An orthodontist shows a patient an Invisalign aligner

10 Tips to Get the Most Out of Invisalign

At Starling Orthodontics in Brentwood, TN, our Vanderbilt-trained orthodontic specialist, Dr. Craig M. Starling, D.D.S., and his highly-experienced team, know the importance of having a beautiful smile! We are proud to provide leading orthodontic treatments to straighten your teeth, including offering Invisalign for both teens and adults!

While traditional metal braces can look and feel noticeable and bulky, and can be challenging to manage, Invisalign® aligners offer a more comfortable and aesthetic orthodontic treatment option. Invisalign clear braces are quickly becoming a more popular alternative to traditional metal braces. Invisalign® can make you or your teenager feel confident while aligning teeth to form a beautiful, straight smile.

As it’s essential for all of our Invisalign® patients to get the most out of their treatment to ensure healthy, straight teeth that are both brilliant and beautiful, our team has compiled a list of 10 Invisalign tips below:

1. Know That You’ll Get Used to Them

After initially wearing your Invisalign clear aligners, at first, you might feel strange sensations of the aligners pushing against your teeth. While this awareness can last for a couple of days, the aligners are not painful, and you will soon get used to how they feel.

2. Wear Your Invisalign® Aligners Regularly  

When wanting to know how to make Invisalign work faster, know that you must wear your Invisalign® aligners as much as possible, especially during the first couple of days. You can quickly adapt to your aligners by following the 22 hours a day rule, which requires you to wear the aligners for at least 22 hours a day. Dentists recommend removing aligner trays only while brushing teeth and wearing them as soon as possible to get the best Invisalign success results. 

3. Correctly Store Your Aligners

Invisalign® aligners are nearly invisible, which makes them easy to misplace. Store your aligners in a bright case when you are not wearing them to make them easier to find.

4. Keep Your Aligners Clean

Aligners are transparent and can quickly get stained if not cleaned regularly. When stained, they may lose their discreteness and become visible over your teeth. Also, dry saliva and plaque can create a breeding ground for bacteria, causing the aligners to have an unpleasant odor.

To keep them spotless and sanitized, you can soak your aligners in denture cleaner or Invisalign cleaning crystals. Cleaning aligners with an antibacterial soap can keep them hygienic and free from bacteria. Invisalign aligners must not be cleaned with toothpaste as they might scratch the plastic and ruin the aligners.

5. Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

The Invisalign tray completely encases teeth, providing adequate support to strengthen them. You can remove your aligners and brush and floss your teeth to maintain good oral hygiene.

Regular brushing would also prevent the trapping of bacteria in your aligners, keeping them sanitized and healthy.

6. Change Aligners on Time

With Invisalign, you get a series of trays that must be changed periodically. As an Invisalign® wearer, follow your dentist's instructions to determine the best time to change aligners to get the maximum benefit. You’ll need to follow the schedule regularly to keep the treatment on track.

7. Keep the Old Aligners

Even when wearing new aligners, you can keep the old aligners in their containers for safe storage in the future. If you lose an aligner, you can temporarily use the old ones until you receive a new one.

8. Drink Lots of Water and Remove Your Aligners When Eating

Wearing Invisalign aligners can cause your mouth to produce extra saliva. To keep your mouth hydrated, drink lots of water. Also, it is best to remove the aligners while eating as particular foods can stain them, causing discoloration.

9. Follow Post-treatment Care Instructions

After completing the treatment, some patients stop using the trays altogether, losing progress. You need to follow post-treatment care to keep your teeth straightening in the long run.

10. Follow Through With Regular Checkups

If using Invisalign aligners to straighten your teeth, you don’t need to get your braces tightened or adjusted like traditional braces. Still, it is advisable to go for occasional checkups to ensure the treatment is working. Always follow through with future checkups to ensure Invisalign treatment is successful.

Advantages of Getting Invisalign Braces

You may be wondering "Is Invisalign effective"? Some of the top benefits of getting Invisalign® braces are:

  • They are invisible and aesthetically pleasant, giving confidence to you or your teen.
  • They are less time-consuming to maintain than traditional metal braces, as there are no brackets and wires. You can brush the aligners and clean them using lukewarm water.
  • They are easily removed, allowing you to better enjoy food. 
  • They do not have any sharp wires or brackets that can cause injury.
  • They are practically painless to wear.
  • They take fewer visits to your orthodontist than traditional metal braces.

Does Invisalign work? Most certainly. Treatment with Invisalign can help you get the perfect smile of your dreams in a more comfortable and aesthetic way than traditional metal braces. Call Starling Orthodontics at (615) 682-2341 or complete our online form for a complimentary Invisalign aligners consultation.

connect with us

Call today or complete the appointment request form and we will be in touch soon.

(615) 507-1660