Invisalign clear braces are a revolutionary dental treatment that allows patients to straighten their teeth quickly, effectively, and discreetly. Unlike traditional metal braces, there are no brackets or wires. Patients can remove their aligners to eat, drink, and clean their teeth and when they are in place, they are far more comfortable. However, while Invisalign clear braces don’t impose the same restrictions on patients as their metal counterparts, they still need to be used properly. And, by understanding the part you play in your treatment and what you can do to support it, you will get better results.
How Do Invisalign Clear Braces Work?
Invisalign uses a series of clear plastic aligners, similar to teeth whitening trays, to gradually move teeth over time. Each tray is designed using computer imaging technology so that it can move teeth the perfect amount for each stage of treatment. With an end-to-end treatment plan and a custom-made set of aligners, it’s easy to understand the treatment. And, most importantly, patients have confidence in how their smile will look once treatment is complete. However, for the aligners to work the way it was intended, it’s vital for patients to use them properly.
What Can You Do to Get The Best Invisalign Treatment?
If you’ve decided to invest in Invisalign treatment, you will want to get the best possible results. To help you achieve your dream of a healthier, more beautiful smile, there are several things you can do along the way:
- Keep Track – your clear aligners will need to be swapped for the next in the series every one to two weeks. It’s vital that you follow the defined intervals in your treatment plan and are sure when you need to switch to your next set of trays. You could even use a mobile app to set a reminder on your phone. Just make sure you don’t forget; delaying putting in a new tray could set you back and slow down your results.
- Be Consistent – for Invisalign aligners to work, you need to keep them in for at least 22 hours a day. While this may seem obvious and it is something your dentist will have told you about, it’s easy to let it slip. Remember, when you take your aligners out to eat or clean your teeth, you need to put them back in as soon as possible. Again, you could use a timer on your phone to keep track of how long you’ve had them out each day, so you don’t accidentally leave it too long.
- Consider Your Diet – as you can take your aligners out to eat and drink, you might not think that your diet will change. However, instead of eating more, you might find you eat less. It can be easy to skip on snacks to avoid having to remove your aligners. While the Invisalign diet might be a welcome side benefit, make sure you still have a healthy balanced diet. You’ll also want to drink lots of water to avoid dehydration as your mouth might salivate more than unusual when wearing aligners.
- Be Prepared – when you’re out and about, you might need to take your trays out. If you do, you’ll want to look after them. If you wrap them in a napkin, it’s easy for them to get lost or damaged. Instead, make sure you’ve always got a retainer case with you. Also, you’ll want to hold on to your previous aligners just in case of an emergency. If your current aligners get lost or damaged, it may take up to a week to get a replacement. By wearing your previous set of aligners in the meantime, you can reduce the duration of any setbacks you experience.
- Take Care – keeping your aligners and your teeth clean during your treatment is vital. Your aligners can lose some of their clarity and develop an odour if they aren’t regularly cleaned, which will make your treatment far less pleasant and discrete. Always follow your orthodontist’s instructions and clean your aligners regularly. You’ll need to keep up with your regular oral health routine too, to ensure your teeth and gums stay healthy too. Not only that, but you’ll need to clean your teeth after meals to stop food from getting trapped by your aligners.
Getting the Best Invisalign Dentist
To get the best Invisalign result, it’s essential to consider the role you have to play in your treatment. Make sure you keep track of your progress, clean your aligners and teeth regularly, and prepare for what you’ll do when you’re out and about. As well as that, of course, when looking for Invisalign near me, you’ll want to make sure you find a highly experienced orthodontist.
