Invisalign is a great alternative orthodontic treatment for those who desire straight teeth but don’t want to wear traditional metal braces. Invisalign aligners are an increasingly popular option because they look inconspicuous while straightening your teeth. In fact, Invisalign is so undetectable that others typically cannot even tell you’re wearing the clear aligners at all. If you recently got Invisalign, here are some tips to improve your Invisalign experience and achieve the best treatment results.
Wear Your Invisalign 22 Hours Every Day
How often should you use Invisalign aligners? The daily target is 22 hours each day! Wearing your aligners for at least 22 hours daily, especially in the 48 hours after receiving a new pair, is important. It’s helpful if you only take them off to eat and clean your teeth. Otherwise, you should wear them all the time. This will accelerate your orthodontic treatment and get you the best results possible in the shortest amount of treatment time.
Practice Good Dental Hygiene
Wearing aligners increases the likelihood of germs and bacteria accumulating in your mouth. While not optimal, there’s a simple way to counteract this! If you maintain a solid oral hygiene routine while undergoing Invisalign treatment, you should be in tip-top shape. A comprehensive hygiene routine will help you keep your mouth healthy and clean. There are tons of easy ways to optimize your oral health with a bit of dedication. For example, you could choose to brush and floss after every meal to keep your mouth squeaky clean. This results in cleaner aligners and fewer harmful microbes.
Know How to Clean Your Invisalign Aligners
Most orthodontists advocate cleaning aligners with warm water and anti-bacterial soap. Toothpaste and vigorous cleaning might at first appear to be the best option, but this method might harm the aligners over time and create pores for germs to grow within. To avoid potential problems, follow your orthodontist’s recommendations and clean them regularly with soap and water. Even after sleeping, always rinse your aligners, since bacteria doesn’t take time off!
Protecting Your Aligners
While removing your aligner trays to eat, brush, and floss is a necessity, you must use caution during these times Keeping your trays in a napkin while they are out of your mouth is a big no-no. They might accidentally end up in the trash, on the floor, or have some other unfortunate event befall them. Always keep a protective case on hand and readily available to protect your aligners when you remove them. You will thank yourself later for the uninterrupted treatment!
Use a Whitening Toothpaste
Many patients have found that brushing with whitening toothpaste while using Invisalign is more successful than post-orthodontic therapy treatments. This is because the trays assist in keeping the whitening chemicals in contact with the teeth for a longer time, making the toothpaste more effective than it would be without the aligners.
Following the above tips can help you achieve the best results with your Invisalign and make the investment in orthodontic treatment even more WORTH IT! If you’re ready to improve your smile with Invisalign, give Mint Hill Orthodontics a call today to get your FREE Smile Consult on the books!
