Many people around the world are battling the problem of having misaligned and crooked teeth. Over the years, using traditional wire braces was the go-to answer. However, the problem with them is that they were visible, had to be adjusted from time to time and they were often slightly uncomfortable. And not to mention the possible complications. But with the arrival of Invisalign, more than 11 million people across the globe found an easier way to achieve a perfect smile easily and comfortably. Today we will be talking about Invisalign tips and how can get the best out of this innovative and revolutionary tooth straightening technique.
Invisalign tips #1 – You should wear them as directed
One of the major benefits that Invisalign has over traditional metal wire braces is that they are completely removable. So the responsibility of the effectiveness of the treatment falls on the wearer. The general rule, that we here at Premiere Dental tell our patients is that they should wear their invisible braces at least 22 hours a day. The only time when they can be removed, for a short period of time is when:
- You’re eating and/or drinking (of course you don’t have to remove them when you’re drinking water)
- You’re brushing or flossing your teeth
- When you need to speaking e.g., delivering an acceptance speech
One of the first Invisalign tips that we tell our patients is that they wear them as much as possible during the first few days of treatment. This should help their mouth to adjust to the new change. Not wearing them as instructed can unnecessarily extend the treatment process and the goal is to get a perfectly aligned smile as soon as possible.
Tip #2 – There is a learning curve
When wearing traditional braces, most of the patients have reported that they are having difficulties in doing the most basic day to day activities like speaking, eating and drinking. It’s no different with Invisalign. Around 7% of patients have reported that they are having difficulty speaking or develop some sort of speech impairment. This is perfectly normal during the first couple of months and this shouldn’t discourage you from going through with the treatment. Every process has a certain learning curve and the to overcoming it is consistency and patience. With enough practice, the speech impairment will be gone and your speech will be back to normal.
Invisalign Tips #3 – Make sure that you clean them properly
Unlike traditional braces, which you didn’t have to clean, Invisalign can be removed and cleaned. Now even though this is additional work, because you have to brush your teeth and clean your aligners, but the cleaning routine is very simple. You just need lukewarm water and antibacterial soap. That’s it.
It’s important to know that you shouldn’t use hot water to clean the aligners because that can warp the aligners and ruin them, making them ineffective. Also avoid using toothpaste that you use for brushing your teeth. Toothpaste often has slightly abrasive components which are good for your teeth (the scrape off plaque and bacteria) but not for your Invisalign aligners.
Tips #4 – Don’t throw away your previous set of aligners
During the Invisalign treatment, you will periodically receive new and slightly different aligners which are designed to further straighten your teeth. Every new set pushes your teeth further into the ideal position. Now, just because you’ve got a new pair of aligners, doesn’t mean that you should throw out the old one. It’s always a good idea to keep the old set, just in case of emergency. Let’s say for example that you lose or damage your current set. Not wearing the aligners for a few days (while you wait of a new set to arrive) can halt or even reverse the straightening process. So until those few days, you could use your old set that will keep your teeth in one place.
Tips #5 – Retainers after Invisalign
After every tooth straightening treatment, there’s always some risk that your teeth will start drifting back to their old position. This has to be prevented. So, once you complete your tooth straightening with Invisalign, you need to make sure that the results stay. Dentist and orthodontists highly recommend on using retainers once the perfectly aligned smile is achieved. Retainers will help to keep your teeth is the correct position and prevent drifting back in their old, misaligned position.
