10 Must Know Invisalign Tips

The first step to a straighter happier smile is very exciting. Whether you choose to use braces or Invisalign at one of our offices in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Fonthill, and Beamsville you’re going to love your smile at the end of treatment. At Niagara Orthodontics, one of our most popular treatments is Invisalign, the nearly-invisible clear aligners that give To help you get the most out of your experience with Invisalign, here are ten tips you should know while you’re wearing your aligners.

1. They Only Work If You Wear Them

For the vast majority of the time the reason Invisalign treatments don't work is the aligners weren't worn. Ideally you should wear them all day every day only removing them to eat and take care of your teeth. If for some reason you can’t keep them in all day they you should at least wear them 22 hours out of the day.

2. You’re Going To Sound Different For A Little Bit

While Invisalign is almost totally invisible, people might notice at first that you’ve developed a lisp overnight. Just like with braces there’s an adjustment period when you get your first pair of aligners. After a while you will forget you’re wearing them and speak just as you did before. Everyone adjusts to wearing aligners differently but the more you wear them the faster this adjustment period will be.

3. Not Everyone Can Get Invisalign

While Invisalign is a great solution for some patients, other might not be able to benefit from it. Invisalign can treat crooked teeth, minor over and under bites, and gaps but anything more complex calls for traditional braces.

4. Have A Toothbrush Handy

One of the few downsides to using Invisalign to straighten your teeth is every time you eat you also have to brush your teeth. While your dentist and orthodontist might like this idea, it can become tedious quickly. Especially if you forget a toothbrush and toothpaste when you left the house. To keep this from happening you should invest in many travel sized dental hygiene tools. Keep a toothbrush everywhere you consistently go to. Whether that be work, a friends house, or if you’re still in school your backpack. Another place you should keep a toothbrush and toothpaste is in your car. That way if you do go somewhere new and forget your main toothbrush you have another as backup.

5. Coffee And Wine Become Less Enticing

We all know that harsh acidic drinks like coffee, tea, and red wine will stain your teeth but they’ll also stain your aligners too. Water is fine to drink while you’re wearing your aligners but you have to remove them for anything else. This becomes particularly difficult in the morning for someone who likes to enjoy a cup or four of coffee before the start of the day.

6. The Invisalign Diet

While your main goal for getting Invisalign was to have straight at the end you might just find Invisalign has some other benefits like losing some weight. Every time you think about having a midday snack or stopping by the convenience store for a bag of chips you have to ask yourself. “Do I want to brush my teeth?” Most of the time your answer is going to be no.

7. They’re Much More Comfortable Than Braces

While you will have some sensitivity the first couple days after getting a new set of aligners, chances are that's going to be about it. All aligners are designed to slowly and precisely adjust your teeth which minimized any pain you might have with braces. You also don't have to worry about things like rubber bands snapping in your mouth because you yawned or metal wires poking your cheeks and gums.

8. Toothpaste Is For Teeth, Not Aligners

It is possible to clean your aligners with toothpaste but they won't be as clear as possible. Toothpaste has abrasive polishes in them. These abrasives are perfect for getting your teeth nice and shiny they’ll make your aligners a murky yellow. Your best bet is to use a mild detergent daily and denture cleaning tablets once a week or so.

9. It Might Take Longer Than You Think

While most of the time Invisalign is faster than braces on average it will take you a year or longer to get your perfect smile. Your end date is also just an estimate, sometimes you will require one last set of finishing aligners to nudge your teeth into just the right place.

10. You Won’t Regret It

While getting Invisalign will cause you to change your habits slightly and adjust your daily routine it’ll all be worth it in the end. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of seeing your teeth nice and straight after treatment. All those days of constant brushing, mindful eating, and worrying about where you left your toothbrush will all be worth it once you see the end result.

Get Your Invisalign At One Of Our Four Office Locations!

If you're ready for your perfect smile without worrying about feeling self conscious give Niagara Peninsula Orthodontics a call. We have four convenient locations in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Beamsville, and Fonthill. We’re proud to provide Invisalign and Invisalign Teen, but we also offer a variety of treatment options to fit your personal preference. We hope to hear from you soon!

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