How to Adjust to Invisalign with Ease

Getting used to traditional braces takes some time. Many people report that the metal brackets feel uncomfortable against the soft tissue inside the lips. The archwire might poke them, not to mention the challenge of learning to brush and floss around all that hardware.

Fortunately, with Invisalign®, things get a lot easier. These clear plastic aligners are smooth, so they don’t have the rough or sharp edges of traditional braces. Plus, you can take them out to eat and attend to your oral hygiene. That makes the adjustment period much faster and easier. 

Still, it can come with some hurdles. With extensive experience providing patients with Invisalign, Nisha Modi, DMD, and our Miracle Smile Dental team offer some tips to help, and you can always visit us at our office in Aubrey, Texas, for personalized support.

To make it easier to adjust to Invisalign, we recommend:  

Learning what to expect

Your aligners apply gentle but consistent pressure to help your teeth move into their desired positions. A lot of people find that movement uncomfortable.

You might notice some pain when you first get started with Invisalign. Most people report that the first week is the least comfortable and gets better going forward. That said, every time you change to a new set of aligners, you might have an uptick in discomfort for the first couple of days as your mouth adjusts. 

Medication like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can help as you adjust to your aligners. 

You shouldn’t feel any severe pain. If your aligners are painful because they’re rubbing on your gums, talk to Dr. Modi. The aligners should be fitted to your mouth to avoid discomfort. 

Making a plan for each day

You need to wear your aligners for 20–22 hours for them to be effective. The more you wear them, the faster they work, but you can allow some leeway. 

Think ahead and make a plan for when you’ll take your aligners out. If you know you have a big presentation at work or an upcoming soccer game, for example, you probably want to remove your aligners. 

Mapping out your week helps you take advantage of those windows of time when you don’t wear Invisalign. 

Adjusting what you carry with you

The ability to remove your aligners makes life easier. You don’t necessarily want to put them on the table when you’re eating, though. 

Invisalign makes carrying cases for the aligners, as do some other retailers. Having that case with you gives you somewhere safe and clean to store your aligners whenever you’re not wearing them. 

Pair another item with that case: a travel toothbrush. You should always brush after eating before you put your aligners back in to avoid staining your teeth and aligners. Keeping a compact toothbrush with you is convenient wherever your day takes you. 

These are just a few general suggestions. For more personalized tips based on you and your lifestyle, visit our team. Use our convenient online scheduling tool to book an appointment, or contact us at 469-765-3567.