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For several years, braces were considered to be the only orthodontic appliances capable of straightening 'crooked' teeth. But, in recent years, Invisalign has come up with a highly advanced and convenient way to treat a malocclusion. 

What is Invisalign?

Unlike braces, which are visible, Invisalign is an orthodontic appliance made from transparent thermoplastic material. They do, however, work on the same principle of applying pressure on the teeth in a certain direction and intensity to move them as required. 

How Can I Take Care of Invisalign?

Since the aligners are removable, they could get misplaced or damaged easily. Therefore, it’s important to take proper care of them. Here are some ways of keeping your aligners in good shape.

• Avoid eating food while wearing Invisalign: Remove your aligners before eating food to avoid having food particles getting stuck between the teeth and the walls of the aligners. This could cause discomfort, cavities, staining, or even deformation of the aligner.
• Remove the aligner while drinking hot beverages: Since the aligners are made from plastic resin, there is a good chance that they could distort when in contact with hot fluids. This would render the aligners ineffective because a change in their shape could change the way pressure is applied to the teeth. Also, the aligners could get stained, and the sugar in the beverages could deposit on the teeth, leading to cavities.
• Clean the aligners regularly:Our mouths are home to thousands of microbes, and those same bacteria will get deposited on the aligners as well. Hence, it is important to clean them regularly to remove all the deposited microbes. Use only the solutions dedicated to cleaning Invisalign. Avoid cleaning them with regular toothpaste and your toothbrush.
• Store the aligners in a safe, cool, and dry place:When you're not using the aligners, they have to be stored in a safe and dry place to avoid any sort of damage. This helps to prevent them from getting lost while keeping them away from children and pets.
• Avoid soaking your aligners in mouthwash:Mouthwash usually contains a coloring pigment that could stain your aligners if you soak them in it. Hence, it is better to avoid it.
• Avoid chewing gum while wearing Invisalign:Your dentist would advise you to avoid chewing gum while wearing your aligners. The reason is that it could damage them by altering their carefully designed shape.

Please reach out to Soos Creek Dental for a consultation with our expert dental team by calling us at (253) 631-8241, and we'll guide you further with your Invisalign treatment plan.