INVISALIGN DO’S AND DON’TS
What to do
Trust the process: The aligners are custom-designed by Dr. DiGiovanni to gradually straighten your teeth. If you wear them 22 hours per day and come in as scheduled to monitor your progress an amazing new smile is in your future!
Use the case: Always put your aligners FACE DOWN AND RINSED in their case when they are not in your mouth. Not using the case and wrapping your aligner in a napkin is the most common reason aligners break and are lost.
Keep it clean: To keep you aligners sparkling clear and odor free they should be washed each day with cool water and clear dish soap. Wash them gently and be careful not to bend the tray. When possible brush or rinse your teeth before putting your Invisalign in after meals.
Man’s best friend? Yep. Pets, especially dogs, find the aligners irresistible and are common aligner thieves and love to destroy and chew Invisalign aligners. Be sure to keep them out of reach of your best friend.
Track your progress: When you are finished with one tray it should be completely adapted to your teeth with no visible gaps between the edge of your teeth and the tray, fully seated with no rocking.
What Not To Do
Don’t rush the process: It may be tempting to move on to the next aligner; especially if your current set feels loose. Tooth movement with Invisalign is not a “no pain, no gain” process. If the aligner is in your mouth it is working and you may not feel it. This is the beauty of Invisalign. PLEASE be sure to wear the aligner for the length of time Dr. DiGiovanni has instructed you to. By taking shortcuts you can damage the progress already made and lengthen your treatment
NOT dishwasher safe: Hot temperature will ruin your aligner. Never use hot water to clean your aligner or put them in the dishwasher. The same goes for drinking hot drinks which can distort the aligner as well or leaving them in direct sunlight
Be careful: Aligners are fragile and must be handled with care.
- Do not bite them into place-this is known to bend the aligner so it won’t fit
- Twisting the aligner when putting them in or taking them out will cause them to tear and lose their effectiveness. When removing them remember to dislodge them from both sides in the back. Then remove gently using both hands
- Don’t use toothpaste or other abrasive items to clean your aligners.
NO smoking: Do not smoke with your aligners in. Smoking, eating and or drinking anything other than water will badly stain your pretty sparkling clear aligners making them discolored and stinky
Smelly saliva?: Yes your own saliva can make the aligners dirty and smell. When storing the aligners in the case be sure they are rinsed and face down to drain. It is ok to soak them in colorless mouthwash for freshness.
By following these simple measures, your aligners will sparkle and stay in great shape throughout treatment with perfectly straight teeth as the result.