Caring For Teeth During and After Invisalign

During Invisalign treatment, you need to care for your aligners properly and ensure that you’re wearing the aligners for the right amount of time each day. After you complete your Invisalign treatment, you need to ensure that you maintain your results. Invisalign is a part of the cosmetic dentistry services we offer patients in Annapolis, MD. We will review the best ways to care for your smile when you undergo Invisalign and when you wear a retainer.

Invisalign Care: Cosmetic Dentistry in Annapolis

Caring for your smile and Invisalign aligners during treatment is important. Follow these tips to keep your aligners and retainers intact:

During Invisalign

When you have your Invisalign aligners, make sure to:

• Remove Aligners When Eating or Drinking: Eating or drinking with Invisalign can stain and damage your aligners. Keep your aligners safe by placing them in their hard case.
• Clean Your Aligners: Even if you do not eat with your aligners on your teeth, bacteria can collect in your aligners. You can soak your aligners using Invisalign crystals or gently brush and rinse your aligners.
• Clean Your Teeth Before Placing Your Aligners: Once you’re finished eating or drinking, clean your mouth and place your aligners back on your teeth. You can get food in your aligners and even stain your aligners. Harmful bacteria can also build in your aligners.

After Invisalign

Once you complete the Invisalign treatment, you will need to ensure that you keep your teeth straight. Wearing retainers following Invisalign will prevent problems like orthodontic relapse. Orthodontic relapse occurs when the teeth shift out of their straight position following orthodontic treatment. Patients who stop wearing their retainers can experience orthodontic relapse, and some patients may require additional orthodontic treatment.

At first, you will need to wear these retainers constantly. After several months, you will only need to wear the retainers at night or for part of the day. Like Invisalign aligners, retainers require cleaning. Using a mouthguard soak or brushing gently with a toothbrush and toothpaste can remove bacteria and stains from the appliances. Additionally, removing the retainers to eat and drink anything other than water is important.

You will need to wear your retainers indefinitely to keep your teeth straight. Contact us if you damage or misplace your retainer, and we can make a replacement for you.

Do you have any questions about how to care for retainers or Invisalign aligners? Call Wooddell and Passaro Dentistry today at (410) 956-5555. You may also schedule a dental appointment with our team online.