A day in the life with Invisalign

An initial question lots of patients ask us is; how will I adapt to wearing Invisalign®?

It’s true that you will have to adopt what we like to refer to as the ‘Invisalign® routine’ or you may have even heard of the ‘Invisalign® diet’. Don’t worry, there’s no actual dieting involved and we do not recommend inducing or forcing an unwanted eating habit.

Invisalign® aligners must be worn for a minimum of 22 hours per day, to allow for efficient and effective tooth movement. Therefore, you become much more aware of your eating and drinking habits throughout the day.

Top tips to help you prepare:

• In the weeks leading up to your Invisalign® fit appointment, practice timing your meal and snack times to get a feeling for what that 2 hours a day window feels like;
• If you are used to sipping drinks other than water throughout the day, start weaning yourself onto drinking plain water instead, between meal times, as you would when wearing Invisalign aligners;
• Get into the habit of brushing your teeth after each meal or snack, this will help you to remember to take that brush and paste with you wherever you go;
• Try to limit the number of times you snack throughout the day and stick to the golden rule of 4 hits a day! This should be breakfast, lunch and dinner with one additional snack. Not only is this great practice for wearing Invisalign®, but the golden rule of 4 is an effective way of protecting your teeth from excessive sugar and acid attacks by food and drinks.

A typical day-to-day routine with Invisalign® (personal account)

When I first wake up, I shower and get ready for the day. Then, I take my Invisalign® aligners out and wash them. I do this by gently brushing the surface of the aligners with a manual toothbrush with cool running tap water. It’s important not to use hot water as this can damage and distort the aligners, meaning they will not fit properly. You don’t need to use toothpaste or soap on the aligners either, the mechanical action of brushing them is usually sufficient to remove plaque and bacteria. I leave the aligners in my Invisalign® safety case and head to the kitchen for a good breakfast that will start my day well and keep me full until lunchtime, reducing the crave for snacking! Once I’ve finished eating, it’s time to get the aligners back in. First, rinse with a fluoridated mouthwash to remove any large food debris and neutralise any acids in the mouth. Next, use interdental aids to clean between the teeth to remove bacteria. Then, brush for 2 minutes using an electric toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste. Once you’re done, pop in those aligners and start your day.

Remember to only drink plain, still water whist wearing your aligners. It’s important to keep hydrated throughout the day, so don’t skip a drink and always have your Inspired Dental Care water bottle handy.

It’s lunchtime! If you’re at work, you may feel more comfortable to pop to the bathroom to remove your aligners. Wherever you remove them, remember to wash or sanitise your hands before you go fishing those aligners out, you don’t want to be introducing germs and bacteria to the oral cavity. Once the aligners are out, clean them as mentioned previously with a manual toothbrush and cool running water. Place the aligners in your Invisalign® safety case and enjoy a fulfilling lunch. Whilst the aligners are out, you can enjoy whatever beverage you choose. Once lunchtime is over and you are suitably full, it’s time to perform that fantastic oral hygiene regime you’ve been practicing. Utilise your fluoridated mouthwash, use interdental aids, brush for 2 minutes with a fluoride toothpaste and get those aligners back in. Don’t forget- your teeth are only going to move if you are wearing them, so don’t forget to put them back in as soon as you can and don’t go over your allotted time window.

Sometimes, you may get a little peckish between lunch and dinner and feel like its time for a snack. That’s totally fine! Remember, clean your hands before removing the aligners and keep them safe in your Invisalign® case. After your snack, perform that well-rehearsed oral hygiene regime and put the aligners back in. Our tip is to try to have a satisfying lunch high in protein and carbohydrates to keep you fuller for longer and prevent the need for a snack time.

It’s dinner time! after a long day at work, a stressful day running around after the kids, or whatever it is you have been doing throughout the day, everybody likes to wind down in the evening with a hearty dinner. Once dinner is ready- you know the drill by now. Clean your hands, keep the aligners safe, eat your meal, clean your teeth, put them back in. Easy right?

Remember to still perform your night time brush before going to bed. This is essential to provide a layer of fluoride protection to remineralise the tooth enamel whilst you sleep – adding an extra layer of protection. Whilst wearing your Invisalign® aligners, your saliva is not able to bathe your teeth as effectively as it usually would, to help remove bacteria and neutralise acids, therefore brushing your teeth during Invisalign® treatment is more important than ever to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

At some point during the day, you will need to use your ‘chewies’ aka aligner seaters. We like to suggest using them whilst watching TV in the evening or whilst you’re reading a good book. For no more than 10-15 minutes each day you must chew on these to allow your aligners to seat correctly and fully engage with your teeth to ensure for good movement and tracking of the teeth according to your Invisalign® treatment plan. However, whenever you decide to fit this into your routine, is completely personal and there is no set rule.

