Invisalign is made of explicit plastic material, so it remains virtually invisible throughout the treatment. Therefore Invisalign treatment is the most popular alternative to braces amongst teens and adults. Are you also on your journey of straight teeth through Invisalign? We’ve got a list of dos and don’ts of Invisalign for you. This list is based on our 11+ years of experience in the orthodontic practice in Rome, New York.
You will sail smoothly through your Invisalign treatment and reach your destination of a white and bright smile by following these simple rules.
Dos of Invisalign Treatment
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01
Wear Invisalign for 22 Hours a Day
Invisalign is effective in exerting gradual pressure on your misaligned teeth. But the result of Invisalign treatment depends on you as well. You have to wear them for at least 20-22 hours a day. Remove them only while you are eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth.
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02
Keep Your Aligners Clean
Clean your Invisalign aligners daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Afterwards, rinse them with warm water. The plaque and bacteria get accumulated in your aligners. If you don’t clean them, you may invite other dental problems. You can also use the Invisalign cleaning crystals to clean your aligners.
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03
Clean Your Teeth Before Putting on Aligners
Always brush and floss your teeth before you wear your aligners. If you wear them on unclean teeth, the food particles in your teeth will get trapped inside your aligners. They will stay there to generate plaque and bacteria. Maintaining good oral hygiene while you are on Invisalign treatment is vital. It will prevent you from other dental ailments.
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04
Limit Consumption of Snacks & Coffee
If you are habitual of snacking and drinking coffee every few hours, you will need to alter your habits. Your Invisalign aligners need to be removed while eating snacks and drinking coffee. How will they be effective if they are off your teeth most of the time?
And never think that you can at least have coffee without removing aligners. This is because Caffeine leaves spots on your Invisalign, ruining its purpose of being discreet.
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05
Follow Regular Oral Hygiene
Never miss your brushing and flossing routine as prescribed by your orthodontist. It is healthy to brush after every meal and floss at least once a day while you are on Invisalign treatment.
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06
Store in Invisalign Case Only
Invisalign aligners are transparent. So if you keep them loosely anywhere, they can be damaged unknowingly. You get a dedicated case to keep your Invisalign. Keep them in that case only whenever you remove them, even for a few minutes. This will also save them from catching any germs and getting lost.
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07
Plan Your Travel According to Your Tray Change Schedule
You need to change your aligner tray every few weeks during Invisalign treatment. You can’t risk delaying or missing this change. Therefore, if you are traveling, take your new aligner tray with you and change it on its due date only. You can also get your new tray delivered to your location.
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08
Be Confident & Keep Smiling
Your aligners are invisible to others. So you can laugh, joke around, party, give a presentation, or any stage performance without hesitation. The best thing about Invisalign treatment is that your misaligned teeth get treated without your surrounding people noticing it. Enjoy this phase!
Don’ts of Invisalign Treatment
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01
Remove Invisalign for a Long Time
You should be quick in wearing Invisalign after you eat and brush your teeth. Don’t get carried away thinking that you will wear them after some time. The more time they remain off your teeth, the less effective they become in treating your misaligned teeth. Put an alarm on your phone after every few minutes if you think you might forget to wear them.
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02
Expose Invisalign to Air & Heat
Never leave your aligners in the open because they can catch germs and bacteria from the air. Always keep them close in their case. Never drink anything hot or rinse your aligners with hot water. Exposing your Invisalign to heat will wrap them, and it will disturb their fitting.
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03
Eat & Drink While Wearing Aligners
You must’ve got this instruction from your orthodontist also. Never be lazy to remove your aligners before eating and drinking anything other than water. Your aligners are not designed to take pressure from chewing. And they get stained with food and drinks.
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04
Take Frequent Smoke Breaks or Smoke With Aligners
You can’t remove your aligners for smoking every now and then. However, you can either schedule your smoking around your mealtime or decrease the frequency of smoking. And never think of smoking with Invisalign because it will discolor them. How about using this time to quit smoking?
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05
Binge on Sugary & Sticky Foods
Yes! There is no restriction on your food during Invisalign treatment. But don’t forget that sugary and sticky food causes damage to your teeth. By indulging too much in these kinds of food, you might get cavities. Sugary chewing gums are worst as they will keep your aligners off for more time.
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06
Use Harsh & Strong Products to Clean Invisalign
If you use a harsh toothbrush to clean your aligners, they may get scratches. And Invisalign with scratches will be easily visible to others. Also, don’t use a scented or strong cleanser to clean Invisalign. Instead, use Invisalign cleaning crystals to clean your aligners. This product is specially designed to clean them.
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07
Skip or Delay Appointment With Orthodontist
Never take your appointment with your orthodontist for granted. They need to monitor the progress of your Invisalign treatment and make timely changes if required. You might need to see them every 6-12 weeks. But your visit will not be half as long as it usually is in the case of traditional braces. So book your appointment in advance for efficient progress of your treatment.
Parting Words!
You will make your orthodontic treatment more productive by following these dos and don’ts of Invisalign treatment. Also, feel free to contact us for information regarding Invisalign, misaligned teeth, Invisalign cleaning crystals, or any other dental issue. We are providing expert orthodontic solutions for more than 11 years in Rome, New York.
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