Many people, especially adults, shudder at the thought of traditional braces. Often the appearance of metal wires and brackets are what cause adults to refuse orthodontic treatment. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to metal braces.
If the fear of metal braces has caused you to live with an imperfect smile, it’s time for you to consider Invisalign. The Invisalign system is a series of clear aligners that can straighten crooked, crowded, uneven, or gapped teeth. The personalized trays shift your teeth over time to their correct position. Unlike cumbersome traditional braces, one of the greatest Invisalign benefits is the aligners are removed during meal times, making it easy to eat and care for your teeth.
With any dental treatment, there are recommendations for patient care once you start the process. Invisalign is no exception. As you consider the option to straighten your teeth with Invisalign, here are some of the dos and don’ts to ensure you are successful.
Do This With Invisalign
Metal braces and wires limit what you can eat and how you clean your teeth, but the Invisalign benefits allow you to continue the majority of your normal life – while straightening your teeth! No need to question what you can or cannot eat with Invisalign, or how to care for the aligners – we’ve made it easy for you.
- DO Eat normally with Invisalign: There’s no need to limit your diet with Invisalign. With traditional braces, many foods are off-limits, including popcorn, chewy candies, crunchy snacks, hard candy, and caramel. Consuming these with metal braces may lead to broken brackets, or damaged wires and bands. Luckily, these foods are fair game for those using Invisalign. Simply remove the aligners and enjoy your favorite foods like normal. For the best results with Invisalign, brush your teeth after your meal, and secure your aligners quickly after you’re done eating.
- DO Smile with Invisalign: Metal braces often cause people to hide their smile or cover their mouth when they speak. With Invisalign, the aligners are made from a thin, clear plastic material, so others likely won’t even realize you’re wearing braces.
- DO Brush with Invisalign: Brushing your teeth is an essential part of your day, whether you have braces or not. Remove Invisalign trays when it’s time to brush and floss. As always, brush after meals – aim for three times each day – and floss twice a day. When you remove your aligners, it’s best to clean them as well. You can use a soft-bristle brush and antibacterial soap to clean the trays or soak them in a denture cleaner.
Don’t Do This With Invisalign
While eating and regular dental care are hardly affected by Invisalign, there are some precautionary measures to take. To get the best results from your Invisalign, avoid the following habits.
- DON’T Drink anything but water with Invisalign: If you like a morning cup of coffee (or three), don’t sip your brew with the aligners in place. You should do your best to avoid all beverages but water while wearing Invisalign. Drinking coffee, tea, or fruit juices can cause the liquid to become trapped in the trays, resulting in stained teeth or tooth decay. Also, one of the main reasons people choose Invisalign is to conceal the fact that they wear braces. That point is defeated if the trays become discolored due to dark liquids.
- DON’T Skip a day with your Invisalign: It’s usually necessary to wear your Invisalign for 22 hours each day. Skipping a day or night of wearing your trays may not seem like a big deal. However, this could eventually result in increasing your overall treatment time with the aligners.
- DON’T Chew gum with Invisalign: If you want to enjoy a piece of gum, take out your aligners. Chewing gum, especially that which contains sugar, can stick to your aligners and damage the trays. Also, try to limit the amount of gum-chewing you do overall to ensure you are meeting that time recommendation for wearing your aligners daily.
- DON’T Expose Aligners to Extreme Heat with Invisalign: These aligners are made of plastic, so exposure to extreme heat causes their shape to be compromised, affecting the fit. Take certain measures to avoid this. Don’t leave your aligners in hot vehicles and only rinsing them with luke-warm water.
When you visit the office, we do our best to ensure your journey to a new smile is simple and pain-free. The rest of the time, it is up to you to make the journey a success. Following these guidelines during your Invisalign journey ensures you get the best results from your treatment.
Invisalign and Traditional Braces with DeJesus Dental Group
Choosing an orthodontic path can be confusing and intimidating. If you have additional questions about Invisalign braces or how they work, DeJesus Dental Group in Bridgeport and Shelton can answer your questions and guide you throughout the process.
Our dedicated staff can help you determine if Invisalign is the best solution for you and get you on your journey to smiling back.