At SmileTown Orthodontics Braces & Invisalign, our dentists can help you achieve a straighter smile with Invisalign. A large part of successful treatment involves keeping your teeth and aligners clean so your smile stays bright and healthy.
Remove your Invisalign aligners to clean them
It's easy to keep your smile healthy and your teeth clean during orthodontic treatment with Invisalign. The removable aligners allow you to clean your teeth thoroughly, without any extra steps or special tools you might need with traditional orthodontic treatment.
With Invisalign, just remove your aligners, then brush and floss your teeth. After cleaning your aligners, put them back in place. It's important not to skip the flossing step of this sequence, as food particles and other debris can become trapped between your teeth and your aligners and cause plaque to build up.
To achieve the best results as set out in your treatment plan, it's imperative to wear your aligners for a minimum of 20 to 22 hours each day. Removing your aligners too often or for too long may hinder your treatment progress.
How to Clean Your Aligners
Each time you remove your aligners, make sure to clean them before placing them back in your mouth.
Use a mild, soft anti-bacterial soap (not toothpaste) paired with a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush away any plaque buildup.
You'll also want to soak your aligners in plain white vinegar, denture cleaner, Retainer Brite, or Invisalign cleaning crystals to remove any stubborn buildup and sanitize your aligners. If you don't happen to have your cleaning tools on you when you take your aligners out, rinse them thoroughly under warm (not hot) running water before putting them back in your mouth.
To prevent food particles and bacteria from becoming trapped in the crevices between your aligners and teeth, you must brush and floss your teeth following each meal before sliding your aligners back in.