Smiling is the best way to make a positive first impression.
In an effort to achieve the perfect smile, people turn to different dental treatments. Nonetheless, even the clearest of teeth will not give you the ‘Hollywood Smile’ if your teeth are not properly aligned.
Orthodontic treatments, however, can get you there.
However, orthodontic treatments were not created equal. While ordinary braces may have ruled the day in their time, Invisalign aligners are far more superior.
Nevertheless, proper Invisalign care is what ensures that the treatment gives you the stellar results it is acclaimed for.
The following article will outline the Do’s and Don’ts of Invisalign care.
1. Don’t Forget to Wear Your Aligners
The mere fact that you can remove Invisalign aligners as you please can be a double-edged sword.
On one hand, you have the benefit of eating whatever you want since you remove them, unlike metal braces. Additionally, that ease of removal makes brushing and flossing also a lot easier.
On the other hand, constantly removing the aligners means that you will never get quite used to the feeling of their presence in your mouth. This makes forgetting to put them back on a real possibility.
However, the biggest rule for using Invisalign aligners is that you have to wear them for 20 to 22 hours each day.
Failure to do that will result in the treatment not being effective. As such, you can see how forgetting to wear your retainers is going to be detrimental to your efforts.
To help prevent forgetting to put them back on, make it a habit to brush your teeth, and cleanse your aligners after every meal.
2. Do Clean Your Invisalign Aligners
Properly cleaning your aligners will help prevent bacteria buildup as well as avoiding discoloration.
Thus, every morning, make sure to take out your aligners and clean them as well as your teeth thoroughly.
This is because bacteria usually builds up while we are sleeping; therefore, it will have made a home in the crevices of the aligners. Ensure to do the same before you go to sleep.
Additionally, always rinse them anytime that you remove them. This will prevent plaque and saliva from accumulating in the trays. The goal is to avoid creating an environment that is suitable for bacteria growth.
To clean your aligners, consider using a clear anti-bacterial soap. Set aside a soft-bristled toothbrush to help you in your scrubbing efforts.
It is recommended that you always carry your cleaning paraphernalia with you, in case you might not make it back home in the evening, so you do not jeopardize your efforts.
Another cleaning tip is to ensure that you soak the aligners on a daily basis. Soaking them in a cleaner is the best way of ensuring that they stay clear of pathogens.
After they are done soaking, utilize your cleaning toothbrush to wipe off any lingering food particles or plaque, and then rinse them before putting them back in your mouth.
Make sure that your teeth are brushed and flossed before putting them back on.
Wearing Invisalign aligners when your teeth still have food particles helps in trapping those particles inside the crevices of the tray. This can lead to cavities or other dental problems later on.
3. Don’t Use Toothpaste to Clean Your Aligners
While toothpaste helps prevent your teeth from getting discolored, it has an opposite effect on your aligners.
It can discolor and damage them. Toothpaste causes your trays to have a dull sheen on them thus making them more conspicuous in your mouth.
This beats the entire point of using Invisalign aligners since one chooses them in order to correct your bite without other people noticing it. The abrasive elements inside toothpaste are what makes it less than ideal for the job.
Do not use scented or colored soaps either. In addition to risking discoloration, these soaps may also leave the trays with an unpleasant taste, thus ruining your treatment experience.
4. Do Look For Signs of Calcium Buildup
Just like your teeth, your Invisalign aligners are also susceptible to calcium/calculus/tartar buildup. This buildup appears as a cloudy white film that is difficult to eliminate using a toothbrush.
Soaking the retainers in your cleaning solution should help remove that buildup.
5. Don’t Leave Your Aligners Out in The Open
In case you have to remove your aligners, be sure to remember not to leave them out in the open. Exposing them like that can lead to further bacteria buildup. Additionally, it makes it easier to lose your retainers.
Thus, it is wise to always have your Invisalign case with you at all times. If you do forget and leave them exposed, however, remember to soak and rinse them before putting them back on.
6. Do Handle Them With Care
It is important to keep in mind that your retainers are quite fragile. As such, it is quite possible to crack and break them if you pull them out of your mouth carelessly. This will lead to extra costs since you will have to replace them.
7. Don’t Use Your Retainers When Eating
Another major rule for proper Invisalign use is to ensure that you remove them whenever you are eating.
In fact, you should always take them off when putting anything else in your mouth that is not water. This is because most beverages can easily stain your retainers.
Eating with them, on the other hand, not only increases your risks of breaking them, but also making it easy for food particles to get stuck in the aligners.
8. Do Give Your Mouth Time to Adjust
As with every other foreign object on your body, you will need some time to adjust to your Invisalign trays.
The good news, however, is that Invisalign aligners do not have metal wires like ordinary braces, thus ensuring you do not experience tooth or gum irritation.
You might, however, experience some soreness in the beginning as your mouth gets used to wearing aligners. Once you adjust, you should have no problems. Talk to your orthodontist in case of any pain or discomfort.
Invisalign Care
Invisalign retainers allow the lot of us with less than perfect smiles to get our desired look. When done right, this treatment is highly effective. However, this will require significant effort towards ensuring proper Invisalign care.
Are you looking to learn more about orthodontic treatments such as Invisalign braces?
SanDiegoInvisalign has been helping San Diego residents to rectify their smiles using a variety of Invisalign products. Schedule a consultation with us today, and we will walk you through our various treatments.