Whether you’re considering Invisalign or are already in treatment, chances are you will hear about some of its challenges or experience them firsthand. While these clear braces certainly have many benefits, it’s helpful to have realistic expectations and know how to cope with the challenges as they arise. We’ll explore four of the most common problems people face and provide practical tips on dealing with them.
- Pain with New Aligners
Studies show Invisalign is more comfortable to wear than other options. What are the facts?
- Slightly more than one-third of all patients never feel what they would describe as pain. But about half of all patients do feel pain.
- The discomfort peaks about 24 hours after wearing a new aligner and decreases rapidly thereafter.
- By the fourth day, discomfort is almost non-existent and is considered normal, which means your teeth are shifting.
What you can do: While you’re experiencing a few uncomfortable days, taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, will help. You’ll also benefit from eating soft foods.
- Gross Mouth
There’s no nice way to put it. If food particles and bacteria are left on your teeth, your mouth is going to taste bad, and you’ll probably have bad breath too. That’s because the aligners tend to lock things in place, so if particles are stuck on or between your teeth, they will thrive under the aligners. That increases the risk for bad breath and tooth decay.
What you can do: Brushing your teeth after you eat or drink, and before you put the aligners back in is a necessity. If it is impossible to brush your teeth at the time, rinsing with water will help some. But it’s best to keep a toothbrush and toothpaste with you.
- Excess Saliva with Invisalign
When your body first recognizes there is something foreign in your mouth, it responds by trying to digest it. That means you’ll produce excess saliva. This issue improves quickly.
What you can do: When you first start treatment, minimize issues by practicing speaking (and not spitting) while you’re alone. Try to resist the urge to remove your aligners when you’re around others; it will prolong the adjustment period.
- Relationship Issues
Some people complain that they have intimacy issues with their sweetheart while wearing Invisalign aligners.
What you can do: A fair portion of this is resolved by heeding the advice in issue #2 above. However, if the bulkiness of the aligners impedes romance, just remember you get two hours without the aligners every day, and those are yours to use as you wish. Try achieving that with traditional braces!
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Despite the challenges, clear braces have many advantages.
- You can remove them a few hours a day.
- Most people maintain good oral hygiene if they brush their teeth after eating or drinking.
- Invisalign gives you straighter teeth incredibly fast.
- They are virtually invisible to anyone who isn’t up close and personal with you.
If you would like to know if you’re a candidate for Invisalign, schedule a consultation with Atlanta Invisalign provider Dr. Debra Gray King. Call us at 404-994-4509 to schedule an appointment, or complete our Request an Appointment form.