Taking Care Of Your Invisalign

There is no doubt that Invisalign can be extremely effective in creating beautiful smiles. But this can be obstructed when aligners get damaged and lost. To ensure treatment success, our orthodontist in Charlotte encourages each of our patients to implement proper Invisalign aligner care. Optimal cleaning and maintenance will help keep your aligners free from bacteria and debris, ensuring that they stay comfortable and effective during treatment.

Proper Use

Proper use is one of the keys to taking care of your Invisalign. Your aligners are to be worn for no less than 20 out of 24 hours a day, but any more than 20 is great and can often help speed up your treatment. Another way to think of this: if you’re sleeping in your aligners every night, you have 4 hours every day to budget yourself having them out for eating or drinking any non-clear liquids. That’s plenty of time!

DO’s & DON’Ts in Cleaning Your Aligners

One of Invisalign’s biggest advantages is having the ability to take the aligners out to eat and drink—but that doesn’t mean they don’t get dirty. Keeping your aligners clean is important to keep them invisible, odorless, and free from germs. Without proper care and cleaning, your aligners can discolor, smell, and build up deposits of plaque and bacteria that can erode the enamel of your teeth.

Do:

Rinse every time you take your aligners out of your mouth.
To wash away bacteria, saliva, and food particles from your aligners, rinse them every time you take them out of your mouth. Not only will this make sure they are clean and ready to reinsert, but it will also help keep your mouth clean as well.

Soak regularly.
Invisalign offers specialized cleaning crystals to soak your aligners in regularly. You can soak them every few days or more frequently to ensure that they are thoroughly cleaned and free from plaque, bacteria, and other debris. In addition, you can use other solutions such as mild soap, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide diluted in water.

Use clear, antibacterial mild soap.
Using mild soap to clean the aligners every night is important. Brush them gently with soap and water using a soft-bristled toothbrush then rinse thoroughly.

Clean your teeth and mouth.
Proper caring for Invisalign isn’t just about clean aligners—your teeth need to stay clean, too! Make sure to brush your teeth and keep your mouth clean before re-inserting your Invisalign aligners.

Keep the aligners in a case when not in use.
It’s important to keep your Invisalign aligners in a safe place when you’re not wearing them. Not only will this keep them from getting damaged or lost, but it will also prevent the build-up of bacteria.

Don’t:

Eat or drink with aligners in.
Doing so can stain your aligners and leave an unpleasant smell, so stick with water or clear liquids while you’re wearing them. In addition, eating or drinking with the aligners can get them dirty and can make them more difficult to clean.

Use scented or colored soap to clean the aligners and use mouthwash to soak them.
Using anything but clear soap with aligners can cause them to stain. Plus, scented and colored soaps contain harsh abrasives that can damage Invisalign aligners. In addition, mouthwash contains alcohol and other ingredients that can cause Invisalign to discolor and become brittle.

Put Invisalign near heat.
Heat can cause Invisalign to warp, so make sure to keep them away from hot water and sources of heat. In addition, you should never store Invisalign aligners in hot cars or other heated areas.

Neglect your regular orthodontist appointments.
Your Invisalign aligners come with a plan, and regular checkups are necessary to make sure your treatment is progressing as planned. During these appointments, our orthodontists will make sure that your Invisalign aligners are clean and in good condition.

Appointments

After your initial delivery of Invisalign, your appointments throughout treatment will consist of “checks” or “scans” that will take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.

A “check” appointment is scheduled periodically between the changing of aligners so the doctor is able to monitor progress and perform any changes needed for tooth movement.

A “scan” appointment is scheduled to update your digital impression and allow the doctor to make any adjustments to continue with progress.

Stay on time with the changing of each aligner. The number of aligners you receive at each appointment depends on when the doctor needs to see you. The exact number of aligners we give you are chosen for very specific reasons because of what must be performed at your next office visit.

EXAMPLE: If you were expected to be in aligner #8 at your office visit because re-contouring is planned, but you are only in aligner #6, we may have to reschedule. However, if you did not have your aligners in for 20 hours/day for 7 days, do not force it and move ahead. Simply call us and reschedule your appointment until you are in the proper aligner, no problem.

Make sure to have the last aligner with you and on your teeth when you come to each appointment. First, you should always have your aligners with you if you plan to get 20 hours. Second, our doctors must ensure that your current aligner is fitting well before moving on to the next set.

Stay in Touch with Webb & Goldsmith Orthodontics

For more Invisalign aligner care tips and to ask any related questions, schedule an appointment or stay in touch with Webb & Goldsmith Orthodontics. Send us a message at (704) 364-7343 (SouthPark patients) or (704) 364-4143 (Arboretum patients).  For emergencies or major concerns, text “DISCOMFORT“ and follow up with your concern. We will get back to you with a solution! Sending a photo is always helpful too.