In America, over 70% of adults feel self-conscious about their teeth. One of their main concerns is crookedness, which may create a noticeably uneven look. In the past, you’d have to go with traditional metal braces. These are not only very conspicuous, but they can also be painful. This is why learning Invisalign tips will come in handy.
However, modern technology has produced Invisalign, a practically-invisible teeth straightener that’s not as uncomfortable.
Do you want to get this type of minimally invasive cosmetic dentistry? Here are 5 Invisalign tips you should know to get the most out of them.
1. Always Be Consistent
The key to making progress with teeth straightening is to always be consistent.
With traditional braces, you have no choice but to wear them 24/7. But because Invisalign uses aligner trays, this gives you the liberty to wear them or take them off as you please.
Because of this freedom, many patients don’t stick to wearing their aligners as much as they should. A quick fact: you need to wear them for at least 22 hours a day to achieve the results you want.
To be consistent, you should treat them like normal braces. Only take them off to eat, drink, brush your teeth, and floss. If you adhere to these rules, then achieving consistency should be very easy to do.
2. Remember to Take the Case
There’s a case that your aligners come in that allows you to take them out whenever you want. To ensure you stay consistent in your aligner usage, always take the case with you.
There are many instances where people forget to bring their cases so they wrap their aligners in tissue and put them on the side while they eat and drink. But by the end of their meal, they forget about the aligner and end up throwing them into the trash. Not only is this a costly mistake, but it also pushes their progress back, as they’ll have to wait to get a new one.
If you carry your case at all times, you can prevent this from happening. Choosing a bright and easily noticeable case is helpful as well. That way, you won’t forget your aligner whenever you eat.
3. Don’t Throw out Your Old Aligners
Maybe there was just one time you forgot to bring your aligner case. But that’s all it took for you to wrap up your aligner and then accidentally trash it at the end of your meal. Now you’re left high and dry with nothing to put back in for teeth straightening.
In that case, it’s better to have an old aligner than none. Store a previous aligner at home in case you ever accidentally throw away, lose, or break your current one. That way, you’ll have an aligner to wear while you wait for a new one to be made.
While old aligners won’t fit your teeth as well, this will be enough to prevent them from shifting and undoing any progress you’ve made with Invisalign.
4. Keep Your Aligners Clean
Your Invisalign aligners are in your mouth almost 24 hours a day, which means they’ll get buildup in a similar fashion to how your teeth do.
After some time, if you don’t keep your aligners clean (especially on a regular basis), you’ll notice discoloration and may even see plaque buildup. This may make your aligners a bit cloudy-looking. Not to mention this won’t be a very clean environment for your teeth to be in.
Simply keep your aligners clean by using the specific products your dentist gives you. Or you can use antibacterial soap mixed with warm water; don’t use hot water, as it may warp your aligners.
Make sure to wash them really well. Otherwise, you may end up tasting the products or soap afterward.
One thing you shouldn’t use to clean your aligners is toothpaste. This is because the ingredients in them may be too abrasive, which may give your aligners a scratched look after cleaning.
5. Keep Your Teeth Clean Too
On that note, you need to keep your teeth clean too; aligners fit perfectly to your teeth, meaning there’s very little room in between. Without proper dental hygiene, this may promote the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive in. If that happens, your mouth may be susceptible to infections.
For this reason, you should brush twice a day and floss as well, especially after meals. The best thing to do is brush and floss after every meal, as that’ll ensure that your teeth are free of food and bacteria before you put your aligners back on.
Not only will this prevent bacteria and plaque from growing, but it’ll also stop your aligners from becoming discolored.
What may help you keep both your aligners and teeth clean while on the go is making and bringing a small cleaning kit. Bring a pouch that has a travel toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash. It may be best to buy a pouch that’s big enough to fit all that, plus your case, so you always have everything with you.
With this cleaning kit, not only will you be able to remind yourself to put your retainer in a conspicuous case, but to also put it back into your mouth after eating or drinking. In addition, it’ll make for an easy trip to the bathroom to brush and floss before doing so.
Keep These Invisalign Tips in Mind
Invisalign is definitely a better alternative to traditional metal bracket braces, especially if you want something inconspicuous and have the budget for it. And by keeping our Invisalign tips in mind, you’ll get the most out of your cosmetic dentistry experience.
Are you interested in getting Invisalign? Then schedule a free live or virtual consultation now. You can even upload pictures of your teeth for a more detailed consult.