For many people, the first couple of weeks of Invisalign orthodontic treatment is not a very comfortable experience- that’s the reality when you’re moving teeth and there are plenty of sensations to deal with—we’re talking subtle yet lingering pain from the pressure, discomfort, and awkwardness of having teeth worked into a different position. For people who have just started their Invisalign treatment, here are some tips to help make the process smoother:
Chew, chew, and chew some more
Invisalign clear aligners make teeth straight by forcing them into their ideal position. The process can highlight a tightness in your jaw or slight tooth pain while wearing these correctors. Performing chewing exercises a few times a day can help with the discomfort. Simple chewing can have a massaging effect on the gums—it stimulates blood flow to the mouth, which acts as a pain reliever.
Protect the inside of your mouth
At the start of treatment, the edges of your aligner trays might irritate your mouth and tongue. It is common for patients to have sores at this time, especially if it is their first time. Eventually, the mouth will develop a resistance to the plastic edges. Meanwhile, dental wax can be a way to make this process quicker.
A pinch of wax, applied to the areas that are cutting into gums or tissue, would help take the sharpness off. If this does not work, you can file the edges of your aligners down. Also you can use peroxide-based mouthwash to heal the smaller irritations.
Keep Track of Your Daily Wear Time
The success of your treatment depends on the extended wear of your Invisalign clear aligners. Lack of patient compliance is the most frequent reason why Invisalign treatments would fail. You have to keep them on for the recommended 22 hours; this is a lot for many people, and beginners often take their trays out unnecessarily and for longer periods when they are at home unknowingly.
Ultimately, best practice is to consider our recommendation as a prescription. A specialist orthodontist, Dr. Steven Semaan, has prescribed you to wear a medical device, Invisalign Clear Aligners, for a minimum of 22 hours a day. Fortunately, you can fit your Invisalign treatment into your lifestyle but it does require your compliance with the process.
One way to do check this is by keeping track of the number of hours you wear your aligners on a given day. Use the timer on your phone on a ‘test’ day you want to check your compliance; start the timer when you wake up and only pause when the aligners are removed from your mouth; once reinserted, resume the timer and at the end of the day, just before bed, see if you made it past 14 hour mark. Why 14 hours? Well we hope you’re getting a full 8 hours of sleep at night and together that’s your 22 hours!
Change your Invisalign aligners the safe way
Practice good oral hygiene, especially when removing your aligners. Keep them in a retainer case when not in use, and always wash your aligners before and after you put them on- at least.
At Clear Smiles we’re with you every step of the way with resources to help you 24/7 and a team of dedicated orthodontic professionals. We’re also the only Red Diamond Invisalign provider on the Gold Coast. Learn how to have a healthier and more beautiful smile by booking a free consultation today!
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