If you want a straighter smile, your dentist may provide you with Invisalign. These custom-made aligners fit over your teeth and gradually shift them to a straighter position. You can close gaps between teeth and fix crookedness in your smile among other dental alignment concerns.
Many people appreciate the discreet, translucent appearance of Invisalign on the teeth. But to ensure they remain in pristine condition, you will need to maintain these oral appliances. Read on to find advice from your dentist that will help you take care of your Invisalign aligners and keep them looking and feeling their best.
Remove Invisalign During Meals
Invisalign features removable aligners that you can take out of your mouth at your leisure. For optimal results from this teeth-straightening treatment, you should wear Invisalign over your teeth at least 22 hours a day, including during sleep. But your dentist will recommend that you take out Invisalign while eating and drinking.
This is because food can easily slip inside Invisalign and make a mess as you eat. Plus, food particles can transfer to the aligners and leave stains on Invisalign that will not go away. Dark-colored items like coffee and tea can especially cause this issue.
Then Invisalign will make your teeth appear yellow when you wear it. Follow your dentist’s aftercare guidelines and remove Invisalign during meals to keep the aligners looking clean.
Plus, you can enjoy no dietary restrictions with removable Invisalign, unlike fixed appliances like traditional metal braces. An orthodontist might ask you to avoid hard, sticky, or chewy foods to make sure you do not break delicate wires and brackets. With Invisalign, you do not have to worry about this danger to your cosmetic dental treatment.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
When you have Invisalign, you will still need to maintain your usual oral hygiene regimen even when these aligners cover your teeth most of the day. Natural oral bacteria will still accrue and spread across your smile. If plaque and other residues linger on your teeth, you could develop gum disease, tooth decay, and other oral health concerns.
If this occurs, then your teeth could change. Then you could face a disruption to your teeth-straightening treatment. So to remove harmful residues from your smile, you should adhere to a consistent oral hygiene routine.
Brush your teeth at least twice each day and floss every day to get rid of plaque in a timely fashion before it hurts your oral health. Since you can remove Invisalign aligners, you will not see interference from these appliances within your regimen. Complete oral hygiene as you normally would.
Complete Separate Cleaning for Aligners
Plaque and other particles and residues will collect on your Invisalign as well as the rest of your smile. So you will need to clean your aligners as well as your mouth at least once each day. Otherwise, residues on your aligners will transfer to your teeth and put your oral health in danger.
Brush your Invisalign with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a specialized cleanser that does not contain abrasives. Using these hygienic materials ensures that you do not scratch your aligners while cleaning them. Rinse Invisalign well before placing it back in your mouth.