How to Care for Your Invisalign

Invisalign is one of the most popular ways for adults to straighten their smiles and feel more confident in their appearance. While Invisalign offers many benefits compared to traditional braces or retainers, the Invisalign trays that you use require special care to make sure that you do not compromise your oral health or negatively impact your results. Here are some of the easiest ways on how to care for your Invisalign trays.

Clean Aligners on a Regular Basis 

Just like you would clean a retainer on a regular basis, you should also clean your aligners multiple times a day. In the morning when you wake up and at night when you are already brushing and flossing your teeth, use toothpaste and a toothbrush to clean each aligner tray. You can purchase a special cleaner designed for Invisalign trays, but toothpaste and a toothbrush will work just fine. You can check with your orthodontist on what type of toothpaste they might recommend.

Remove Your Trays Before Eating

One of the best ways to make the cleaning process easier for your Invisalign trays is always taking them out when you are eating. If you leave your trays in when you are eating or drinking, all of those food particles get stuck to your aligners and will need to be cleaned off. Additionally, leaving your trays in while you eat may trap bacteria and food particles right next to your teeth and cause plaque formation and eventual tooth decay.

Never Use the Wrong Cleaners

As we mentioned above, it’s important to clean your aligners on a regular basis. However, using the wrong substance to clean your Invisalign aligners could do more harm than good. Never use hand soap, mouthwash, denture cleaner, or other abrasive substances to attempt to clean your aligners. Only use toothpaste and a toothbrush, or an approved cleaner designed specifically for use on Invisalign trays.

Store Your Aligners Properly

If you take your Invisalign aligners out for eating or any other reason, always place them in a case. Wrapping them in a napkin or stashing them in your pocket might seem like a good solution in the short term, but it increases the chances that you will lose your trays. This also exposes them to a lot of unnecessary bacteria. Many patients find success in keeping one tray at their desk at work for lunch, another at home in the bathroom, and another in their purse.

Maintain Proper Oral Health

Beyond taking good care of your Invisalign trays themselves, you should also take good care of your teeth. Brushing and flossing on a regular basis prevents bacteria from being trapped next to your teeth or transferred to your trays. Continue attending your regular dental cleaning appointments while undergoing Invisalign treatment in addition to your orthodontist appointments.

Soak Your Trays

Another great way to keep your aligner trays fresh and clean is by soaking them every day. Use Invisalign cleaner in a small cup of water. Drop the aligners in and allow them to sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This will break down any bacteria and food particles that are too small for the naked eye to see. Once the time is up, take your trays out, give them a scrub with a toothbrush and a quick rinse, and place them back in.

Stay on Track

Over the course of your Invisalign treatment, you will use many different trays in a gradual progression to adjust your smile and get a finished product that you absolutely love. As a result, staying on track with your treatment is very important. In addition to taking good care of your aligners, it’s critical to work with your orthodontist to always stay on track with your progress.

If you are going on a long trip, going to be out of the country for multiple weeks or months, or have any other situation where you will not be able to make your regularly scheduled visit with your orthodontist, tell them ahead of time. Depending on the situation, your orthodontist may be able to get you your next few sets of aligners to you early or have them shipped to you. When you are traveling, always carry your Invisalign aligners in your carry-on bag or purse to avoid them from being lost in your luggage if something happens.