It’s impossible to cover Invisalign in a matter of days! We’ll see you for your consultation, scans and treatment plan coordination, but learning is ongoing. Let us give you more tips for enjoying your treatment, finding individual patient success, and utilizing Invisalign clear aligners to the best of your ability. After all, we’re invested in your final outcome and the health of your smile just as much as you are.
Keep Track of Your Wear Schedule
It may sound easy to commit to wearing your aligners for the recommended 22 hours per day, however, it’s important to hold yourself accountable.
Many of our patients find it helpful to use a calendar, planner, or cell phone to track how many hours they spend wearing their aligners in a day. It’s easy for coffee breaks, lunches and dinners to add up. Before you know it, you aren’t meeting your daily wear targets, and you don’t even know it!
Your teeth are capable of shifting over time. Neglecting to wear your aligners on a consistent basis can leave you prone to your teeth shifting back and delaying your treatment by a few weeks or more. We want you to finish on time without any hiccups or delays.
Carry Travel-Sized Dental Hygiene Kit
One of the many perks about clear aligners is the ability to freely remove them whenever you need them. This means you never have to say no to your favourite food or your morning coffee, so long as you remember to put your aligners back in as soon as you’re done!
Your hygiene kit can consist of a travel-sized soft-bristled toothbrush, dental floss, and travel-sized toothpaste. These things can be used to clean both your teeth and your aligners before returning them back to your mouth.
Remember that you should always brush your teeth and clean your aligners after any meal, snack, or sugary drink. This helps prevent bacteria from building up in your Invisalign, which in turn prevents future oral health issues such as cavities or halitosis. A big part of a successful Invisalign treatment is maintaining a high standard of oral health to make sure everything goes smoothly, and to make sure your final smile result is that much more astounding!
Switch To New Aligners at Night
Making the switch to your next set of clear aligners tends to be a little uncomfortable at first as your mouth adjusts. Each new Invisalign tray is slightly more straight than the last to progress your treatment further by adding a little more pressure. This can create some discomfort as your teeth are guided into their new designated positions.
Switching to your new set of aligners at night can help ease some of this discomfort, and help your teeth and mouth adjust while you sleep. This will allow you to avoid unnecessary discomfort and progress through your treatment and new sets of aligners on time.
Hold on To Backup Aligners
It’s best to be over-prepared rather than under-prepared. You never want to go for an extended period of time without a set of aligners, as your teeth are very malleable in this stage, and can shift back into place if you’re not consistent with your Invisalign.
If your aligners become lost or damaged, having your backup pair on hand can be a real lifesaver. You should locate and wear your last set the moment you misplace or damage an aligner to keep your treatment plan on track and maintain all the progress you’ve made.
It can take up to a week or two for replacement aligners to arrive. Please contact Edmonton Orthodontist immediately if you’ve misplaced or damaged your Invisalign so we can take action right away.
When your replacement set arrives, you’ll need to start from the beginning and wear them for the full two weeks before switching to your next set.
Make The Most Out of Snack and Meal Times
Invisalign can sometimes complicate snacking and meals as you need to remove your clear aligners before eating, then thoroughly clean your teeth and aligners before putting them back in. This can put a limit on, or an end to midday snacking or having small meals throughout the day.
This means it’s important to optimize your time spent not wearing your Invisalign. Make sure you’re watching what you eat so you’re getting enough calories and sizable portions. You should also track how long it takes you to eat so you’re always hitting your 22-hour goals, and always giving yourself time to relax with your food, too.
