Here are ten lifestyle changes that come with wearing Invisalign, tips, and other things commonly reported by our patients!
Remove Them to Eat and Don’t Change Your Diet At All
One of the best things about Invisalign treatment is the ability to continue with your regular diet. Most treatment methods that have preceded Invisalign come with a long list of restricted foods and drinks, so patients tend to love this perk.
Remember to always take your Invisalign out to eat, even if it’s just a snack. You risk damaging or staining your aligners if you eat while wearing them. Always put your Invisalign in a safe place while eating, brush and floss your teeth, and put them back in as soon as possible.
They Must Be Worn For 22 Hours Per Day
Invisalign can be removed for eating, drinking, and cleaning, leaving the responsibility of wearing them to the patient. This can require a lot of self-discipline and motivation to finish your treatment on time.
It’s highly recommended that you wear your clear aligners for a minimum of 22 hours per day to meet your treatment goals in a timely manner. Your treatment plan is structured around a timeline that’s unique to you and your smile goals, so leaving them out for as little as one day to as much as one week can impact and lengthen your treatment. Our goal is to have your smile and bite corrected as quickly as possible, so it’s important you remember to keep your aligners in. If you’re looking into clear aligners for your teen, you and their orthodontist will be able to track how much they’re being worn with blue compliance indicators.
You Have to Maintain Exceptional Oral Hygiene
While clear aligners can be removed for easy access to your teeth for cleaning, build-up and staining can still occur if you’re not careful. Invisalign is highly customized and fits very tightly against your teeth, making it easy for bacteria to get trapped. The small ridges or attachments that keep your aligners in place are also prone to staining without stellar oral hygiene practices. To be on the safe side, it’s recommended that you brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush after every meal, in the morning, and at night before you go to sleep. Whitening treatments can be used after treatment, but not during.
You May Have a Lisp At First
Some patients report having a lisp or impaired speech during the first week or two. This isn’t a cause for concern and is part of the adjustment process as you become used to wearing aligners. Luckily, many people won’t notice, and it will go away before you know it. Wearing your aligners as much as you can will help speed up the process of getting rid of it!
You Can Only Drink Water With Your Aligners
It’s okay to remove your aligners for a quick morning coffee, but you should never drink tea, coffee, or any other hot beverage while wearing your aligners. Doing so leaves them prone to warping and staining.
Invisalign Is Extremely Customized
Your treatment is designed with your unique orthodontic needs in mind. We take detailed scans of your teeth, jaw, and neck using top-of-the-line iTero scanning technology, and send all of this information off to a lab to have each aligner designed according to your needs. This is key for creating a customized treatment plan that works for each patient.
You Have to Clean Your Aligners
The number one mistake many patients make is using toothpaste to scrub their aligners. You should never use anything but an antibacterial soap and soft-bristled toothbrush to clean them, as toothpaste contains abrasive ingredients that can cause build-up and damage. Make sure you clean them often as part of your regular oral health routine to keep them bacteria-free, discreet, and clear.
You’ll Be Uncomfortable At First
In the beginning, you may experience some discomfort while you adjust. Some patients do and some patients don’t, but it’s best to prepare yourself for this possibility. Have some ibuprofen and ice packs on hand to get you through that transitional time before you become comfortable with your clear aligners.
You’re Never too Old to Consider Invisalign
There’s a common misconception that Invisalign treatment comes with age restrictions – this isn’t true! If you have a treatable case, Invisalign can work for everyone, not just teenagers and young adults. You’re never too old to pursue a beautiful smile!
You’ll Have to Wear a Retainer After Treatment
Once you’ve invested all that time and money, we want to help you maintain your new smile for life. After you’ve completed your treatment, we’ll take more scans and impressions of your new smile to be sent off to a lab. They’ll create a customized retainer for you that’s to be worn as per your Orthodontist in Edmonton. They may recommend you wear it full-time when your treatment first completes, and then transition to just wearing it at night once some time has passed. This will ensure your teeth don’t shift out of place, and your investment is highly protected!
