9 Useful Invisalign Hacks

Do you have Invisalign and want to get the most out of your investment? Are you considering getting clear aligners and want to know more about what is involved? Are you wondering if you should take your Invisalign trays out when drinking coffee? If so, we have several Invisalign hacks for you and would love to help!

1. Don’t Remove Trays When Drinking Beverages

This is the Invisalign tip our patients are most surprised about. Always keep your clear aligner trays in your mouth while drinking beverages, including coffee. Don’t worry about coffee getting in between the trays and your teeth and causing staining as the risk is minimal. It’s best to keep the trays in as long as possible; just be sure to remove them after drinking coffee or any sugary beverage and rinse with water.

2. What if You Forget to Wear Your Invisalign Trays?

Did you forget to bring your trays on vacation? Did you forget to wear them overnight because you were so excited to visit the dentist the next day? Don’t worry — it happens to all of us. The good news is if you forget to wear your trays for a few days, it’s not the end of the world. Simply wait an extra day or two before you’re due to switch to the next set of trays.

3. Best Time of Day to Switch to the Next Set of Trays

New trays are typically very tight, which can cause discomfort. Therefore, your best bet is to change to the next set of trays at night so you can sleep through the worst of the soreness. By morning, your mouth should be feeling much better.

4. Cleaning Your Clear Aligners

It’s a good idea to brush trays with a toothbrush and toothpaste once a day and also soak them in diluted clear mouthwash or a denture cleaner, once a week (or as needed) to further remove odors and particles.

5. How to Avoid the “Lisp” with Invisalign

When you first start using Invisalign, slow down your speech, which will help you avoid a lisp. With this tip, Buddy Hinton won’t give you a tough time.

6. Don’t Be Too Quick to Throw Trays Away

When you switch to a new set of trays, keep the old set just in case you lose the new ones and need to wait for replacements. No (or little) progress will be lost.

7. When to Remove Trays

You’ll need to remove your trays when you eat and when you clean them. However, one thing that is often overlooked is contact sports. Although clear aligner trays can double as a mouth guard for grinding teeth, they don’t offer the same level of protection as an athletic mouth guard. Therefore, if you play contact sports, it’s a good idea to switch out to an athletic mouth guard while playing.

8. Removing Rough Edges

If your trays have any rough edges that cause discomfort, you can resolve this from the comfort of your own home. If there is an overhang, use scissors to carefully trim off the excess. If there is a rough edge, you can use an emery board to smooth it out. We don’t recommend using nail clippers as they can cause sharp angles.

9. Final Invisalign Hack: Follow Dentists Orders

When you get Invisalign, your dentist will provide you with detailed instructions. It’s important to follow them to achieve the best results and finish on schedule.

Final Thoughts

If you have any questions or would like additional Invisalign tips, please feel free to ask Dr. Hedrick and she will gladly help. For additional information on clear aligners, see our Invisalign page.