If you decided to straighten your teeth with Invisalign aligners, you may have some questions or concerns about how to clean them. Invisalign can give you an opportunity to receive straight teeth and a beautiful smile, but it also requires some care. If you want to achieve the best result, you should pay much attention to the aligner’s condition. In this article, we will tell you how to take care of your Invisalign aligners.
Cleaning your Invisalign doesn’t take a lot time and it is quite simple. First and foremost you should remember that your Invisalign aligner should be always cleaned when you brush your teeth. For proper cleaning, you need to have toothpaste, a soft brush, and a special aligner cleaner. Prepare all the tools and start cleaning:
Rinse your Invisalign aligner under warm water (it shouldn’t be hot or cold)
Take a small amount of the toothpaste and gently clean the entire aligner (both inside and outside) with the brush in circular movements
When you finish cleaning, rinse your aligner.
You should also make sure that tartar or calcium doesn’t accumulate on your Invisalign aligner. It is very important because Invisalign can also collect bacteria. This looks like a cloudy white film that can be hard to remove. In order to get rid of this buildup, you can place your Invisalign into a special aligner cleaner. You can use the Invisalign Cleaning System that is designed specifically for them but other cleaning solutions can also do the job. After cleaning, you can leave your Invisalign aligner in a case to dry or install it in your mouth.
Despite the fact that you need to perform a proper cleaning of your aligner, you should remember that cleaning is only part of the proper maintenance of your Invisalign. You should remove the aligner every time you eat because plaque buildup and food particles that can get stuck in it can cause tooth decay. Moreover, your Invisalign aligner can start to smell if you will forget to clean it.
You should also be careful with cleaning solutions. Make sure that there are no aggressive ingredients that can damage the aligner. If you don’t know how to choose the most suitable solution, it is better to consult your orthodontist. But you should never soak your aligner in mouthwash because they usually contain a lot of added coloring agents that can dye your transparent Invisalign.
Another important thing to remember is that you should never wash your Invisalign aligner with hot water. That’s because the aligners are made from resin and tend to change shape under the influence of hot temperatures. If you rinse your Invisalign with hot water, you can get an ill-fitting aligner. But if you already cleaned it with hot or warm water, it is better to visit your orthodontist in order to make sure that the Invisalign didn’t lose its shape and still fits you properly.
If you choose Invisalign over other teeth straightening options such as arch wear, bands, or brackets, you probably know that this method of a smile makeover is less painful. But if you experience some discomfort or painful sensations, you should consult your orthodontist as soon as possible.
One more possible complication is Invisalign’s ability to be dyed. Other than mouthwashes that can dye your aligners into funny colors, you should also avoid hot coffee or tea. These drinks can leave stains on your Invisalign aligner and their temperature can also reshape them.
But the most common problem is that people often forget to place the Invisalign aligner back in their mouths. You should make some reminders that will help you put your aligner back after each brushing, flossing or meal.
