Invisalign ? a major breakthrough in orthodontic treatment ? promises to straighten your teeth and gives you a flawless smile without any discomfort and the nasty look of metal braces. Their aesthetics, comfort, and effectiveness have contributed to their immense popularity in the past few years and an increasing number of people are using them to overcome their bite defects.
If you?ve also embarked on your Invisalign journey, you must have been given a series of clear plastic aligners that will guide your teeth to perfection. But that?s not all. Properly using and caring for your Invisalign retainers (or aligners) is essential in order to obtain the best results and save you from paying for costly replacement retainers. This is why we?re here to help you. Keep reading to find out all that you need to know for good upkeep and maintenance of your Invisalign trays.
Caring for Invisalign
One of the biggest reasons why Invisalign are easy and comfortable to use is that you can take them out when eating food. However, this doesn?t mean they don?t get dirty. You have to take special steps to keep them clean so that they stay clear, odorless, and bacteria free.
In case you ignore this or fail to follow a proper cleanliness routine, you will not only discolor your aligners but the built up plaque and bacteria will damage your oral health as well. You definitely don?t want your enamel eroding or other dental issues arising during or after your treatment. So, here?s how you should clean your Invisalign trays.
- Every time you brush your teeth, remove your Invisalign retainers and rinse them with lukewarm water. Next, you should clean the trays using non abrasive toothpaste a specialized soft-bristled retainers brush.
- Apply toothpaste to the brush and gently rub the retainers using small circular motions. Make sure you brush them both inside and out.
- After you have completely brushed the retainers inside and outside, you need to thoroughly rinse with lukewarm water.
- Closely examine your retainers for any buildup or deposits. Just like teeth are prone to tartar buildup if not brushed properly, your retainers are too. Calcium or tartar buildup usually appears as a white, cloudy layer on the retainers that is not easy to remove by brushing alone.
- If there is the presence of buildup, you need to soak your retainers in a retainers or denture cleaning solution as per your product?s usage guidelines. Invisalign retainers come with their own Invisalign cleaning system that works best for this product.
- Once you?re done with the cleaning routine, you can wear your retainers again or place in a case to dry.
The Dos and Don?ts of Wearing Invisalign Retainers
Dos
- Each time you take your Invisalign aligners out of your mouth, rinse them thoroughly under lukewarm water. This will wash off saliva, food particles, and bacteria stuck to the aligners.
- You must soak your aligners in an Invisalign cleaning solution or any denture cleaning solution at least once a day. This will keep them smelling fresh and looking clear at all times. This also keeps harmful bacteria from building up in the aligners.
- Proper care isn?t limited to just the aligners; you also have to take care of your teeth. Brush them thoroughly twice a day and floss your teeth before you put the trays back on. Otherwise, food particles trapped in between your teeth will stick to the aligners, creating trouble for your oral health.
Don?ts
- Don?t be overzealous when it comes to brushing your Invisalign retainers. Vigorous brushing can leave scratches or marks on your pair.
- Don?t use colored toothpaste or scented soap to clean your retainers as they will leave stains or residue on the retainers and damage them. Moreover, they give your trays an unpleasant taste.
- Don?t leave your aligner trays lying out in the open when you?re not wearing them. This exposes them to bacterial growth. So, use an aligner case to store them.
- Don?t eat or drink while you?re wearing your retainers. Water is fine but for having all the other drinks and foods, you should first remove your trays. They are not built to support the pressure of chewing. Plus they will get stained and/or damaged by food particles.
Traveling With Invisalign
If you?re going through Invisalign treatment, you will be switching to new aligners every few weeks. Therefore, when it comes to travelling, some planning and foresight is necessary. If you are travelling for a long time and you know you will need to switch to new pair during that time, be sure you pack them with you along with the current ones. The point is to not disrupt the treatment course as it can make it less effective.
Since Invisalign aligners are easy to remove, there?s always a risk of misplacing them, breaking them or forgetting them at some place, especially when you?re travelling. Therefore, you need to be extra careful. You can carry more than one pair if you?re on the go for a long time. Also, keep an extra case because you might lose the one you?re carrying and it?s best to have a backup.
When you?re in another country or city, you might find it difficult to clean your Invisalign retainers every time you take them out or put them back in such as at a restaurant or at the subway. However, you should try to at least soak them once a day when you?re back in your room.
To Sum Up
Invisalign aligners are the ideal solution to perfect your smile without going through any discomfort Therefore, take the time and put in some effort to give them the care they require so that you can enjoy the best results and stay safe from any oral health issues.
Get in touch with a professional at East Village Dental clinic to get customized Invisalign trays for beautiful straight teeth!