Invisible Upkeep: 3 Tips to Care for Your Invisalign

If you’re longing for a straighter smile but don’t want to have metal brackets bonded to your teeth, you’re in luck! Invisalign is a clear alternative to traditional braces that can reposition your grin more discretely. It uses transparent plastic trays that fit snuggly over your teeth to gently reposition them, instead. Your dentist will provide new aligners every 1-2 weeks to account for the ongoing movement of your teeth. Treatment often can be wrapped up after about 12-18 months, making this both a highly effective and popular option.

However, it’s important to care for your aligners properly so they can continue to shift your teeth as intended. Keep reading to learn about 3 ways to keep yours in excellent condition!

Tip #1: Rinse After Meals

Harmful bacteria are attracted to the foods you eat and love to thrive in the spaces between your teeth and your aligners. This is especially true after meals when you’re likely to have bits of food caught around your teeth. You’re more likely to develop issues like cavities, gum disease, or bad breath because of it. Your trays could also suffer from plaque buildup and become discolored, which defeats the purpose of an invisible solution.

Taking the time to rinse your mouth as well as your aligners after meals helps avoid these kinds of problems.

Tip #2: Keep Them Moist

Your saliva contains plenty of germs that transfer to your Invisalign and thrive in drier conditions. If you let your trays air out over a prolonged period, they’re more likely to become cloudy or develop an unpleasant smell. When you take them out to eat, be sure to place them in their carrier so that they’re protected and don’t dry out. Also, be sure that you wear them for 22 hours every day to keep them moist as well as prevent your teeth from reverting to their previous placements.

Tip #3: Use the Right Products

You should take your trays out so that you can brush and floss your teeth twice daily. That’s also the perfect time to thoroughly cleanse your Invisalign. It’s important to use the correct products, though, because the plastic they’re made from isn’t intended for long-term use and can be damaged by abrasive ingredients found in regular toothpaste and many household cleaning supplies.

You can brush them with water and effervescent tablets, or soak them in a solution of Invisalign cleaning crystals intended for that purpose. This kills up to 99% of germs to keep your them looking and feeling fresh.

By implementing these habits, you can keep your aligners clear throughout your treatment!

About the Practice

At Arbor Dental Care, you’ll benefit from a skilled father-daughter dental duo that offers a full range of services to people of all ages, including Invisalign. They believe in taking their time to get to know patients’ concerns so that they can offer fully individualized solutions to meet your needs. With state-of-the-art equipment, they’re able to increase the accuracy of their treatments and results while enhancing patient comfort. If you’d like a straighter smile and need a consultation, you’re welcome to request an appointment on the website or by calling (630) 969-2310.