A beginner’s guide to using Invisalign

If you were to ask 100 people about how standard orthodontic braces work, the majority would use words like tightening and adjusting and would know at least one person who has used or had fitted braces.

But if you are about to start treatment with invisible aligners, it is a bit more tricky. Not so many people have used these historically, and it can be tough to know what you need to do with this orthodontic tool.

Our team at Spa Dental has extensive knowledge of using Invisalign Ryde and would be more than happy to help you with every step of the process. This is from assessing your suitability for the aligners to giving you tips on how to use them for your specific clinical case, as well as advising you on the aftercare that you will need to undertake with retainers. After all, we are experts!

But the basics of using Invisalign Ryde are similar for most patients, and in this article, we will provide you with 5 tips on how you can get the most out of using these aligners.

Keep them in!

The key difference between Invisalign Ryde and standard metal braces is that the aligners are removable, and the braces are fitted. This means you can take the aligners out as and when you need to, which can make them harder to use for some people. In order to ensure that they have the appropriate amount of time to work correctly, you will need to keep them in for around 22 hours per day or as dictated by our team. If you don’t, your teeth simply will not move as they need to, or they may revert.

Keep them clean!

Next on the list is keeping them clean. As they are made of plastic and are removable, they are easier to clean than fitted braces, and we always advise our patients to clean their aligners using a cold water tap simply to rinse off the bacteria. You should never put your aligners into warm or hot water, as this can cause them to warp out of shape.

Keep them on track!

A standard set of aligners contains between 12 to 14 of them, based on the severity of the misalignment being treated. While it can be tempting to skip over one of these aligners if it doesn’t look like it is going to do anything of particular value, you should always aim to stay on track with each aligner in the series unless our team gives you the green light to skip an aligner.

Keep them safe!

When you are given your invisible aligners by our team, they will come in a portable case. This will help you to carry them out and about in public and will give you a safe place to put them when you are eating food or drinking hot beverages. It is important that you do not simply throw your aligners into your pocket or your bag, as these environments can cause them to warp.

Keep in touch!

The best part of using this particular invisible aligner is that it comes with a downloadable app for smartphones. You will need to keep in touch with our team by sending us photos once a week of your smile, so we can determine whether or not the process is working as predicted.

DISCLAIMER

All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.