Since you were a teenager you always wanted to have perfect teeth. Finally, as an adult, you’ve decided that it’s time to get orthodontic treatment. The good news is that there are many options available today to treat crooked teeth in adults, and one of the most popular methods is Invisalign. Quite a few of our adult patients that come in for their routine check up are curious about Invisalign. Once they make the decision to get fitted for these amazing clear braces, they usually have heaps of questions.
Supplies
We will set you up with some basic supplies for your Invisalign treatment such as a small bag to store your aligners, maybe two cases, and pocket toothpaste and a soft toothbrush.
After that, there’s a few things you’ll need to buy at the store or the chemist to make sure that you’re always ready to take care of your new Invisalign. They’re quite easy to find and you’ll be glad you have them.
First, you’ll want to purchase a small, easy to carry bag just for your supplies. You will always have your supplies with you as you work, play, travel, and enjoy your life. You might find that the bag we give you is a little small to store the extra things you’ll want with you throughout your day.
Eating out with Invisalign
Like all of our patients, you’ll find yourself eating out while using Invisalign, so we have a few tips to help make the experience more enjoyable.
You’ll be taking out your aligners at the restaurant, then after eating, take your travel toothbrush, clean your teeth and the retainer before putting it back in your mouth. This will be after every meal. So, having these items handy is a good thing:
- Travel toothbrush: They’re small and will fit in your case easily. They’re also easy to use and keep clean.
- Travel toothpaste: Most name brands of toothpaste have a travel size and are often found packaged with the travel toothbrush or right next to it at the shops.
- Lip balm: Your lips may dry out so have some lip balm handy.
- Clear Aligner Cleaner: whilst not essential, a lot of our patients like using a clear aligner foam or cleaner (such as EverSmile) to freshen the aligners up. Please only use specially formulated products, as things like denture tablets and alcohol-based mouth rinse may stain the aligner making it more visible.
At home supplies for Invisalign
- Dental floss: Because of the way Invisalign covers your teeth during the day, you won’t be getting the natural cleansing that occurs with saliva. Having some dental floss at home and in your travel bag and flossing after each meal will help to keep your teeth clean while they’re being straightened.
- Extra aligner case: We will provide you with a case for your current set of aligners. However you may choose to purchase one of those to store the previous set and keep it your travel bag in case of an aligner loss.
- Cleaning case: This is what you will put your Invisalign in to soak with the clear aligner cleaner ( e.g. EverSmile). It is deeper than the case for your aligners so that it becomes fully submerged.
- Panadol or Nurofen:Your teeth and gums may be a little sore the first day or two when wearing a new aligner. Panadol or Nurofen are a good choice to help with this discomfort.
Closing thoughts
Invisalign is often a perfect solution for discreetly and efficiently straightening your teeth. Compared to traditional braces they are more comfortable, easier to use, cause less discomfort, and are nearly invisible. The NSDP dentists have put together a lot of good information about this amazing clear aligner technology. Our previous article about Invisalign: Having Invisalign as an adult. What is it like? .
