Getting used to wearing your Invisalign aligners can take time and patience. While Invisalign is a lot less intrusive in your life than other aligner systems might be, it’s not without its demands.
Perhaps the biggest consideration is that you’ll need to wear your aligners for at least 20-22 hours per day. This leaves between 2-4 hours for brushing, eating, drinking and keeping your aligners clean.
Thankfully, there are a few simple hacks you can try to make your treatment easier to manage, starting with…
Make an Invisalign survival kit
To avoid being caught out in a situation where you can’t properly clean your aligners, try creating a small Invisalign survival kit. Buy a small cosmetic bag and fill it with a toothbrush, toothpaste, a spare Invisalign case, an outie and some chewies.
Keep this kit with you at all times so you can remove your aligners and keep them clean, even when you’re away from home. This will give you the confidence to go about your daily life without worrying that you need to get home.
Never throw away an old aligner
When you switch to the next aligner in a case, don’t be so quick to throw away the previous one. If you should accidentally misplace your aligner, you can go back to your previous aligner while you wait for the replacement to arrive.
It’s also helpful to be able to go back to a previous aligner if you’re having a lot of discomfort moving to the next in the series. Hanging on to your old aligners can offer some reassurance that you can always go back rather than skip wearing your aligners altogether.
Change aligners at night
When the time comes to switch to the next aligner in a series, wait for nighttime. This means you’ll get to sleep through the adjustment period, which means you won’t be as focused on the sensations.
You’ll awake in the morning ready to take on the new day with a fresh aligner, rather than starting your day with the potential discomfort of an aligner change.
Clean aligners while you eat
If you want to save time and maximise the time spent wearing your aligners (and we would highly recommend this) then you need to learn to multitask. When you consider that you have to remove your aligners to eat, drink, brush your teeth AND deep clean your aligners, a simple way to make the most of your time is to do two things at once. Using a specialist Invisalign cleaning solution, you can give them a thorough clean by simply leaving them to soak while you eat your evening meal.
Start a timer when you remove them
It’s all too easy to underestimate how much time you spend without your aligners. To help keep track, and to keep your treatment on track, start a timer every time you remove them. Restarting the same timer throughout the day will help you to stay on track and limit your time without your aligners to under four hours.
Keep a case with you at all times
Aligners are commonly lost when they are taken out and not put in a case. People commonly hide their aligner at mealtimes and then forget to clean it and replace it at the end of the meal. If you carry a spare case with you, you’ll always have a safe and secure place to keep your aligner. Not to mention, you can avoid leaving it out in the open where it will be exposed to bacteria and other nasties.
Use an outie
Removing your aligners can be difficult, particularly if you have long nails. Rather than struggle, make life easier and use an outie. This small piece of plastic is the perfect tool to help pop your aligners out. They’re particularly useful when you have attachments.
Ask for chewies
There’s no point pretending that your aligners won’t be uncomfortable from time to time, but there are simple ways you can ease this discomfort. Ask for a set of chewies if you’re struggling to change to the next aligner in the case.
Chewies are small pieces of gauze that you chew between your aligners. The chewing motion helps to push your aligners into the correct position and can ease discomfort as you progress through the treatment.
Don’t forget to smile!
You might feel a little self-conscious to start with, but we recommend smiling with confidence throughout your treatment. The nearly invisible aligners are barely detectable to those around you, and you’ll likely find that anyone who comments on your aligners will be more intrigued than anything else.
Remember that the best way to make your treatment go by quicker is to follow the guidelines, so the longer you wear them, the sooner you’ll be able to say hello to your perfectly straight smile.
Ready to start your Invisalign journey? Book your consultation today!
