Tips for Taking Care of Your Invisalign Trays

Clear Invisalign® braces work to straighten your smile secretly. This effective alternative to braces adjusts your teeth without being visible to other people. If you can keep your trays clean and odor-free, no one will know that you have braces! At Healthy Smile Dental, Hannah Baek, DDS, can get you started with Invisalign braces, and advise you on the best care for your trays once you receive them.

Your Invisalign trays are custom-made from a 3D image of your teeth. Each set is unique to the patient, so your Invisalign alignment trays won't be exactly like anyone else's. To keep your trays working for you for as long as possible, follow these helpful tips for cleaning, maintenance, and storage.

Cleaning

Since your Invisalign braces spend lots of time in your mouth, proper cleaning is important to prevent buildup of potentially harmful oral bacteria.

Each time you take your Invisalign trays out of your mouth, you should at least rinse them before reinserting, to eliminate drying saliva and plaque that can support bacterial growth. Sometimes you can use a little bit of clear anti-bacterial soap for additional cleaning. Be careful not to use a colored soap, as the dyes can permanently stain your aligner trays.

When you brush your teeth, brush your aligners, as well. Use a gentle brushing motion to clean the trays. You should also regularly let your aligners soak in a cleaning solution, like a denture or retainer cleaner, or use the Invisalign brand cleaning crystals. Avoid using toothpaste when you brush your trays, as most are too abrasive and can leave scratch marks on the surface of the aligners.

Maintenance and storage

In addition to regular cleanings, some habits will help keep your Invisalign trays clearer, longer.

Take your Invisalign trays out of your mouth every time you eat. This will prevent stains and additional wear and damage. Before you put your trays back in, it's ideal if you can brush and floss, to keep your oral environment clean and clear and avoid trapping bacteria between your teeth and the aligner.

Pay attention to where you put your trays! Each time you take them out, protect your trays by placing them in your Invisalign carrying case. Not only does this keep your trays clear from scratches, but it also minimizes the potential for harmful bacteria to grow on them. And it decreases your risk of losing your trays by accidentally leaving them behind or throwing them away with your lunch garbage.

When you travel, plan ahead and bring an extra set of trays, as well as an extra carrying case. Our office can advise you on which of your current set is best to use as a potential backup. Keep your aligners in your carry-on bags, so that even if your luggage is lost, you'll be able to stay on schedule with your alignment treatment.

At Healthy Smile Dental, Dr. Baek supervises Invisalign teeth alignment treatment for new and returning patients in the Woodridge, Illinois, area. If you have questions about whether Invisalign is right for you, or about the proper care for your alignment trays, contact Dr. Baek today. To schedule an appointment, call our office, or conveniently book online.