Adjusting to Life Wearing Invisalign Aligners

 

Quick. Name two things that traditional wire and metal braces have in common with Invisalign. First, both are methods of straightening misaligned teeth. Second, …. Hello? Anything? Ok, here it is. Both braces and Invisalign require a period of adjustment. In essence, wearing braces and Invisalign’s clear and removable aligners takes some getting used to. Fair enough, but how long does it take to adjust to Invisalign? As experienced Invisalign dentists in Calgary, here’s how we answer that question for new and nervous patients.

Getting started

When your aligners arrive there is no more reason for delay. Take some time to check out how the aligners are organized and dated. Take a look at the instructions for any things you should do before putting your first aligner in place for the first time. Follow those instructions, then… go for it.

It’s going to feel odd. One thing that people who wear Invisalign in NE Calgary always say is that the most uncomfortable hours and days are the ones after switching to a new aligner. Once you get your aligners in place, resist the temptation to take them out and look at them over and over again. They won’t look any different and neither will your teeth. Besides, the more you wear them, the more quickly you’ll get used to wearing them. Also, you need to develop the habit of leaving your aligners in unless you need to take them out to eat, drink, brush or floss. Remember, you need to wear them for 20 to 22 hours every day which means that they can only be out of your mouth for two to four hours daily.

Do your teeth hurt a bit? That’s predictable considering those aligners are trying to move them into new positions. There’s a couple of ways you can deal with the discomfort at the beginning. Try wrapping a bag of ice in a clean cloth and holding it to your face or using a cold compress. If it’s really distracting, take some over the counter pain medication as directed.

If any of the soft tissues in your mouth get irritated in the beginning, that’ll pass pretty quickly. The presence of the thermoplastic aligner in your mouth is an oddity at the beginning but will soon become old hat. If any part of your tongue, lips or cheeks is really sore, place some orthodontic wax over the area to get some relief. You can pick some up at drug stores.

Next time you switch aligners, try doing it just before you go to bed. That way you’ll sleep through the hardest hours of a new aligner even though the aligners will keep on doing their thing throughout your sleep.

How long will it take to get used to this? Most newbies wearing Invisalign from a dental clinic in Calgary find that by the time two weeks have passed, everything feels normal.

Now what?

If you’ve got some downtime as you adjust to your new aligners, here’s a few things to try and do right away. Come up with a system for tracking how much time your aligners have been out of your mouth. You could use your phone or a notebook. Figure out where you’re going to store your aligners and get your case handy so you’ll always take it with you when you leave the house. Finally, grab your calendar and put in your New Aligners Days and the dates of your follow-up appointments.

If anything strange happens while wearing Invisalign in Calgary or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact a dental clinic in NE Calgary.