Though Invisalign makes it easier than ever to have orthodontic treatment at any age, there are still some maintenance guidelines to keep your aligners in excellent condition as they gently straighten your teeth. If you are new to the Invisalign system , you can set yourself up for the best treatment experience possible by following these tips to care for your aligners:

Retainer

Always Remove Aligners Before Eating and Drinking
One of the biggest advantages of Invisalign treatment is the ability to take out the aligners before activities that may be more challenging with traditional braces such as eating and drinking. You should never eat with your aligners in, as this could cause damage to the structure of the aligners and promote tooth decay by lodging food particles between the aligners and teeth.

Clean Your Aligners When You Brush Your Teeth
You should brush and floss your teeth as usual with your aligners out. As you care for your teeth, you can clean the retainers by soaking them in special cleanser or plain water. After a rinse to loosen plaque and other buildup, you can brush your aligners gently with your toothbrush. Keeping your aligners clean will help to reduce bad breath and tooth decay as you go through your Invisalign treatment.

Store Your Aligners in a Safe Place
Because you will be wearing your aligners for about 20-22 hours each day, there will not be many chances for them to break or sustain damage outside of your mouth. Still, you should store them in their cases when they are not in use, as they can be broken if they are dropped or crushed.

If you think Invisalign is the answer to your orthodontic needs, you can start planning your treatment with Dr. David Seligman at Seligman Orthodontics on Park Avenue. You can explore all of our advanced treatment options on our website or call us for a consultation at (646) 681-8516.