How to Care for Your Invisalign Retainers

Invisalign is a popular cosmetic dentistry treatment for people wanting to achieve a healthy set of teeth and great smile with minimal interference. Since the aligners are removable, you can easily maintain oral hygiene. The Invisalign cost means that the retainers are an investment. Fortunately, looking after the aligners themselves is very simple. The Dental Boutique is here to tell you more.

Cleaning Your Invisalign Aligners

Cleaning your aligners is easy and only takes a few minutes. All you really need is a toothbrush or a retainer brush. You should get into the habit of cleaning your aligner every time you brush your teeth according to the following steps:

1. Start by gently rinsing the aligner under lukewarm water, taking care to ensure that it isn’t too hot or too cold.
2. With a soft-bristled toothbrush or retainer brush, using small, circular motions to gently brush the entire retainer, both inside and out.
3. Once you have completely brushed the inside and outside of the Invisalign aligner, rinse it again under lukewarm water.
4. Carefully inspect the aligner for any calcium (tartar) build-up. Just like your teeth, aligners are susceptible to tartar buildup. Look for a cloudy, white film on the aligner that is hard to remove with a toothbrush.
5. If you do notice calcium buildup, soak the aligner in a denture or aligner cleaning solution according to the product’s instructions. Invisalign offers the Invisalign Cleaning System that is designed specifically for Invisalign aligners.
6. Once you are finished cleaning your Invisalign aligner, place it back into your mouth or in a case to dry.

Only use a tiny amount of toothpaste on your aligners, or none at all when cleaning. Toothpaste is abrasive and can cause scratching of the aligner, increasing plaque and tartar build-up. Aligners can become distorted easily when coming in contact with heat so take care with water temperature when cleaning to avoid adding to the Invisalign cost by needing replacement aligners.

Put Aligners On Clean Teeth

Invisalign aligners should be removed to eat. Any plaque or food particles that get stuck inside the aligner or in your teeth can potentially lead to tooth decay and cause the aligner to smell, so keep it as clean as possible. Anything that contains sugar or acid can sit on your teeth beneath the aligners causing plaque and decay by preventing your saliva from fighting the bacteria.

Whenever you take your aligners out for eating or drinking, be sure to clean your teeth before putting them back in. At a minimum, if you can’t brush your teeth right away, at least wash your mouth with water before you put your aligner back in. Brush your teeth as soon as you get the chance.

Reduce Invisalign Cost & Save Retainers

A key part of the Invisalign treatment is moving on to your next set of retainers as your bite gets corrected over time. But when you get your new set of retainers, don’t just get rid of the old ones or neglect them!

Thoroughly clean the previous aligner and store it in its case as there is a chance you will need to wear it again. Ensuring your Invisalign aligner is stored away clean and bacteria-free will eliminate any odour and residue left on the aligner, should you need it again.

Dental Checkups in the Gold Coast

Wondering if Invisalign might be right for you? There’s no better way to know than by talking with one of our dentists. At The Dental Boutique, our exceptional dentists will go over the Invisalign cost and treatment process to see if it’s a good fit. Contact our team today to make an appointment.