Having a straight, beautiful smile is a big confidence booster, but getting there can be a bit of a bummer. Let’s face it: traditional braces, while effective, just aren’t that pretty. Thankfully, Invisalign technology allows for the same straightening power as those ugly, traditional braces, but without all the mess. Invisible braces really are the best of both worlds: they keep your teeth looking nice while making them even nicer. Caring for your new Invisalign braces is much different than caring for traditional ones, though. Here are some tips to keep your invisible braces looking and functioning the way they’re supposed to.
Daily Care
It is important to take care of your Invisalign system at least twice a day, if not after every meal. Daily care is as easy as rinsing the retainer under tepid water and scrubbing gently with a soft toothbrush and toothpaste. Using small circular motions, gently brush the entire surface of your invisible braces, inside and out. Once you’ve finished that, you can rinse your retainer once again under tepid water. Brushing your retainer is as important as brushing your teeth. Food particles that get stuck in your teeth are also easily trapped by the retainer, and can cause bacterial problems and bad breath.
Ongoing Care
Just like your teeth, Invisalign retainers are susceptible to calcium and tartar buildup. If you notice any buildup gathering on your invisible braces, soak the retainer in a specialized retainer or denture cleaning solution as per the directions on the package. This should take care of any bacteria or buildup and leave your system feeling extra clean. As a general guideline, you should aim to soak your retainer at least once a week as well as any time you notice buildup. However, staying ahead of any buildup is the best way to keep your retainer in tip top shape.
Tips
Hot Water – Most Invisalign braces are made from a plastic-based resin, and so soaking your retainer in too hot water can cause it to get soft and warp. It is important that your retainer fits exactly correctly to ensure optimum results. Using tepid, or lukewarm, water will avoid this problem.
Mouthwash– Everyone knows what mouthwash looks like: it’s normally a vivid shade of electric blue or green. To get these shocking colours, most mouthwash companies use dyes, which can stain you retainer. So, if you want to keep your invisible braces invisible, avoid soaking your retainer in mouthwash (unless having green teeth is appealing to you, of course.)
