For many patients looking to straighten their teeth and improve the aesthetics of their smile, Invisalign is the clear choice. It’s highly effective, discreet, and often faster than traditional braces. Nonetheless, the sooner you can achieve the smile of your dreams, the better, right?
This article offers a few helpful tips for speeding up your Invisalign treatment. To learn more, ask your favourite dentist on Dupont: Casa Dental.
Follow Your Treatment Plan
The easiest and most accessible way to speed up your Invisalign treatment is simply to follow your treatment plan. Most delays occur because the patient strayed from the plan laid out by their orthodontist. Fortunately, that means they’re easily avoided.
Trust us, you’ll see results much faster if you just follow these four tips.
1. Wear your aligners for 22-plus hours daily
Invisalign is a highly effective method for straightening your teeth. However, you must wear your trays for at least 22 hours daily to see those results. This is the number one reason for delays.
Unlike traditional braces, you can remove your Invisalign trays—and you should! Whenever you eat or drink, you need to take the aligners out of your mouth to avoid damaging them. However, if you forget to put them back in and leave them out for too long, then you’ll slow down your treatment.
Invisalign aligners must be worn for 20 to 22 hours every day. That being said, you really should aim for 22 hours (the longer, the better). Invisalign uses constant, subtle pressure to guide your teeth into the proper position—constant being the key word. Occasional or intermittent pressure won’t cut it.
2. Be gentle with your Invisalign trays
Damaged aligners are ineffective. So, if you damage your aligners, you will need to get them replaced. This slows down your total treatment time. Therefore, taking care of your Invisalign trays is a crucial part of staying on track with your treatment.
Invisalign trays are fragile and must be treated with the utmost care. They can be warped, snapped, or broken if you’re negligent. Make sure that you remove the trays before eating or drinking, especially if you’re sipping on something hot, as this can cause the plastic to warp. Additionally, always place the aligners back in their case when you’re not wearing them. This helps prevent unnecessary damage.
3. Clean your aligners properly
Keeping your aligners clean will help prevent delays in your treatment. Although every set of trays is only worn for two weeks at a time, a lot can go wrong in those two weeks, especially if forgetting to clean your trays becomes a bad habit.
Bacteria will accumulate in the aligners if you’re not careful. As this bacteria grows, it begins to break down the material of the trays, making them less effective. Plus, all that bacteria starts to attack your teeth whenever you wear your aligners. You can end up with a cavity, which further complicates your treatment.
Make sure that you’re cleaning your aligners properly. Do not use toothpaste, as this can damage the aligners by causing tiny scratches. Bacteria love to hide in these tiny areas. Instead, use an actual Invisalign cleaning solution and a soft-bristled toothbrush.
4. Make it to your appointments
One of the advantages of Invisalign is that it requires fewer checkups at the dentist. However, you still need to visit our dentists on Dupont. Every 8 to 12 weeks, your orthodontist has to review your progress to ensure your teeth are moving as desired. You also receive your new sets of aligners at this appointment. Consequently, it’s crucial that you don’t miss it.
Use AcceleDent
AcceleDent works with your Invisalign aligners to accelerate tooth movement. Simply by incorporating AcceleDent into your treatment plan, your teeth can shift into place up to 50% faster. Furthermore, AcceleDent can reduce discomfort during your Invisalign treatment.
This technology works by sending micro-pulses into your teeth, stimulating blood flow and cellular activity. As a result, your jawbone remodels at a faster rate. The faster the bone remodels, the faster your teeth can move. They shift into their new, desired positions at an accelerated pace, meaning you can switch to the next set of aligners sooner.
Use Invisalign Chewies
Chewing aids (also known as Invisalign chewies) are another way to speed up your Invisalign treatment. These soft plastic devices help your aligners fit better by removing air bubbles trapped between your teeth and the clear aligner. When your aligner fits better, it works better and faster.
When you receive a new set of Invisalign trays, they’re going to be a tight fit. After all, they’re a slightly different model than the ones you were just wearing—and they have to be! This tight fit is responsible for the pressure that guides your teeth into the desired positions. However, it also means that they can be difficult to fit over your teeth at first.
Enter Invisalign chewies—by placing the chewie between your teeth and biting down repeatedly for several seconds, you can help the aligner become properly situated. You can use chewies for around 5 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
Use Attachments for Your Invisalign
Invisalign SmartForce attachments can speed up treatment by holding your trays in place and ensuring a perfect fit. These attachments (or buttons) are affixed to certain teeth with a special dental glue and stay on for the duration of your treatment. They do not damage your teeth, so don’t worry.
Additionally, they’re practically invisible during your treatment. They’re extremely small, tooth-coloured, and fit underneath your aligners.
SmartForce attachments are grips for your Invisalign trays. They make sure that the right amount of pressure is applied in the right places, thus accelerating the movement of your teeth. Essentially, they give your aligners something to “push on,” resulting in a little extra (albeit gentle) force.
Start Your Invisalign Treatment With Your Preferred Dentist on Dupont
Looking to achieve a brighter, straighter, and more attractive smile? We can help you smile with greater confidence! Casa Dental provides Invisalign treatments in Mississauga and Toronto.
We take the time to develop a treatment plan that addresses your needs and suits your unique smile. Plus, we offer flexible financing options for Invisalign (we also work with you to determine if your insurance can cover any part of your treatment).
Contact us today to set up your Invisalign consultation at Casa Dental. We’ll provide all the necessary instructions when you visit us, ensuring that your treatment proceeds without delays.
For more information about our dentist on Dupont, call Casa Dental at 888-920-5324 or contact us here.
REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT