Does Invisalign hurt?

Ever since Clear Dental Aligners came out in the market, many people bid farewell to traditional braces and switched to these invisible aligners. Invisalign is one of the famous brands ruling the invisible aligners industry, and primarily every dentist recommends using it for teeth straightening.

While Invisalign is proven to be more comfortable than your traditional braces, it can cause mild pain, especially in the first week of your treatment.

Why Does my Invisalign Hurt?

The pain caused by Invisalign aligners is temporary, and very few people experience it. Usually, it takes one week for someone to get used to their Invisalign aligners, and people typically experience pain in this phase only. This mainly happens because your teeth move to a new position for the first time.

How Long Does Invisalign Hurt?

According to a recent study, 54 percent of people who started wearing Invisalign aligners experienced temporary mild pain and discomfort in the first week of the treatment, whereas about 35 percent, didn’t experience pain at all.

Since the treatment requires new Invisalign trays every 2 weeks, you might experience mild pain and discomfort for a few days of each cycle. However, as you get used to wearing your Invisalign, it’s possible for these symptoms to ease up.

Pain in one tooth

After getting Invisalign clear aligners or traditional braces, it is possible to get pain in just one tooth. This happens because of tooth movement since Invisalign tends to move different teeth in different amounts with each aligner tray.

When is the pain a concern?

People commonly experience pain in their teeth, jaw, and tongue after getting Invisalign aligners. While mild pain is considered okay, the situation can be alarming when the pain gets severe and starts affecting your daily life.

It is recommended to visit an orthodontist when you have:

• pain while eating food
• facial swelling
• Bleeding in your teeth and gums
• Hot and cold sensitivity

How to deal with Invisalign Pain?

Even though the Invisalign pain is mild and temporary, it might get challenging for some people to bear it daily.

Hence, it is recommended to look at the solutions that can help you deal with Invisalign pain.

1. Try dental wax

   Using Dental wax can help you to ease the pain caused by aligners. Apply wax on top of your aligners to reduce the friction causing gum pain in your mouth.

2. Choose Soft Foods in Your Diet

   It is recommended to avoid hard food after the first week of getting your Invisalign aligners to prevent pain. You can eat minced chicken or meat or blend all your vegetables and fruits to make a smoothie. Don’t eat something hard to chew and causes pain to your teeth and gums.

   Read here about what you can and cannot eat wearing Invisalign

3. Cold compress

   A cold compress is a frozen or chilled material such as a wet washcloth or an icepack. It is famous for healing swelling and pain, and it can heal the pain in your teeth as well. Hence, we recommend you use a cold compress if you want to stop the pain for a few hours.

4. Don’t take your aligners out too often

   It is recommended that you wear your Invisalign aligners for at least 22 hours a day. Hence, you should only remove your aligners when you are eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth. A survey suggests that many people felt less pain by wearing their aligners for a more extended period.

   Check out this complete guide on the dos and don’ts of Invisalign Aligners

5. Start new aligners before bed

   As the heading suggests, switching up your Invisalign aligners to a new set before your bedtime can help you to ease the pain for at least half a night. Doing this can help you rest easy at night and wake up fresh in the morning without any pain.

6. OTC pain-killers

   When you deal with severe pain in the first few days of getting an Invisalign aligner, taking OTC pain killers can help you ease it. Tylenol, Advil, and Aspirin are some of the commonly used pain killers. It is recommended that you consult a doctor before taking these medicines, especially when you are dealing with other medical conditions.

7. Get treated by a reputed Orthodontist

   If none of the above options work for you and you cannot get rid of the pain caused by your Invisalign aligners, seeing a reputed Orthodontist might be your only solution. Talking with a dentist and explaining the problem can help you get treated and stop your pain.

When should you see an orthodontist?

It is recommended to visit your orthodontist when your Invisalign aligners, even after one week. They might help you by fixing your aligners or assisting you with your other problems. If you are looking for a good Orthodontist in Watertown, Rome or New Hartford, Brite Orthodontics is your answer. Visit our home page to learn more.