What is Invisalign®?

Before touching on what you must not do once you have your Invisalign on, you need to understand what they are.

An Invisalign® is a clear aligner that is the alternative to metal braces for adults and teens. Some people would prefer to straighten their teeth and correct their bite without necessarily letting the world know about it. Typical braces are made of metal wires and brackets that are hard to miss when attached to the teeth. The Invisalign is far much less noticeable than braces are.

Considering that the typical wear time for Invisalign is 22 hours a day, here are four things you must not do while using Invisalign for your treatment:

1. Forget to brush your teeth

Once the dentist in Mechanicsburg attaches the Invisalign, the maintenance of the aligners is all on you. Without braces or aligners, brushing your teeth twice a day is a great way to keep up with your dental health. However, with aligners, you may need to brush your teeth 6 times in a day.

Technically, foods and drinks stain the aligners. Coffee, wine, tea, and foods will stain your aligners, some more immediate than others. Since the idea is to keep the aligners as invisible as possible, stains come in the way of that. Every time you have something to eat, you must consider brushing your teeth. This way, there is little chance for stains to form on your Invisalign, given how quick they stain.

Besides, food particles building up between your teeth is not in any way proper oral care. The food particles will result in plaque, which makes the moving of teeth difficult. While at it, make sure you are flossing often too.

2. Get a manicure

Getting a manicure might be your favorite thing, but not the best idea when you have your Invisalign. The aligners are usually tightly attached. Removing your aligners as often as you might have to, requires the use of your nails. It is almost impossible to remove them without using your nails. It is especially difficult to remove them when your teeth are sore. This means that if you got your nails manicured, you may end up with chipped polish, or broken nails.

If you must get a manicure, stay away from nail enhancements or acrylic nails which will make the removal process way worse than it needs to be. A dentist Mechanicsburg PA will even advise against getting your aligners scratched. Scratching them can get in the way of your Invisalign lasting through the treatment period. Nail enhancements can get a couple of scratches on your aligners and add to your expenses.

3. Drinking anything but cold water

Your dentist in 17050 has probably already cautioned you on the drinks to take. Teas, coffees, and wines are the leading reasons for stained Invisalign. The high pigmentation on the drinks will form a residue on your teeth and aligners. It is for this reason why a dentist Mechanicsburg will advocate for drinking only water throughout your treatment.

Besides that, you need to be careful about drinking hot drinks with your Invisalign on because they might warp the aligners. Therefore, since you will have the aligners 22 hours a day, it makes sense to drink cold water only. You can enjoy your other drinks within the two hours. However, even then, make sure you brush your teeth afterward.

4. Eating with the Invisalign on

Even though you need a 22hour wear time, it does not warrant eating with your aligners on. The problem with leaving them in as you eat is the scratching. Chewing on them can scratch the Invisalign and reduce their efficiency throughout the treatment period. Besides, the last thing you want is to be visiting a dentist near you for a stained aligner.

With two hours to spare in your day, organize your meal plans to fit into the period. The idea is to avoid removing your aligners unnecessarily. This is why you will probably not be eating as much now that you have the Invisalign installed.

Now that you know what not to do, go ahead and rock your Invisalign without fear of reproach from friends and colleagues.

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