Most patients would agree that Invisalign is less painful than traditional braces. They are designed to be comfortable and lack the sharp edges and frequent tightening with braces. You will also find that your Invisalign appointments are far less invasive than those for braces. You will, however, experience some discomfort as your teeth move into place, especially the first day or two after starting on a new set of trays. Just remember, the pain you feel is proof that your best smile is well on its way!

Invisalign offers retainers in addition to aligners. While aligners only last around two weeks before they are no longer effective, retainers are made to keep your teeth from moving once treatment is over. This means that you can wear your Invisalign retainer for six months before requiring a replacement.

Invisalign generally works faster than traditional braces. Treatment can last anywhere from six months to two years, significantly decreasing the average time spent in braces.

Yes! Gaps are a piece of cake for Invisalign! Closing gaps is one of Invisalign’s best talents!

Rinse your Invisalign trays each time you remove them. Clean your tray thoroughly. You can use an Invisalign cleaning kit, a retainer cleaning product, or even a toothbrush with water and a drop of liquid soap. If you want to soak your tray, create a 50/50 mix of warm water and white distilled vinegar and soak it for around 30 minutes. It is recommended that you stay away from using denture cleaners, coarse brushes, toothpaste, or mouthwash to clean your trays.

One of the best things about Invisalign is that you can eat whatever you want! Just be sure to remove the aligners first. Eating with the aligners in will damage them and trap food particles inside. However, brushing your teeth after every meal is essential to avoid collecting bacteria inside the trays. If you cannot brush, rinse your mouth and the trays before putting them back in.

It can be tricky to use Invisalign for heavy smokers because the nicotine and other chemicals involved can damage the delicate structure of the aligners. Another complicating feature is the tar found in tobacco products, which can stain the aligner trays even if you take them out to smoke. When you wear Invisalign as a smoker, you increase the damage done to your mouth by trapping all those chemicals inside the trays. If you want to get the most out of your Invisalign treatment, consider quitting smoking several weeks before you get started.

An overbite can cause unnecessary wear and tear on your enamel, the protective substance on the outer layer of your teeth. Luckily, you can correct an overbite with Invisalign! A severe overbite might require additional corrective measures, but Invisalign can easily correct moderate overbites.

Generally, you should wear your retainer at all times, except during meals, for the first year after Invisalign. It takes 12 months for your jaw to rebuild the bone that was softened during treatment. After the new bone has been deposited and your teeth can stabilize, you should be able to decrease retainer time to only overnight. You will need to wear your retainer every night for as long as you want your teeth to remain straight!

Like many adults, your morning cup of coffee might be a crucial daily ritual that nobody better mess with! You should remove your aligners before drinking anything other than water, always keeping in mind that 22-hour magic number for daily wear time. It is also a good idea to brush and rinse your aligners and mouth as soon as possible after enjoying your coffee to avoid staining both your Invisalign and your teeth. Finally, make sure your coffee is cooled down enough so that it will not melt the plastic trays. Rest assured, you can still enjoy your cup of joe with Invisalign.

The good news is that, unlike with braces, you can eat whatever you want with Invisalign. That includes gum. However, you need to remove your aligners before eating food or chewing gum. Chewing sugar-free gum is a great way to remove food particles and clean your teeth after a meal whenever brushing is not an option. However, be sure to put your aligner back on as soon as possible so that you do not go over that two-hour daily time limit of not wearing it.

The answer to this question depends upon a variety of factors. How old are you? How misaligned are your teeth? And how conscientious are you about wearing your aligners? If you diligently wear your aligners for no less than 22 hours a day, you will have a straighter smile in no time! Because adolescents are still growing, teens tend to experience a shorter treatment time than adults. Also, the less severe your misalignment is, the less time you will need your Invisalign. Finally, the amount of time required for treatment largely depends on how consistently you wear your aligners. The average treatment time spans from six months to two years.

Your teeth are beautiful but stubborn, and they will want to return to their original positions after treatment. This is why retainers are required after any form of smile realignment, including Invisalign.

Invisalign trays apply a steady but gentle pressure on your teeth to gradually nudge them along toward a more suitable position. It is not painful, but the slight discomfort you might feel is a message from your teeth that the treatment is working! The pain should go away within a day or two of starting a new aligner. Each set of trays comes in stages, designed to progress your teeth steadily toward the desired result. You will wear each set for about two weeks.