Invisalign® aligners straighten your teeth without wires and brackets, using a series of clear, customized, removable appliances. These aligners are made with exact calculations to shift your teeth into their ideal position to give you a straighter, more beautiful smile. Each aligner or tray is worn for one week and are only removed in order to eat, brush, and floss the teeth. The least amount of time that aligners should be worn is 22 hours a day. With all that use, Dr. Ryan Caudill and Dr. Angela McNeight want to make sure that our patients know how to care for their Invisalign and also their retainers.
Cleaning Your Invisalign Aligners
According to Dr. Caudill, “Brushing and rinsing your Invisalign aligners in lukewarm water and using the Invisalign Cleaning Crystals or special cleaning tablets is the best way to clean your aligners. I instruct patients to brush their teeth after each meal and prior to re-inserting their aligners.”
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Retainers
We mention retainers, as they are worn after the completion of both traditional braces or Inivisalign. Retainers retain the teeth in the corrected position. Initially, they are worn full-time for the first four days after the braces are removed, except for meals and brushing. Dr. McNeight adds, “Patients should continue to wear their retainers for 8-10 hours per night and ongoing to keep their corrected smiles.”
Cleaning and Caring for Your Retainer
Good oral hygiene habits include brush your teeth and your retainer, especially before bed. Our orthodontists recommend brushing your retainer with a separate tooth brush and antibacterial soap or soaking it in Retainer Brite solution. Dr. Caudill cautions, “Be careful not to soak your retainer in denture cleaner, as over time it will cause the material to be stained a yellow color.” Thoroughly rinse your retainer with water before placing it back in your mouth. Your retainer should always be stored in its case when not in use.
Should you have any questions about caring for either your Invisalign trays, braces, or retainers, please contact us including on social media. We’re quick to respond, and love to be a good resource for you even during off-hours.
Caudill Orthodontics is an experienced Invisalign provider, in fact the very first and ONLY Invisalign orthodontist in Brevard County, Florida with the Invisalign® Top 1% and Invisalign® Teen provider designation! Our staff is pleased to discuss the treatment and technology with you, so request your free consultation today.
