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When agreeing to Invisalign treatment, part of your responsibility is to commit to wearing your clear aligners for 20-22 hours a day. This ensures that your teeth will move at an appropriate pace, eventually landing in the desired location within a designated timeframe. This added level of compliance is why many dentists prefer to treat adults with Invisalign more than children or teens, but what can you do to make sure you’re hitting this hourly goal each day? Keep reading to learn about a few tips that can help.
Avoid Discomfort by Switching to a New Set at Bedtime
Every 1-2 weeks, you’ll be required to remove your existing trays and swap them out with the next set in the series. When starting treatment or a new pair of aligners, you can expect to feel some slight discomfort, as your teeth will need to shift to conform to the tray’s design.
If you are tempted to remove your aligners when experiencing pain or discomfort, try swapping them out before bedtime. This should allow you to sleep through much of the soreness so that you do not try to remove your Invisalign for relief.
Designate Set Times to Eat
You are supposed to remove your trays to eat and drink to avoid potential damage, so to avoid keeping them out of your mouth for a prolonged period, designated specific mealtimes, complete with a timer.
You can choose the kind of schedule that works for you, but you might consider setting aside one hour for dinner, 30-45 minutes for lunch, and 10-15 minutes for breakfast. Since you’re allowed at least two hours without your aligners each day, you’ll have additional time you can spend on cleaning your Invisalign and grabbing 1-2 snacks to enjoy.
Download an App
You can ask your orthodontist about app recommendations that are designed to help you wear your aligners for a full 22 hours. By setting it up on your phone, you can track wear time easily so that you know right away if you’re falling behind or on the right path. One app to consider is Tray Minder.
Try Multitasking During Treatment
Instead of feeling like you have to follow all the maintenance steps one at a time, think about how you can fully maximize the minutes or hours your trays are out of your mouth. For example, let your Invisalign aligners soak in cleaning crystals while you eat dinner. This not only ensures your aligners are receiving a thorough cleaning, but you can eat confidently knowing they’re safe and you won’t have to do it later.
Twenty-two hours might seem excessive, but the truth is that our teeth need this daily wear time if they’re going to reach their final destination. By following these tips, you can stay on the path of success and prepare to embrace a straighter, healthier, and more radiant smile.
About the Author
If you are undergoing treatment with Invisalign but are struggling to maintain the 22-hour rule, you’re not alone. Dr. Saba Asrar understands it can be difficult to abide by this timeframe; however, in her experience as an orthodontist and trained Invisalign expert, she also knows it’s essential if desired results are to be achieved. If you are struggling to wear your trays as often as you should, visit our website or call (512) 828-7900 to schedule an appointment with our office.
