Tips for Taking Care of Your Invisalign® Trays

Do you yearn for a more beautiful smile but dread the idea of wearing painful metal braces for who knows how long while enduring the endless orthodontist appointments and food limitations that go along with them? If so, there’s an innovative, high-tech option that folks are flocking to: the InvisalignⓇ method.

Invisalign aligners or trays are clear and barely noticeable when you wear them. You can also put them in or take them out yourself. Dr Nupur Gupta, DDS loves nothing more than helping to bring back your confidence about your smile, and the Invisalign system is one of her top tools for success.

How do Invisalign braces work?

Invisalign braces work differently than traditional metal braces and are unbelievably wearer-friendly. Your treatment is highly customized and super-21st century:

• With conventional braces, you start with the uncomfortable process of creating a mold of your teeth. However, the first step of Invisalign treatment is a quick, noninvasive tooth imaging process. The scanner creates a remarkably clear, 3D image of your teeth which informs your treatment plan.
• Dr. Gupta fine tunes your treatment plan with the help of sophisticated software. 
• You can even see a preview of how gorgeous your future smile will look! 

How are Invisalign trays better than traditional metal braces?

There are so many reasons! For starters:

• You wear them about 22 hours a day, but you can take them off for eating and drinking, which eliminates the whole “forbidden foods” issue that those who wear traditional braces deal with
• Because you can easily remove Invisalign trays, brushing and flossing aren’t hassles either
• Invisalign trays are virtually invisible when you’re wearing them
• Keeping up with snapped or broken brackets and wires is a non-issue
• The SmartTrack material from which Invisalign trays are crafted ensures gradual tooth shifting. This differs from metal braces, which must be continually tightened and can create a great deal of pain in the process
• Invisalign treatment takes an average of 50% less time to work than conventional braces

Since their debut in 2005, Invisalign aligners have become enormously popular for these reasons. They adapt to your lifestyle, not the other way around.

How can I take the best care of my Invisalign trays?

In order to maximize your success with Invisalign, you need to properly care for the trays in between getting them replaced, which happens every week or two depending on your treatment plan. Here are some dos and don’ts that will make your trays stay in tip-top shape:

1. Keep your trays clean by brushing and rinsing them with tepid water each day, every time you brush your teeth
2. When you brush your trays, brush both the inside and the outside; rinse again after brushing
3. Check for cloudiness on your trays, which indicates that calcium or tartar have accumulated; you can remove them by using a specially made Invisalign cleaning system, but a denture or retainer cleaning solution will do the job, too
4. Never leave your trays out in the open and vulnerable to anything that could damage them; they should either be in your mouth or in their case, period
5. Never soak your trays in mouthwash, as they can absorb its color; proper cleaning should keep them odorless as well as colorless
6. Don’t rinse your trays in water that’s too warm or hot; since they’re made of plastic resin, the heat can warp them and affect how they fit you
7. Take it easy on your coffee and tea consumption, because they can stain your trays

By properly cleaning your trays, you can ensure that they will do their best work for you. A little caution with your trays goes a long way, too, and reduces the chances that they’ll get broken or damaged. 

Find out how Invisalign can transform your smile and not cramp your style!

Here at Perfect Smiles Dental of Pleasant Hill, Dr. Gupta and her team are more than happy to explain the Invisalign experience to you and describe how it might be the perfect solution to your cosmetic and medical orthodontic needs. Chances are you’ll be sold when you hear about how easy it is to use and how impressive the results from treatment are.

Call our office at 925-825-9663 or request an appointment via our website’s convenient online booking tool. You’ll be on your way to a stunning smile in no time!