WearingandUsingYourInvisalignAligners

AlignerInsertion1. Makesureyouhavetheproperaligner‐theupper

forthetopteethandthelowerforyourbottomteeth.

2. Toavoidconfusion,eachalignerisengravedwithyouruniquecasenumber,a“U”forupperoran“L”forlower,followedbythealignernumber.

3. Youmayinserteithertheupperorloweralignerfirst.Wheninsertingeachaligner,gentlypushthealignersoveryourfrontteeth.Then,applyequalpressure,usingyourfingertips,tothetopsofyourleftmolarandrightmolars(backteeth)untilthealignersnapsintoplace.

4. DONOTBITEyouralignersinposition.Thismaydamagethem.Note:Ifyouexperiencesharppainorsignificantdiscomfort,discontinueuseofthealignersandcontactouroffice.

AlignerRemoval1. Usingyourfingers,startononesideatthemolars

(backteeth)andthenbeginremovalontheothersideatthemolars(backteeth).Usingequalpressureworkyourwaytowardsthefrontofthemouthwiththeremovalofthealigner.(Backteeth,formiddleteeth,andendatyourfrontteeth)Note:Ifyouareusingthealignerremovalhook,removethealignerthesamewayasyouwouldwithonlyyourfingers.

2. Tohelppreventdamage,avoidunnecessaryremoval.3. DONOTuseanysharpobjectstoremoveyour

aligner.Ifyouneedadditionalassistanceremovingaligners,thealignerremovalhookworksbest.

4. Immediatelyrinsealignerwithwater,shakeoffexcesswater,andstoreyouralignersintheprotectivecaseprovidedwithyourstarterkit.Note:Usecareinremovingyouraligners,particularlyifyouhavemultipleattachments.Donotuseexcessiveforcetobendortwistanalignertogetitoff.Consultourofficeifyouralignersaredifficulttoremove.

Herearesometipstohelpensureproperuseandtoavoiddamagingyouraligners.Alwaysrememberto…

1. Washyourhandsthoroughlywithsoapandwaterbeforehandlingyouraligners

2. HandleonlyONEaligneratatime.DailyCareandMaintenanceofYourInvisalignAligners

1. Cleanyouralignerspriortoeachinsertion.YoumayusetheInvisalignCleaningsystem(youcanorderthisonlineatinvisalign.com)orasoftbristletoothbrushwithlukewarmwaterandcleargeltoothpaste.

2. Rinseeachalignerthoroughlywithwateraftereachcleaning.

3. DONOTusedenturecleanerstocleanalignersorsoaktheminmouthwash.Theseproductscandamagethesurfaceofthealigner,causingittobecomedullandmorevisible.

ProperOralHygiene

1. Removeyouralignersforeatinganddrinkingexceptwhendrinkingwater(only).

2. Brushandflossyourteethaftereachmealorsnackpriortore‐insertingyouraligners.Ifyouhavequestionsregardingyourhygienetechniques,consultouroffice.

3. Regulardentalcheckupsandcleaningswithyourdentistarerecommendedforthecontinuedhealthofyourteethandgums

StoringyourAligners1. Twoalignercasesareincludedinyourstarterkit.

WerecommendthatyoustoreyourInvisalignalignersinacasewhennotinyourmouth.Thiswillhelpprotectthemfromlossanddamage.

2. Designateyourbluealignercaseforyour“currentaligner.”Storethealignersyouarecurrentlyusinginthiscase.

3. Whenitistimetoswitchuptothenextaligner,transferthepreviousaligneryouwerewearingtothered/orangecase.Alwayskeepthemostrecentlyusedalignersinthiscase.Ifyourcurrentalignerislostorbroken,wemayrecommendthatyoutemporarilygobackonealignerandthenusethealignersintheredcasewhileareplacementisbeingmade.

Note:Keeppastalignersinacleanplasticbagasinstructedbyouroffice.Keepoutofreachofchildrenandpets.

FrequentlyAskedQuestionsHow often must I wear my aligners? We find aligners are most effective if worn 20 to 22 hours per day – and removed only for eating, drinking (except for water), brushing, and flossing.

Will Invisalign treatment be painful? While Invisalign moves your teeth without the pain and anxiety of metal braces, some people will experience temporary discomfort for a few days at the beginning of each new stage of treatment. This is normal and is typically described as a feeling of pressure. It's also a sign that Invisalign is working, as it moves your teeth into position. This discomfort typically goes away in a couple of days.

Are there restrictions on what I can eat while in treatment? No. Thanks to the removable nature of the aligners, you can eat and drink whatever you want while in treatment. In fact, you're required to remove your aligners to eat and drink. So, unlike undergoing traditional treatment using wires and brackets, there is no need to restrict your consumption of any of your favorite foods and snacks unless instructed otherwise by your doctor. Also, it is important that you brush your teeth after each meal and prior to re-inserting your aligners to maintain fresh breath and proper hygiene.

Can I chew gum while wearing aligners? No, gum will stick to the aligners. We recommend removing your aligners for all meals and snacks.

Will smoking or chewing tobacco stain the aligners? We discourage tobacco use while wearing aligners because of the possibility of aligner discoloration.

Why do some of my aligners have bumps in them? Some of the movements require “attachments” to help the aligner grip the teeth. These bumps, or wells, are where the aligners grips the attachment that is placed on your teeth.

Will wearing Invisalign aligners affect my speech? Similar to other orthodontic treatments, Invisalign aligners may temporarily affect the speech of some people, and you may have a slight lisp for a day or two. However, as your tongue gets used to having aligners in your mouth, any lisp caused by the aligners should disappear.

Is it okay to drink hot or cold beverages while wearing Invisalign aligners? Except for water, we recommend that you do not eat or drink while wearing the aligners. This is to avoid formation of cavities and stains, and warping of the aligners with extremely hot drinks.

What if I lose or break an Invisalign aligner? In the event that an aligner is lost or broken, you should immediately contact our office.

What should I do if my new Invisalign aligner doesn’t snap onto my teeth? Minor discrepancies between the new aligner and the current tooth position are normal since the teeth need time to conform to the new aligner. In the event of significant problems with aligner fit, contact our office.

If you have any additional questions after reading this handout, please contact our office at 479-621-8229.