What Is Invisalign? | Eagle Rock Dental Care Idaho Falls
Not everyone gets their teeth straightened as children and teens. Or perhaps you had braces in school, but were off your aligner game, or your teeth simply re-settled into an undesirable formation in adulthood. Some deal with tooth misalignment caused by pushy wisdom teeth, some face other medical issues that may cause teeth to grow or become misaligned in adulthood.
Whatever the reason, no one wants to wear braces at work. As a professional, aligning your teeth can be a real challenge to maintaining your professional appearance — and pronunciation. This is why Invisalign has taken the adult dental industry by storm. From those who never had braces to those who have developed a newfound need for alignment; Invisalign, in the briefest terms, is invisible braces.
What Is Invisalign, Really?
The good news is that Invisaligns are not actually invisible braces, but clear plastic aligners molded to where your teeth should be. Invisalign works like retainers, gently holding and pushing your teeth into their new place without the need for tight wires and brackets. Because your gums are soft, slowly pressing your teeth into place still works almost as well as it did when you were a kid.
Invisalign Aligners Are Fitted By Your Dentist
How do Invisalign fit your teeth so perfectly? Invisalign is fitted by your dentist, making sure each aligner fits your teeth perfectly and is crafted to shape your specific teeth to the positions where they need to be.
Your dentist will help make sure your aligners are the right size, perfectly shaped, and comfortable to wear all day and night.
How To Use Invisalign
Invisalign aligners should be worn 22 hours a day to have the desired effect of permanently changing your tooth alignment. Otherwise, your teeth will try to settle back into their current position.
Each day, determine the right time of day to remove, wash, and reset your Invisalign. Do not take out your aligners for more than two hours a day or you risk the long-term success of the treatment. To put your aligners in, gently press them into place. Do not bite down, as this could damage the aligner.
Wash daily with soap or alcohol to sanitize your aligners before putting them back in.
How Long Does Invisalign Take to Align Your Teeth?
Depending on the among of adjustments you need (and the consistency of your gums) you may wear your Invisalign retainers between 6 and 18 months. Some report only needing six months to see the desired results, while it can take three times that for others. Don’t worry, you do not have to wear Invisaligns forever once you start. They really are more like braces, offering a long-term solution after less than two years of treatment.
What Does An Invisalign Daily Routine Look Like?
Wearing an aligner 22 hours a day makes it important to build a solid routine around caring for your teeth and your aligners.
Sleep In Your Aligners
Be sure to sleep in your aligners, otherwise, you can’t hit that goal of 22 hours per day. Do not take your aligners out when you sleep. If your Invisalign is uncomfortable to sleep in, see your dentist for another fitting.
Clean And Re-Align With Each Toothbrushing
You have a 2-hour window for selfies and tooth-cleaning to take out your Invisalign each day. We suggest you wash the aligners every time you brush your teeth, once or twice a day.
Take out the aligner and soak it in a safe disinfecting solution. Brush your teeth as the aligners soak. Rinse your mouth and use mouthwash. Then rinse and hand-clean the aligners. Inspect before lining up and gently clicking the aligners back into place with your fingers. Do not bite down or try to put in both aligners at once.
Learn More About Invisalign For Your Dental Needs
Interested in Invisalign to fix your teeth and maintain your professional appearance this year? Contact Eagle Rock Dental Care in Idaho Falls today to find out more.