Your Southern Ontario Invisalign® Provider
While undergoing orthodontic treatment, it is crucial that you properly care for your appliances. Here, our orthodontists at Village Orthodontics share some information on how to clean your Invisalign aligners and maintain their effectiveness throughout treatment.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign clear aligners are designed to help teens and adults achieve straighter, healthier smiles without the brackets and wires typical of braces.
If you are considering orthodontic treatment for your teen or yourself, Invisalign aligners could be an ideal choice, offering a discreet aesthetic advantage.
Thanks to their transparent plastic design, Invisalign aligners provide a subtle appearance. So subtle that a casual observer might not even notice them at first glance! Additionally, their removable design makes it easy to enjoy your favourite foods and ensures you can effectively brush, floss, and maintain your oral health throughout every stage of treatment.
How to Care for Your Invisalign Aligners
Although Invisalign clear aligners are meant to be disposed of every couple of weeks, one of the most important things to remember about them is that they need to be cleaned daily.
Following some best practices for caring for your aligners can help keep them clean and bacteria-free. This includes:
- Removing your aligners when eating.
- Drinking only water while your aligners are in.
- Using warm water to clean the trays – never hot.
- Rinsing your aligners with water every night and each time you take them out.
- Using a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove debris.
- Rinsing thoroughly when you remove them to brush your teeth.
- Storing your aligners in an airtight container whenever you aren’t wearing them.
These practices can help keep your aligners clean and working as they are meant to.
Cleaning vs. Rinsing Invisalign Aligners
Keep in mind that cleaning and rinsing are not the same with Invisalign. Rinsing your aligners is important to help clear away saliva and debris throughout the day, but it doesn't eliminate the hidden bacteria that accumulate. To do this, you will need to deep clean your aligners.
This can be done using a solution made from cleaning crystals. There are several types of cleaning crystals on the market that can be used to safely clean your Invisalign clear aligners. Speak with your orthodontist about your options.
When it comes to the best cleaning practices, you should always rinse your aligners when you've taken them out to eat, drink, or brush your teeth and place them in their protective case while you aren't using them. If possible, gently brush them every time you take them out. Use cleaning crystals once a day to deep clean them.
How often should you clean your aligners?
To maintain your aligners, you should deep clean them every night, ideally during your regular teeth brushing and flossing routine. This practice removes any food particles, debris, and bacteria accumulated throughout the day. Additionally, you should thoroughly clean your aligners if they look visibly dirty.
As we mentioned above, even though you change your aligners every two weeks, it's important to keep them clean while they're in use. Neglecting this can lead to discoloration of the aligners (potentially making your teeth appear yellow) and bad breath due to the buildup of harmful bacteria. In the long term, the buildup of bacteria could result in the formation of tooth decay or gum disease.
What types of cleansers should you avoid?
Certain cleansers can be overly harsh or harmful to your Invisalign aligners. Examples of these include:
- Denture cleaners
- Mouthwashes, especially those that contain alcohol
- Scented soaps, which can easily start to taste bitter
- Toothpaste
- Coarse bristle brushes
Taking care of your aligners helps maintain their clarity and prevents damage, which can impact your aligners and, by extension, their effectiveness. If you could use more tips on keeping your aligners clean, consult your orthodontist for suggestions that suit your dental needs. They can assist in maintaining the cleanliness of both your mouth and aligners.