Congratulations! You’re on your way to straighter teeth and a better smile!
Here’s how to wear Invisalign for successful treatment outcomes.
How to Put On or Remove My Aligners?
Putting on aligners – Seat aligners over the front teeth first, then slowly seat it towards the last tooth at the back. Watch out for your inner cheek.
Removing aligners – Feel for the inner corner of the aligner at your last tooth. Use your fingernail to pull it off towards your cheek in a letter ‘Ç’ action.
Top Invisalign Tips to keep your treatment on the right track
First 48 hours of wearing a new set of aligners are the most crucial as your aligners are stiffest and hardest, ‘fresh’ from the pack!
Aim for 20-22hrs of aligner wear DAILY or as prescribed by our Drs.
Remove aligners for meals to avoid aligner discoloration. Coffee, tea, curry, carrot juice, red wine etc. will stain aligners.
No super-hot drinks while wearing aligners to avoid softening them.
Put aligners back into the Invisalign box during meals.
No wrapping of aligners in tissue paper! You will LOSE/ chuck them accidentally if you wrap aligners in tissue paper.
DO NOT smoke with your aligners on. This will stain the aligners BADLY.
Chewies are great to ensure that the aligners sit well to move your teeth! Aim for no gaps between your teeth and aligners. Bite down and hold on Chewies for 2-3 seconds each time and ‘walk the chewies’ from Left to Right, Right to Left side of your mouth to ensure the aligners are properly seated.
Please keep 3-5 PREVIOUS sets of aligners as a standby, just in case you lose your aligner, we can move backwards.
Is there a best time to Change My Aligners?
If you are on Dental Monitoring (DM), wait for the Notification from your DM app before you ‘GO’ to the next aligner.
Not on DM?Then the best time to change to a new set of aligners is after dinner (remember to clean your teeth first).
This allows new aligners to sit undisturbed to move your teeth from after dinnertime all the way to the next morning.
When you upgrade to your next set of aligners, expect some tightness/ soreness but as you will be sleeping so will not feel this much.
What if I lose my aligner?
Please call us ASAP if you lose your aligner to inform us and seek advice.
Go to the next set of aligners and wear for Double the number of days if it is NOT too tight.
If it is Too tight/ Painful, DO NOT Force the next aligner in. Please go back to the previous, old set and inform us to reorder the missing set of aligners. Replacement costs apply.
How Do I Clean My Aligners?
Brush your aligners twice a day with tooth brush and a little bit of NON ABRASIVE toothpaste. Example of abrasive toothpaste: whitening toothpaste.
While brushing your aligners, please only hold only one of the ‘legs’ of the aligner to avoid crushing your aligner.
Rinse your mouth and aligners after meals before wearing aligners.
Do not soak or wash your aligners with Dettol or other household cleaning products. These products are poisonous, may change aligner properties and stain them.
Disinfect your aligners using Retainer Brite tablets on three times a week.
DO NOT soak aligners in warm water or leave them in the sun!
Aligners too tight?
Can’t seem to remove your new aligners? Hold warm water in your mouth for one minute to soften the aligners, then try again.
Ease into new aligners by starting to wear them overnight first. This allows teeth to shift while you are asleep. By morning, you will feel less tight.
Too tight and hurts to wear the next set of aligners? Do NOT FORCE THEM IN. Consider moving backwards to a previous set and call the clinic for further instructions.
Aligners jumbled up?
Number references are at the bottom of each aligner. You should be wearing the SAME aligner number for the top AND bottom.
Rough spot on your aligner?
Please do not cut aligners!
Try filing down the rough spot with an emery board or sandpaper.
Aligners cannot fit?
If your aligner pops out on one side/ fits poorly/ causes a lot of pain, do not force. Take a picture of the ‘problem’ aligner in your mouth and send it to us via email or call us for further assistance.
Going for Invisalign Extractions:
It is OK to start wearing the aligners the next day after extractions, or at least at night to sleep for the next few days to prevent unwanted tooth movements.
Aim to start full time aligner wear ASAP.
Please keep aligners and the teeth around the extraction site clean for good wound healing.
Call us at 6737 9797 should you encounter any problems or have any questions.
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