6 Tips and Tricks for Surviving Your First Week with Invisalign

Written by Dr. Dave Pechersky, practicing orthodontist and inventor of Movemints:

I absolutely love that moment when I introduce a new patient to their first set of clear aligners. After much anticipation and preparation, they are ready to begin the journey to their new smile. 

As an orthodontist and former clear aligner patient, my Invisalign tips and tricks are based on a simple philosophy: establish a consistent, healthy routine for the most efficient treatment. Here are six tips to get your journey started with healthy habits and a healthy mouth:

Invisalign Tip #1: Protect Your Tongue

If the plastic edges of your Invisalign trays feel sharp and cause sores inside your cheeks, there are a few tricks you can try. Your mouth with toughen up with time, but when changing into new trays, I recommend using an emery board to file down any sharp edges. If you can't find relief or there's a particularly rough or jagged section on your retainers that wax can't cover, you may need to ask your orthodontist to file them down for you.

Another good idea is to have a bottle of peroxide-based mouthwash in your medicine cabinet. It is specially formulated to heal minor oral irritations during orthodontic treatment, and provides teeth and gum pain relief with a refreshing, foamy effect that really hits the spot. Keep a bottle in your medicine cabinet, and you'll be glad you did!

Invisalign Tip #2: Treat your pain and discomfort

Clear aligners work by forcing your teeth into their ideal position, so a little discomfort is normal. I always recommend my patients practice chewing exercises a few times a day, and every time they reinsert their trays. Not only do these exercises seat your trays and help them track in accordance with your treatment plan, but they also stimulate blood flow in your gums which aids in pain relief.

You may have received chewies from your orthodontist, and they do aid in the seating process. However, they can get very dirty if they aren't cleaned regularly and are a bit awkward to use in public. So....

Invisalign Tip #3: Use Movemints

I drew on my experience as an aligner patient to create an alternative to Invisalign chewies that would freshen breath, alleviate dry mouth, and discretely seat trays. After years of perfecting its shape and formula, I'm proud to recommend Movemints to all of my patients (and thousands of clear aligner wearers across the world).

I created Movemints to give my patients a chewie alternative and encourage the gentle chewing exercises throughout the day. Movemints are also made with xylitol, a natural sweetener which combats oral bacteria and stimulates salivary flow. Eat them all day and with your trays in! 

Invisalign Tip #4: Keep Track of Your Daily Wear Time

Obviously it will be a little difficult adjusting to your new lifestyle with your invisible braces. You will be taking them out often, which is okay; this is why so many orthodontists recommend them for older teens and adults. But if patients aren't diligent about meeting the recommended wear time of 22 hours, it can cause problems and lead to Invisalign not tracking along with the treatment plan. 

Fortunately, there are several tools available to help you keep track of your daily wear time. We are big fans of TrayMinder, a free mobile app that tracks how long you’ve worn (or not worn) your aligners and reminds you when to change to a new set of trays.  

Invisalign Tip #5: My favorite aligner removal hack

I hear from lots of my patients that they have trouble removing their trays, especially when they've just switched and the trays are tight. Here's my favorite method: use your right index finger to reach inside the left side of your mouth, apply some pressure at the edge, and pop your tray out. Repeat on the opposite side (with opposite finger), and do the same on the bottom, with your thumb.

If you prefer to keep your hands out of your mouth, there are lots of plastic aligner removal tools on the market. You can add a set of Pultools in our Bundle Builder.

Invisalign Tip #6: Keep Your Trays Clean (and Clear)

It's important to keep your trays clean during your Invisalign treatment, not only to ward off bad breath, but to stay on top of your oral hygiene, as trapped food and bacteria can cause cavities. For that reason, you should brush (and floss!) before you put your trays in after eating.

For an especially deep clean, I recommend my patients clean their trays once daily with an Aligner and Retainer Cleaning Tab to kill any bacteria lingering on your aligners. 

Parting Advice: Create Your Routine and Stick To It!

As you embark on your smile journey, strive to establish a personal routine that includes good hygiene and habits that you can maintain. Incorporating these Invisalign tips into your lifestyle will help you enjoy a more comfortable, confident journey to your ideal smile.