Oral health is often considered as the unsung hero of the human body. Not only is it the root cause of our beloved smile, but it’s a very crucial factor that keeps us—mind, body, and soul, in shape. Be it our digestion jitters, bad breath or something as ordinary as crooked teeth, and our dental health plays a crucial role in keeping it on track.
Just like every other aspect of our lives in the 21st century, technological innovation took oral health with a storm. A visit to the dentist is no longer feared by the kids (or adults!), and nearly every dental procedure takes lesser time than the usual. This modern marvel of science is often considered to bring forth all the breakthroughs that it can, and this time, we are going to talk about one such discovery.
But first, let’s talk about Braces
Yes—those pointy, sticky and metallic things a dentist puts in your mouth to “fix” your teeth up. These braces are still very much trusted upon by dentists throughout the globe. But remember how we talked about the technological marvels voodoo? Yep, they found an alternative to braces. An option that not only doesn’t hurt like those braces but is cool enough to be sported around without obtaining strange and empathizing looks.
Move over, Braces—Invisalign is here to take over
Invisalign is here to replace the traditional braces. Consider it as a painless version of props—a version that’s easy to take care of, isn’t made of metal and doesn’t hurt like crazy. To put it, Invisalign braces are 3D printed braces that realign your teeth without traditional wires. The best part is that this treatment is entirely tailor-made for every patient, which means there’s a commendable success rate.
So, is Invisalign the Undisputed Winner?
Well, yes and no. No dental procedure can be declared better than the other one for each one of them has its pros and cons. Invisalign braces are a better option than braces, but when it comes to big fixes, traditional wires work better. However, there’s hardly a case that Invisalign braces can’t solve, so you should consider it.
Go ahead and consult an Invisalign expert. We suggest Drescher & Cohen DDS, the best dentists in Atlanta. They’ll choose what’s best for you and they specialize in Invisalign tech. But before you take this decision of getting Invisalign braces, here’s a list of 8 things you have to take care of once you have them.
1. Take Special Care of your Invisalign Schedule
When you start the Invisalign treatment, remember that the trays change in every one to two weeks. Follow your dentist’s regime religiously and make sure that you don’t miss any appointments. Dentists draft the calendar after a thorough checkup so that you can achieve the desired results. So write it down, put a reminder on your phone, or download some app—don’t miss an appointment.
2. Use your Night Aligners for better results
You know what they say—no pain, no gain—right? When you use a different set of aligners, especially for the night, you will get better results in less time. There’s a sense of pain and unease in the tooth while wearing the night aligners, but that’s just an indication to show that your aligners are doing a good job. Don’t make a rash appointment with the dentist when you wake up with a toothache, bear it till your next meeting where you’ll be getting a set of more comfortable aligners.
3. Wear Your Aligners like they’re a part of you
If you want positive results from Invisalign aligners, wear them for at least 20 to 22 hours a day. Yep, if you are wondering why there is a “break time” from wearing aligners, it’s just the time allotted to eating and cleaning your teeth. Also, you can take them out for a special occasion or an event, but try to wear them throughout the day (and night). Invisalign trays are invisible anyway, so you don’t have to worry about it harming your appearance or killing your vibe.
4. Go on a Special Diet
There’s a common misconception involving Invisalign. Many people believe that since it’s easy to take the aligners off, it shouldn’t impact their diet. But in reality, it has everything to do with what the patient consumes. As you can only take off the aligners for a couple of hours a day, you’ve got to plan your meals accordingly. Because every time you eat something, you have to cleanse your teeth before putting the aligners back on.
As for the water intake, keep it high and don’t be dry. The mouth salivates in excess with the aligners on, and you have to stay away from anything except water anyway, so stay hydrated.
5. Stay Strapped with your Retainer Case
It is pretty simple to take the aligner trays out, but this simplicity leads to lots of lost and unwashed dishes. When you take them out, don’t place them anywhere except the retainer case where they’d be safe. Keep two instances—one for your place and another for your workplace. If you store your aligners in the open, there’s a chance that they lose their healing tendency by deformation.
6. Keep Backup Aligners handy
Let’s do some math. You have to wear your aligners 20 to 22 hours a day. This means that if you lose/damage your aligners for just one day, the damage is beyond repair. It takes a whole week to get a new set of aligners, and it’s always better to have a backup. In case you don’t have a backup set of aligner trays, you’d have to wait for the replacement set to come in, after which you’d have to start the whole procedure again.
7. Keep the Aligners Clean
The USP of these clear aligners is that they’re crystal clear and transparent. They can even be worn in social gatherings and workplaces and are unnoticeable. The patient on regular intervals cleanses most of these aligners, and if they’re not, they start getting stained with afflux of time. A dirty, unclean aligner feels terrible in the mouth, and that indication should be enough to figure out whether they’re dirty or not. You’ll get a cleaning kit with your aligners; all you have to do is spend 15 minutes cleaning it.
8. Keep Your Teeth Clean
Just like braces, you have to take intensive care of your teeth when you’re going through an Invisalign treatment. These clear aligners are customized to your teeth’s measurements, and any plaque on your teeth can hinder an Invisalign tray’s mission to fix them up. Follow the brush, floss and mouthwash routine and stay away from any beverages other than water.
After all, Invisalign is Easy
We just talked about eight things that an Invisalign user has to follow during the span of treatment. Not only is Invisalign simple, but it works wonders—something that braces do as well—but with ten times the pain. Want to know more? Give Drescher & Cohen DDS a call!