Do’s and Don’ts While Wearing Invisalign Aligners

Invisalign is a great way to straighten teeth without metal braces. These clear aligners are almost invisible and pretty easy to use. But still, there are some rules you gotta follow. Doing the right things will help your teeth move like they should. Doing the wrong things can slow stuff down or cause problems.

Here's a list of do’s and don’ts to help you get the best results with Invisalign.

Do Wear Your Aligners for 20-22 Hours a Day

The most important rule is to wear your aligners enough each day. Aim for 20 to 22 hours. That means you only take them out when you’re eating, drinking anything but water, or brushing and flossing.

If you forget to wear them, even for a day, your teeth might shift back a bit. That could mean starting over with a tray. So yeah, don’t skip days.

Don’t Eat or Drink With Aligners In

You should never eat while your aligners are in your mouth. Food can crack them or stain them. Also, chewing with them in might mess up how they fit.

Drinks are a bit tricky. Only water is safe to drink with aligners on. Sodas, juice, coffee, or anything else can stain them or cause sugar to get trapped under the tray. That leads to cavities or bad smells.

Do Brush and Floss After Every Meal

Clean teeth are super important during Invisalign treatment. You don’t wanna trap food or sugar between your teeth and the aligners. That’s a recipe for bad breath, gum problems, and cavities.

Try to brush and floss every time after you eat or drink something besides water. If you can’t brush right away, at least rinse your mouth really well with water.

Don’t Forget to Clean Your Aligners Too

Your aligners can get dirty just like your teeth. You should clean them daily using a soft toothbrush and cool water. Don’t use toothpaste, it’s too rough and can scratch the trays.

You can also use special Invisalign cleaning crystals or just soak them in a mix of water and a little baking soda. Just don’t use hot water—it can warp the plastic.

Do Keep Your Old Trays

When you switch to a new set of aligners, don’t toss the old ones. Keep them in their case just in case you lose the current tray. You can wear the last one while you wait for a replacement.

Also, if something feels off with the new tray, you can go back to the last one until your Lethbridge dentist says what to do.

Don’t Skip Dental Visits

Even if you're doing great, your dentist or orthodontist still needs to check your progress. They’ll make sure everything’s moving right and that your trays fit well. If there’s a problem, they can fix it early.

Skipping visits can delay your treatment or cause mistakes to go unnoticed. Plus, they’ll give you your next set of trays, so you need to show up.

Do Use a Case Every Time

Always put your aligners in a case when you’re not wearing them. Don’t wrap them in napkins or toss them on the table. That’s the easiest way to lose them or get them dirty.

Lots of people have thrown theirs away by accident. Keep the case with you—it’s a habit that’ll save you money and stress.

Don’t Play With Your Aligners

Some people like to pop their aligners in and out a lot, or bite down on them when they’re bored. Don’t do that. It can mess with the fit or even break them.

If your aligners feel weird or don’t sit right, talk to your dentist. Don’t try to fix them yourself.

Do Follow the Switching Schedule

Your dentist will tell you when to switch to the next tray. Usually it’s every 1 to 2 weeks. Don’t speed it up, even if the trays feel loose. And don’t wait too long either.

Sticking to the plan helps your teeth move right and stay healthy during treatment.

Don’t Smoke With Aligners In

If you smoke with your aligners on, they’ll get stained and smell bad. Also, tobacco can hurt your gums and slow down healing. If you have to smoke, take your aligners out, and then brush your teeth before putting them back in.

Do Track Your Progress

Sometimes you don’t notice small changes day to day, but over time, things really do shift. Take photos once every few weeks. You’ll be surprised how far you’ve come.

Seeing progress can also help you stay motivated to stick with the routine.

Final Thoughts

Wearing Invisalign is pretty easy once you get used to it. Most people like how it looks and feels better than metal braces. Still, how well it works depends a lot on you.

Wear them. Clean them. Stick to the plan.

Doing the right things every day makes a big difference in how fast your smile changes. So remember these do’s and don’ts and you’ll be on your way to straight teeth without the drama.