Best Practices: Getting the Most Out of Your Invisalign Treatment

Invisalign® is an effective teeth-straightening treatment that has been used by millions of people around the world. This option is popular because of the removable and transparent aligners, which allow people to straighten their teeth discreetly. If you are thinking of getting these aligners, you need to be aware of the active roles to play to ensure a successful treatment outcome.

Optimizing Invisalign treatment

The following are tips to get the most from Invisalign clear aligners:

Wear the aligners according to recommendations

One reason Invisalign is so popular is its removability. However, for the treatment to be effective, patients need to resist the urge to take them out for too long. The aligners must be worn for about 20 to 22 hours every day to ensure the treatment progresses accordingly. The only time to remove the Invisalign trays is when eating, drinking or for cleaning. It is vital to wear the new aligners consistently in the first 48 hours.

The aligners also need to be switched out when due. The treatment will not proceed more quickly by switching to the next set prematurely. Patients need to follow the dentist’s instructions on changing the aligner trays, whether earlier, later or on schedule.

Oral hygiene is important

Since the aligner trays are removable, caring for the oral cavity is a lot easier. Patients need to brush their teeth and floss at least twice daily because any food debris left on the teeth will get caught in the aligner trays. Saliva helps to wash the mouth, but this happens less with the aligners covering the teeth. Good oral hygiene is vital for good oral health – issues like gum disease and tooth decay can compromise the treatment process. If brushing the teeth after eating is not feasible, consider using water to rinse your mouth instead.

Care for the aligner trays

Another advantage of choosing Invisalign aligners is their discreet nature. The aligner trays are almost invisible when worn and will be hard to notice by other people. Yet, to maintain this appearance, wearers need to maintain the aligners. This means avoiding any drink aside from water while wearing the trays, including tea, red wine and coffee because it can discolor the aligners.

Toothpaste is also not advisable as it can be abrasive and scratch the aligners. The best option is to rinse the trays with warm water each night and brush gently. If necessary, wearers can soak the aligners over the night in Invisalign cleaning crystals to eliminate stains.

Use retainers

When the teeth are properly aligned, patients will need to wear a retainer to prevent their teeth from moving to their previous positions. Failure to use retainers can undo all the hard work of the past weeks of wearing the aligners. The removable retainers are mostly worn at night and will help to maintain your new smile.

Final note

It might take some time to get used to having the aligners in your mouth, but you will adjust over time. If you need more answers about Invisalign treatment, book a consultation to talk with the dentist.

Request an appointment here: https://www.mytotaldentistry.com or call McCarthy Dentistry at (740) 546-5178 for an appointment in our Marietta office.

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