If you want to straighten minor alignment issues in your smile, ask your dentist about Invisalign. These custom-made plastic trays will fit your unique smile and gradually push teeth into your desired straight position.
You wear these aligners for most of the day, and many dental patients appreciate that the trays appear translucent over the teeth. This way, they do not disrupt the appearance of your smile during the course of treatment.
But in order for Invisalign aligners to keep their pristine finish, you need to take proper care of the appliances. Check out advice from your dentist that can keep your Invisalign looking and feeling its best during teeth-straightening treatment.
Remove Invisalign When Eating or Drinking
For optimal cosmetic results from Invisalign, you will need to wear your aligners as directed, meaning at least 22 hours a day, including while you sleep. But the ability to remove aligners when needed makes them an appealing treatment for many patients. In fact, dentists will ask their patients to take out Invisalign when eating or drinking.
This is because food can easily become trapped in the trays, making a mess of your smile and your appliance. And dark-colored beverages like tea or coffee can transfer staining agents to clear-colored aligners. This can leave discoloration behind on the aligners that will not go away and make your smile also appear stained.
So avoid this complication by removing Invisalign during meals. To ensure you do not misplace Invisalign, keep the aligners in their designated case when not worn.
Make sure you rinse Invisalign before putting it back in your mouth. Avoid using hot water to do this because the high temperature could warp the plastic and make it not fit properly anymore. This will disrupt your teeth-straightening treatment, and you will need to ask your dentist for replacement aligners.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
If you want your Invisalign to continue looking clean and beautiful, you should take care of the rest of your mouth too. This means practicing consistent and thorough oral hygiene.
Your mouth will collect plaque, food particles, and other residue throughout the day, even when Invisalign covers your teeth. You need to remove these residues, or they could transfer and harm your aligners along with your oral health.
You can remove your aligners during your oral hygiene regimen, so you do not have to worry about appliances hindering your ability to clean your smile. Make sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss daily.
Complete Separate Cleaning for Aligners
You will need to clean your Invisalign as well to ensure it stays in good shape using a separate routine from your typical oral hygiene regimen. You can complete this cleaning at the same time you brush your teeth though.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and paste that does not contain abrasive ingredients to gently scrub harmful residues from your aligners. These products ensure you do not scratch your aligners as you clean them. Rinse them thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth.