Invisalign Instructions

INVISALIGN  INSTRUCTIONS

Congratulations on starting orthodontic treatment using the Invisalign system. We want to ensure that you have a complete understanding of the Invisalign protocol, instructions and expectations.

Please make sure to have the aligners on the teeth for at least 22 hours per day during treatment.  If you do not wear the aligners 22 hours a day or more, EVERY DAY, the teeth will not move correctly and treatment success will be less than expected.  Please remove the aligners for routine brushing and flossing.  It is recommended to take the aligners off for eating and drinking. Drinking beverages that contain sugar while wearing the aligners can expose the teeth to decay. Water is the safest beverage.  Hot liquids can cause the aligners to shrink or melt.  If you do eat or drink with the aligners, you may be increasing your chances of getting tooth decay.  Please clean your teeth as soon as you can after eating.  If you cannot get to your toothbrush, rinse your teeth with water or enjoy chewing gum to help cleaning the teeth before inserting your Invisalign.  We recommend sugar free gum.  Any gum that contains Xylitol can help prevent tooth decay.  Check out www.xylitol.org

To also help prevent tooth decay during your orthodontic treatment, we recommend the use of a prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste (Prevident).  It is beneficial to use this tooth paste at night before bed.  Brush your teeth but don’t rinse and then place your Invisalign.

To clean the aligners, please rinse them in cold water.  You can also use a mouth wash to freshen up the aligners. We recommend the Crest 3D “Vivid White” Mouthrinse.  This is a clear rinse and it bubbles to help clean the aligners. When you brush your teeth, you can use the tooth brush and tooth paste to clean the aligners as well.

It is very easy to lose the aligners.  If they are not in your mouth, please keep them in the Invisalign cases provided to you.  If you do not place them in the case, they can be accidentally thrown away or eaten by a pet.   Keep them away from any heat sources which could cause them to melt.  If an aligner is lost or broken, please advance to the next aligner for both upper and lower immediately.  If you are unsure what to do, please email Dr. Gilman ([email protected]) or call the office.

New aligners should be inserted twice a week (every Wednesday and every Sunday). It is recommended to place the new aligners before going to bed.  It is normal for the new aligners to feel tight when you first insert them.  The tightness you are experiencing is the pressure being applied to the teeth to help them move.  The pressure should subside by the time you awake or at most, within the first day or two.   If there is a rough spot on the aligner, please call the office so we can smooth the aligner for your comfort.  It is also okay to use a nail file to smooth a rough edge.  Once you have worn the new aligners for a day, it is okay to discard the old aligners.

HOWEVER, if you get to the last aligner in your kit, please do not discard that aligner and keep wearing it until you can see Dr. Gilman to get more aligners.

Orthodontic treatment can only improve nature, it cannot perfect it. The Invisalign treatment will improve your smile with dramatic results. However, please have reasonable expectations about how your smile will look at the end of treatment. Successful treatment will occur if you are monitored every 6-10 weeks and have excellent compliance with wearing the aligners. If appointments are missed or the aligner compliance is less than 22 hours a day, every day, the results will be compromised. Additional fees will be assessed to create new Invisalign aligners if treatment is prolonged due to your failure to comply with the time to wear the aligners or if you fail to attend the scheduled appointments.

To check your aligner progress without coming into the office, we now offer virtual visits.  You can send a photo to Dr. Gilman with your aligners in place.  Please click this link for the instruction on how to take the progress photo.

We look forward to working together as a team to help you achieve the best possible result and a smile that will last for a lifetime. Again, congratulations as you begin your orthodontic journey!