Your First Month in Invisalign

By: drprice | Wednesday, December 30th, 2020 | Invisalign

Wednesday, December 30th, 2020

Getting Invisalign is an exciting step toward a healthier, more attractive smile. You may be ready to begin your journey but feel somewhat uncertain about what it will be like to go through the teeth-straightening process. It is common to feel this way whether Invisalign is the first-line treatment or is a follow-up to traditional orthodontic care. Most people who look into Invisalign know that this treatment comes without the burden of obvious brackets and wires, and that aligners can be removed so meals can be enjoyed as usual. Still, Invisalign is all about moving teeth. Here, we discuss the initial stage in which patients get used to their new treatment system.

Inserting and Removing Aligners

Invisalign aligners are made using sophisticated software that builds a treatment plan based on high-quality images of your teeth. The point is not for aligners to fit well; the point is for them to move your teeth. Because each aligner is slightly “off” your regular, misaligned bite, it may feel challenging to insert and remove aligners at first. The longer a set of aligners is worn, the easier each gets to insert and remove. This indicates that your teeth are moving. Every time you move to a new set of aligners, you’ll notice new difficulty inserting and removing.

Soreness

Invisalign is like traditional braces in one way, the aligners move teeth to create a better smile. As the changes are happening, you will feel them. For the first few days of each set of new aligners, expect mild to moderate soreness. Most patients find that this lasts no more than a week. Although soreness can feel uncomfortable, it is an indication that good things are to come; namely a healthier, straighter smile! If soreness is distracting, take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen as needed until comfort improves.

Constant Wear

Regardless of soreness, it is necessary to wear Invisalign aligners most of the time. They may be removed to brush and floss and to eat. However, aligners should not be left out for too long. This can slow the progress of movement and, if it occurs often enough, can increase the time it takes to reach the estimated outcome. Just remember, the more consistent you are with wearing your aligners, the sooner you’ll get over those little bumps in the road, like soreness and tightness.

Dr. Price is a Premier Invisalign Provider serving Northern Virginia from our friendly office in Burke. To schedule your Invisalign consultation, call (703)-935-2879.