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Some Tips and tricks for Invisalign Users

Woman using Invisalign Teeth Straightening
26 October 2018

Cosmic Smile in Neutral Bay are specialists in Invisalign orthodontic therapy. Invisalign orthodontic therapy uses invisible plastic aligners to straighten and improve the appearance of your teeth. You can enjoy all the benefits of braces without having to sacrifice your smile and you can eat whatever you like subject to the normal recommendations applicable to good oral health.

They are removable, replaceable, comfortable and custom made to fit your teeth. Invisalign invisible braces can improve a crowded or crooked smile without anyone even noticing they are braces. They are almost completely invisible while you’re smiling, talking or laughing.

Is there discomfort?

The level of discomfort varies from person to person. Because the aligners are worn for 20 to 22 hours a day, they can cause a degree of pressure or tenderness particularly when you are adapting to a new aligner. When people commence their Invisalign treatment their main concerns are pain, sleeplessness, eating and drinking and speech. To alleviate the discomfort there are a few Invisalign tips and tricks that you can try. 

Some of those include:

  • Switching to a new aligner before bedtime so you are more accustomed to the new aligner before you get to bed
  • Avoid hard or crunchy food and food that’s hard to chew in the initial stages of applying a new adaptor
  • Use cold compression on the outside of your mouth
  • If there are rough edges on your aligners then discuss them with your dentist. Your dentist can probably correct the problem
  • Use pain relief

The symptoms that most affects your lifestyle resulting from an Invisalign treatment would be loss of sleep. There are lots of issues associated with sleep deprivation which can have some really dangerous implications.

But wearing your aligners while you sleep is the most effective time because that’s when the most movement happens. The loss of sleep is attributable to the amount of saliva you produce while wearing your aligners overnight.

That being the case, it’s best to sleep on your back or prop your head up a little bit to decrease the amount of saliva. It’s also helpful to breath through your nose although you have less control over that once you fall to sleep.

Alcohol can be harmful to your teeth because the high levels of sugar in alcohol. Sugar  can get trapped between your aligner and your teeth which is very damaging to your tooth enamel. And it’s not just a case of drinking soft drinks with zero sugar because the sugar substitutes are carbohydrates which eventually break down to sugar and starch. The same applies to foods with high amounts of sugar but these are always considerations when it comes to good oral and general health.

Coffee and tea aren’t ideal for aligners either. Hot drinks can stain and warp your aligners

Dr. Jason Pang is one of Sydney’s premier cosmetic dentists’. Dr Pang is experienced and specially trained in Invisalign technology. You can book a complementary Invisalign consultation with Dr. Pang, to determine if Invisalign braces are right for you.