How to Care for Your Invisalign® Aligners
Caring for your aligners is important!
They may be less of a hassle than braces, but Invisalign® clear aligners still require maintenance in order to continue delivering smile-perfecting results. Therefore, proper care of your Invisalign® aligners is the key to smile success!
Getting Started
The only thing more exciting than getting that first set of Invisalign® aligners is finally completing treatment and enjoying your new smile. To help your treatments go as smoothly as possible Straighten Up Orthodontics has assembled a short how-to guide on caring for and maintaining your Invisalign® clear aligners.
Cleaning Your Invisalign® Aligners
Keeping your Invisalign® aligners clean helps to maintain the durability of the material and is an essential part of maintaining your oral health. Here are a few tips on cleaning your clear aligners:
- Always rinse off your Invisalign® aligners whenever they are removed. This keeps oral biofilms from hardening on the surface.
- Before you go to bed, gently brush your aligner using a non-abrasive toothpaste and rinse thoroughly. Invisalign® sells a cleaning system that helps to remove plaque buildup from the aligners.
- Caramel
Things to Avoid While Wearing Invisalign® Aligners
To protect your investment in Invisalign® aligners, here are a few things you should avoid while wearing your aligners:
Eating
Before eating, remove your Invisalign® aligners. Clear aligners can be stained by certain foods and also accumulate odors.
Drinking
Water is okay, but you should avoid drinking sugary and/or dark-colored beverages while wearing your aligners.
Activities to Avoid
Unless you have a specially fitted mouthguard, you should avoid activities where you may be hit in the face, such as:
- Football, basketball, soccer, and hockey
- Boxing, karate, play fighting
- Bike riding, skateboarding
Don’t Leave Your Aligners in a Hot Car
While it remains to be seen whether leaving clear aligners in a hot car can have an adverse effect, it’s probably a good idea to not risk warping your clear aligners by leaving them in a hot car or around heat sources for prolonged periods of time.