Most people think that the experience with Invisalign is much better than with traditional braces, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be better. Now with these six Invisalign hacks, you can actually enjoy Invisalign even more. A word about getting Invisalign hacks from Reddit. Some of the tips are good, but many of them may not be. Some of them could be damaging to your aligners or even to your oral health. So if you go to Reddit for Invisalign hacks, don’t make any significant changes to the way you treat your aligners or care for your oral health until after you check with your dentist.
Buff Edges of Aligners
Aligner trays can come out a little sharp. If you experience gum irritation from the aligners, you can round them off using a new nail buffer. You don’t want to take too much off, and you’ll want to avoid actually reshaping the aligner, but slightly rounding the edge is perfectly reasonable.
Get a Removal Tool
Although you’re supposed to wear your aligners for 20-22 hours a day, you will be removing them several times a day. This can be challenging for women who have manicures, and even men may not like constantly reaching into their mouth to remove their aligners.
A removal tool makes it fast and easy to pull off your aligners, and you won’t have to reach deep into your mouth with your hand.
As a bonus, this can even make it easier to remove your retainer, so hold onto it. There are a few different tools available, and you can try several different ones to find the one that’s right for you. Here is a highly rated aligner removal tool. Here’s a second tool with a different design that might work better for you.
Always Carry a Hygiene Kit
With Invisalign, you will need to brush and floss your teeth after every time you eat. So it’s important to have your tools on hand. For women, it’s easy to add an oral hygiene kit to your purse with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss.
But even a man can fit travel size versions of these in his pocket to make sure he always has the tools he needs to keep his teeth clean and healthy.
Don’t forget to let your toothbrush dry out before placing it back in its case and into the confines of purse or pocket. This helps keep bacteria from growing on the toothbrush.
Soak Trays While You Eat
Invisalign trays spend two weeks inside your mouth, 22 hours or more a day–that’s a long time for them to potentially accumulate oral bacteria. This bacteria can include anaerobic bacteria that are responsible for bad breath. To help keep bad odors from developing on your Invisalign trays, soak them in a cleaning solution while you eat. Do this at least a couple times a week. Every day is best.
You can use a cleaner designed for dentures, or use a diluted mouthwash solution–just don’t use one that’s colored, because it can stain your aligners.
Set a Timer to Remind You to Put Aligners Back
Whenever you take your Invisalign aligners out, set a timer so that you don’t forget to put them back in. This can also help make sure you’re not spending too much time with your aligners out, but the main concern is that you might forget about them and walk away from the table without them. Although we can replace lost trays, it does cost, and it can delay your treatment.
Use an Electric Toothbrush to Soothe Tightness
With Invisalign, some of your aligners are likely to cause significantly more tightness and soreness than others. If this is a significant problem for you, you can try massaging your teeth with an electric toothbrush after you get your new set of aligners.
This actually has the same effect as Acceledent–it helps your teeth move–but it won’t significantly speed your treatment.
Are You Looking for the Best Invisalign Experience in Irvine?
Who knows, maybe your best orthodontic experience will be found with another orthodontic treatments that can help you achieve your straight, healthy smile. Consider Six Month Smiles and the Inman Aligner as well as traditional braces.
If you are considering Invisalign in Orange County, we invite you to please call (949) 551-5902 today for an appointment with a cosmetic dentist at Rice Dentistry in Irvine.
