hot drinks can warp the aligners and affect the fit and most drinks will cause some level of staining.
5. Use Your Invisalign Case!
Invisalign aligners are clear and removable. Of course, those are some of our patients’ favorite benefits of Invisalign. However, that also makes the aligners easy to lose track of. If you put them in a napkin while you eat, they’ll blend right in and we can’t tell you how many times we’ve had patients call us after accidentally throwing their aligners in the trash this way. That’s why no list of Invisalign tips and tricks would be complete without a mention of how important it is to always store your aligners in their case when you’re not wearing them. This will keep them safe and clean. Losing aligners means you’ll have to have replacements made, which can potentially set back your treatment time. Invisalign Teen has some free replacement aligners built into the system but adult Invisalign does not, so use that case! If you have to, you can even store your Invisalign case in a bigger case so it’s really hard to misplace.
6. Up Your Oral Hygiene Game and Carry a Travel Toothbrush
In the Invisalign vs. braces debate, a perk of Invisalign is that the aligners are removable so they don’t interfere with your oral hygiene and you can brush and floss as normal without brackets and wires getting in the way. That being said, you will have to brush more frequently and be extremely diligent about flossing too. If you eat or drink and put your aligners right back in without brushing, the sugars or starches from food or beverages will get caught between the aligners and your teeth causing a feeding frenzy with the bacteria in your mouth, which release acids. When the residue and acids just sit on the teeth, it increases your risk of tooth decay. Keep a travel toothbrush in your school or work bag or your car so that you always have it on hand and you can freshen up after meals.
7. Clean Your Invisalign Aligners When You Brush Your Teeth
Since your Invisalign aligners are in your mouth and coming into contact with spit and bacteria, they can get pretty dirty. To keep them plaque-free and virtually invisible, clean them in the morning, before putting them back in your mouth after meals and snacks and prior to bed. Your best bet is to just make it part of your daily oral hygiene routine and address your aligners as soon as you’re done brushing your teeth. We don’t recommend cleaning them with toothpaste because it can be abrasive and actually make them appear a little cloudy. Instead, just gently brush them with a clean toothbrush and rinse them with lukewarm water. If they seem really dirty, you can spring for an Invisalign cleaning product, use a mild detergent or give them the occasional deep clean with denture cleaning tablets, like Efferdent, but that’s not usually necessary. Never wash or soak them in hot or boiling water since it can damage the aligners.
8. Make Treatment a Family Affair
Parents with a child starting treatment may want to consider kicking off their own Invisalign treatment at the same time. Having straight teeth is more than just a cosmetic concern and it can actually enhance your oral and overall health by making teeth easier to clean to ward off tooth decay and gum disease, alleviating jaw pain and headaches and preventing uneven wear, among other benefits. With Invisalign, you’ll be able to reach your smile goals conveniently, comfortably and discreetly. Since you’ll already be at the office with your child, you can save time by scheduling your own appointments to coincide with theirs. Additionally, at Aura Orthodontics we offer discounted Invisalign treatment to the parents of our patients!
Now that you’re all set with Invisalign tips and tricks, if you’re ready to straighten your teeth without braces and get your dream smile, book a free consultation at Aura Orthodontics today!
