How to Get the Most Out of Invisalign

You probably already know that Invisalign is one of the best-loved aligner systems in the world and it’s one of the most effective ways to straighten your teeth. You may know this because you’ve already decided that this is the type of treatment you need.

Before you get your first set of aligners, it’s always a good idea to learn how you can get the most out of your treatment. By optimising your Invisalign treatment, you’ll get the predictable and effective results you’re looking for.

While we’ll do our bit to ensure the process is a success, as the person who will be wearing the invisible aligners, you’ll also play a part in its effectiveness.

Here are some top tips to make sure your Invisalign treatment is smooth and successful.

Wear Your Aligners for at Least 22 Hours Each Day

One of the appealing features of Invisalign is that they’re removable. Traditional fixed braces can be notoriously difficult to clean and it’s easy for food to get trapped between the wires and your teeth or around the brackets. Because you can take your Invisalign aligners out to eat and brush your teeth, you won’t experience any of these problems.

We’d suggest wearing your aligners for at least 22 hours every day. They’re perfectly comfortable, and you can even sleep with them in. After you’ve had them for a couple of weeks, you’ll barely notice you’re wearing them.

The longer you wear them, the more effective they’ll be. Don’t skimp on the amount of time you have them in.

Chart Your Progress

As you can probably tell by our patient stories, we love a good before and after shot. Charting how effective your treatment has been so far can help motivate you to continue. Lots of people share their progress shots on social media too.

Wear Your New Aligners as Instructed

During your treatment, you’ll be given several sets of aligners to wear. Each aligner is carefully designed to move your teeth precisely into a new position. Every new aligner you get is a small step in the treatment process.

We’ll give you a new set of aligners every couple of weeks. During the course of your treatment, you may be given anywhere between 12 and 48 aligners.

It’s important that you wear the aligners we give you in the order you’re given them and that you carefully follow our instructions. As every aligner tray is slightly different to the last one, you’ll need to use them in the exact sequence we give them to you.

Clean Your Teeth

As dentists, we may sound like stuck records when we tell you to brush your teeth twice a day. However, when you wear Invisalign aligners, we’d also recommend you brush them after every meal.

Food that gets trapped in your aligner can lead to increased plaque growth. By brushing after every meal, there’ll be less opportunity for this to happen. Why not buy a travel toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste so you can brush on the go?

Drink Plenty of Water

While you’ve got your aligners in, you’ll probably find you salivate more. This can leave you feeling thirsty. Drinking plenty of fresh water will keep you hydrated. Drinks with high sugar content can cling to your teeth and aligners, and hot drinks may distort their shape, so these should be avoided.

Clean Your Aligners

When you take your aligner off to eat or brush your teeth, give it a clean. This will remove any bacteria that’s stuck to it and keep it fresh for future use. 

You can either clean it with toothpaste or antibacterial soap and warm water. Use a soft toothbrush, but don’t use the same one you’d normally clean your teeth with. Once you’re done, rinse it out and pop it back in your mouth.

Get into the habit of cleaning your aligner whenever you brush your teeth and you’ll help prevent plaque building up in your mouth.

Carry a Case

While the best place for your aligners is always going to be on your teeth, we know you need to take them out from time to time. Don’t put them loose in your pocket or handbag, or wrap them in tissue – you’re just asking for them to get dirty. Instead, keep them in a case and carry this with you wherever you go.

Keep Your Last Aligner Tray

During your treatment, we’ll give you lots of sets of aligners. You obviously don’t want to keep them all or your drawers will be stuffed with them. However, it’s always useful to hold onto the last set you wore. These will be useful if you misplace or damage your current set.

While your last set won’t give you the planned progress we’re looking for, it will ensure your achievements so far won’t be reversed while you’re waiting for a replacement set.

Wear Your Retainer

Once your Invisalign treatment is over and your teeth are straight, we’d like to make sure they stay that way! It can take a while for your teeth to fully settle in their new position, and the last thing we want is for them to creep back to their old positions.

We’ll provide you with a retainer to wear. Just like your Invisalign aligner, your retainer will be comfortable and lightweight. When you wear it and how long for will depend on your individual circumstances. 

It’s likely that we’ll suggest wearing your retainer for longer periods and more frequently once your treatment is complete. Once we’re happy with the way your teeth have settled, we’ll usually reduce the amount you wear them. As with your aligner, it’s important to not skimp on the amount of time you wear this.

Book Your Consultation Today

If you’re looking for Invisalign in Chessington, Cheam, or Stonecot our very own Dr Kunal Patel is an Invisalign Advisory Board member, Invisalign Mentor and lecturer – so when you choose to straighten your teeth with diamond providers, Love Teeth Dental, you’ll be in safe hands.

Give us a call today and arrange your free virtual consultation.