Most Important Home Care Tips for Invisalign

You can achieve a beautiful smile with Invisalign—and enjoy a more comfortable treatment experience. However, you still need to follow a few specific guidelines. While aligners are simpler than braces, you should follow these 9 important Invisalign oral hygiene care steps.

1. Always remove your aligners before you eat.

One of the reasons that Invisalign is so popular with patients of all ages is that it has very few restrictions. You don’t have to avoid specific foods; you can simply take out your aligners when it’s time to eat.

However, it’s important to remember to take them out every time. You can’t eat anything with the aligners in—not even a piece of gum. Chewing will damage the aligners, and even liquid foods like soup can get caught between the aligners and your teeth.

2. Don’t forget to remove aligners before brushing.

Many patients ask about how to care for their teeth during Invisalign treatment. It’s very straightforward: You simply remove your aligners when it’s time to brush, then brush and floss as usual.

Make sure that you don’t forget to remove your aligners before brushing. You might think that no one could make that mistake, but it’s actually very common due to the early or late hours when most people brush their teeth.

3. Don’t use mouthwash with your aligners still in.

A routine that considers how to care for teeth during Invisalign treatment can include using mouthwash. Mouthwash is an effective tool for killing bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

You can use mouthwash, but don’t use it when your aligners are in. It can stain them, which makes them much more noticeable. The alcohol and other ingredients in mouthwash can also weaken and deform the plastic aligners.

4. Make sure to clean aligners twice daily.

It’s easy to keep your teeth clean during treatment, but you also need to know how to clean your Invisalign clear aligners. The aligners can accumulate bacteria from your mouth, so frequent cleaning is essential.

You’ll receive specific instructions when you start your Invisalign treatment. Expect to clean them twice each day using a special solution made with Invisalign cleaning crystals.

5. Rinse aligners every time you remove them.

In addition to cleaning them thoroughly twice each day, you should also rinse your aligners with water every time you remove them. Rinsing helps remove bacteria and ensures that no bits of food remain on the aligners.

6. Remove your clear aligners properly.

Invisalign aligners are removable, unlike traditional braces, which can only be taken off by your dentist or orthodontist at the end of treatment. However, they fit snugly to provide adequate pressure, so you may struggle to take them off when you start your treatment.

Make sure that your hands are dry when removing aligners to maintain a good grip. Start removing your aligners from the back, not the front. Take your time to avoid discomfort. You can also find Invisalign-removal tools with small plastic hooks that make it easier to grip the aligners near the back of your mouth.

7. Wear your aligners at least 22 hours each day.

Being able to remove aligners for eating and brushing is one of the many benefits of Invisalign treatment. However, it’s important to remember that you need to wear them for at least 22 hours each day.

This means that you can only remove them for eating and brushing—never take them out for any other reason at school, at work, or in other situations. If you leave them off for that long, the treatment will not work or will take much longer than expected.

8. Hold on to your old Invisalign aligners.

You’ll go through a set of aligners about every two weeks, but you shouldn’t throw them out right away. Holding on to them can help if treatment doesn’t go as planned.

If your treatment runs into a complication, your dentist can evaluate the old trays to help determine the cause. In some cases, they can refer to the old trays to make an adjustment and get your treatment back on track.

9. Keep up with routine appointments.

During your Invisalign treatment, you’ll have regular appointments to check your progress. It’s important to see your dentist as scheduled so if anything needs to be refined, they can address it appropriately. And routine professional cleanings are just as important as ever, as they help prevent tooth decay and other dental issues.

For All Your Family Dental Needs Near Lakeway and Bee Cave, Texas

If you’re not sure about Invisalign treatment, reach out to our team at Tomasik Family Dental. We can help you decide whether Invisalign is the right choice for you, and we’ll make sure that you receive the clear instructions and checkups you need for great results. Book an appointment today to get started.