FAQ’s

What happens if I go out to a restaurant?

Most people feel more comfortable going to the bathroom to remove their aligners, rather than at the dinner table. Remove them as normal, with clean hands and keep them safe in their Invisalign® case. We urge you NOT to wrap your aligners in a napkin and put them next to you, you’ll forget as you’re engrossed in conversation, the waiter will clean your table and the aligners are gone! Trust us, we’ve heard this so many times. If you happen to have your aligners out for too long, and you don’t manage to meet your minimum wear time, you must add on an additional day of wear to this aligner.

What do I do on public transport?

We would recommend, if possible, not to remove your aligners whilst travelling. However, if you’re on a long journey and just need to eat, that’s totally understandable. Again, with clean hands remove the aligners and keep them safe. Once you’ve eaten, clean your teeth again and pop the aligners back in. if there is no access to a bathroom, we recommend drinking plenty of water to remove as much food debris from the teeth before placing your aligners back in. Then at your soonest possible convenience, perform a good brushing.

I’m going to an important event – what should I do?

Weddings, birthdays, conferences, interviews – this are all significant events that you may feel more comfortable not wearing your aligners. These things occur as part of life and we do understand it. Therefore, we would usually suggest taking the aligners out as late as possible leading to the ‘event’ and leaving them in a safe place in your Invisalign® case. As soon as the ‘event’ is over then carry out that show-stopping clean and put them back in to resume the active stage of treatments. Of course, they are going to feel tight again as your teeth have a natural tendency to move, so don’t worry if they feel this way. However, as you have not achieved that 22-hour goal that day, you must add an entire additional day of wear to this set of aligners. By doing so, you are ensuring the teeth have sufficient time to move into the desired position prescribed by your dentist, and you are not forcing the movement which can have adverse effects.

What if I go over my time allowance?

As already mentioned, your teeth will only move if you are wearing your Invisalign® aligners, if you don’t, the teeth won’t move. We work with science here, not magic! If for whatever reason it is not possible to reach your wear time, or you were having such a good time with friends you forgot to put them back in, you must add an additional day of wear. For example, instead of being due to change them on Tuesday, you must now change them on Wednesday and delay the process by 1 day. Doing this a couple of times throughout your Invisalign® treatment should not have any significant detrimental effects, however if you think this would be a regular occurrence to work or social life, it may be best to reconsider whether Invisalign® is the right system for you and consider alternative treatment options such as fixed braces.

When do you recommend changing the aligners?

It’s totally a personal choice as to when you choose to change your aligners. However, we like to recommend doing it just before bed, that way if there is any discomfort or tenderness, you’ll sleep right through! You’ll wake up in the morning with a fresh set of aligners already in, ready to kickstart your day.

Can I shower wearing my aligners?

Absolutely! You do not need to remove your aligners to shower, it is completely safe to wear them. This is also true for swimming.

Can I play sports?

Of course! We don’t want to stop you doing the things you love. However, you may need to seek additional advice from your clinician if you play contact sports that require a mouthguard. But anything else like running, the gym or yoga – it is totally safe to wear your aligners throughout your session.

Singing and playing – what do I do?

Lots of us enjoy our music. You will adapt to the new tongue positioning in your mouth whilst playing or singing, we recommend that you persevere with this. Remember, practice makes perfect and you will get there. Lots of our patients play woodwind instruments or sing professionally, they have reported that adaptation is needed but completely possible with some focus.

Need more help?

Here at Inspired Dental Care, we have a fantastic team of healthcare professionals from nurses to treatment coordinators, oral health educators to hygienists and dentists, we are all here to help. Please contact us whenever you need us! Lots of us here at Inspired® have personally been through this treatment, or are currently undergoing our own Invisalign® journeys, so we have first-hand knowledge to help you. In addition to us, Invisalign® offers a fantastic app that you will be introduced to when you start your Invisalign® journey, this helps to track your progress and also answers lots of frequently asked questions.

Here at Inspired we are passionate about providing the bespoke care that you deserve and will endeavour to make whichever treatment plan you choose, to be as stress-free as possible.

We look forward to starting your Orthodontic journey.