While Invisalign recommends wearing them for 20–22 hours daily in Orem, there may be times when you need to remove them. Knowing how long you can safely take your aligners out without negatively affecting your treatment plan is vital whether you’re taking them out for a critical meeting, a first date, or simply to give your mouth a rest.
As a parent, you may be interested in knowing more about the drawbacks of this treatment plan in your efforts to convince your adolescent to wear their aligners. The importance of consistently wearing your Invisalign aligners for the prescribed period of time every day will be discussed in detail.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a kind of orthodontic treatment in which transparent plastic aligners are used to progressively move teeth into proper alignment. Wearing a new set of aligners around once every two weeks, treatment with Invisalign can take anywhere from 12-18 months.
Invisalign is a great alternative to metal braces since it is virtually invisible while worn, but if you don’t take care of your aligners, they will start to show after a while. Removable braces also have the drawback of being too simple to forget about.
If You’re Wearing Invisalign, When Do You Get To Remove Them?
When removing your Invisalign aligners, it is important to remember the following:
- Aligners should be taken out only when you put something into your mouth, such as food or drink, or when you clean and floss your teeth. Check with your orthodontist before taking them out for any other reason. For instance, if you’re experiencing excessive discomfort throughout therapy, you should definitely let your doctor know.
- When you take them out, be sure to put them somewhere secure. This includes not keeping them in a pocket or placing them wherever they may be misplaced.
- Taking them out of the equation for too long is a bad idea. We suggest no more than a half-hour at a time outside.
- When you are ready to replace your aligners, you should first wash your teeth. This is important because your aligners can trap food and bacteria between your teeth if you don’t take care of them.
How Many Hours a Day Do You Have to Wear Them?
You should wear your Invisalign aligners for a minimum of 20 hours each day, and preferably for the full 22 hours, for optimum results. It leaves little time for things like eating, drinking, and brushing your teeth.
It’s recommended that you don’t go more than two hours without your aligners on, since this might cause your teeth to begin shifting back into their original position. A treatment’s progress may be slowed or even derailed if this occurs. If you haven’t been wearing each aligner as regularly as recommended, the next one in your case may not fit properly.
What Are the Risks if the Instructions Are Not Followed?
If you don’t use your aligners as directed, you risk a few things:
- It’s possible that your treatment time will increase if your teeth begin to move back to their original place.
- It’s possible that the next aligner in the sequence won’t fit quite right, and that might be really painful.
- In order to maintain the results of your orthodontic treatment, you may need to wear a retainer for a longer amount of time after your treatment is complete.
- The frequency of your dental visits may need to be increased.
Is It Possible to Eat and Drink Normally While Wearing Them?
When you wear your Invisalign aligners, you shouldn’t consume anything but cold water. Your aligners will distort if you drink anything hot while wearing them.
Also, skipping meals while wearing your aligners is best, so they don’t get dislodged or warped. For the same reason, gum chewing is also not permitted.
Your dentist will know if you have been wearing your Invisalign aligners enough, thanks to the built-in wear indications. This can cause the therapy to take longer and be more unpleasant if they haven’t.
