By Orthodontic Gallery on Invisalign, Adult Orthodontics and Keeping Braces Clean.
Learning to keep Invisalign aligners clean and how to properly wear your aligners is essential to keeping them looking and feeling as new as possible and working efficiently. You’ve likely chosen Invisalign because of their discreetness. But, letting them get dirty can reduce their effectiveness both as an orthodontic appliance and as the invisible option you were hoping for in the first place. Dirty Invisalign retainers will draw attention to themselves and even become less effective over time.
4 tips on how to keep Invisalign aligners clean
Brushing
The plaque and bacteria that builds up on your teeth during the night and when you eat becomes even grosser and harmful if you leave it under your Invisalign braces to build up all day. This is why you need to make sure that you brush your teeth thoroughly before you replace your aligners both morning and night. Flossing daily to remove debris from between your teeth is recommended too. Keeping your teeth clean will help to keep your Invisalign aligners clean.
Did you know that you need to brush the Invisalign braces themselves too? Cleaning them at least every morning and evening will keep them clear of stains and debris that reduce the “invisible” part and make them lose their advantage over normal braces. Be careful not to use toothpaste, as it causes microscopic scratches in the SmartTrack Aligner material which will take on stains more easily. We recommend using a spare soft bristle brush with a mild hand soap and rinse them thoroughly with cold water to remove the soap suds and taste.
Soaking
You’re supposed to wear your Invisalign Aligners for 22 hours a day. What do you do with them during the extra 2 hours? This is where you can use the cleaning crystals that were given to you in your Invisalign starter box or RetainerBrite, which you can buy at the practice.
Let the Invisalign braces soak in warm water (NOT HOT!) with the crystals for about 20 minutes and brush them again when they’re done. Be sure to dry them before putting them back on your teeth to prevent moisture which might stain the inside and make them more visible.
Remember that you should try to do this daily. It’s the best way to stay ahead of the stains and keep Invisalign aligners clean and looking as invisible as they should. (Though, two or three times a week will go a long way to help too!)
You must take them out
One of the advantages of Invisalign over conventional braces is that you can eat whatever you want. If you need a break from your orthodontics for an important call or when you have a special event, you can take them out!
But you must remember NOT to enjoy your culinary freedom while your Invisalign aligners are still in your mouth. They were designed to straighten your teeth, not to chew food. They resist stains from saliva, but not from tea, coffee & wine.
So if you’re putting something in your mouth besides water, you MUST take your Invisalign aligners out first.
Letting them dry out
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t leave your Invisalign braces lying around to be lost. However, keeping track of them helps to keep Invisalign aligners clean too.
Leaving them in the open air can stain them and dry them out, making them tougher to wear and less invisible. To keep your Invisalign braces “new” for as long as possible, bring your case with you wherever you go. Make the time between your mouth and the case as short as possible, you can also leave a clean fresh, damp tissue in your box to help keep them moist between wears – or make like a denture and leave them in a clean glass of water if you’ve forgotten your case!
Orthodontic care is expensive and Invisalign could be a great alternative treatment for you. Yet, if the advantage of getting these braces is their invisibility, it makes sense that letting them get dirty, stained, or crusty defeats the purpose.
For more tips and treatment options, come and visit us for a Free iTero Scan and consultation to find out if Invisalign is the right option for you and how you can get started getting straighter teeth today. If you choose Invisalign, these tips should help you keep them as clean as possible for as long as you need to wear them.
You can give us a call on 02085519336 or head to our Online Booking System (you’ll just need to complete a quick covid declaration to access it)