If you’ve heard of Invisalign, perhaps the treatment sounds interesting to you. After all, who doesn’t want to turn their crooked smile into a straight one? Still, you may have lingering concerns you wish to address first. That’s only natural – it’s best to confirm if the procedure suits you. Fortunately, your local Muskegon dentist can offer more details on how Invisalign works. To that end, here are the answers to four relevant questions concerning treatment.
“How Long Should I Wear the Trays Each Day?”
As you’d expect, Invisalign trays only work when you wear them. They can’t move your teeth otherwise. Plus, your chompers will revert to being crooked if the aligners aren’t worn enough. Given these facts, failing to meet the required wear time will cause treatment delays.
Ultimately, dentists recommend wearing the aligners 20-22 hours daily. It’s thus a good idea to only remove them for meals and teeth cleaning.
“Can I Drink Coffee or Tea with Invisalign?”
In truth, yes – you can drink coffee and tea during Invisalign treatment. However, you’ll want to remove your trays before doing so. You’ll face oral problems if you don’t.
You see, drinking coffee or tea while wearing aligners is risky. This practice can easily stain your trays, turning them yellow. Acidic liquid could also enter the aligners and be held against your teeth. Should that happen, you’ll be at higher risk of cavities.
“Is It Normal for Invisalign Trays to Feel Loose?”
It’s normal for Invisalign trays to loosen. In most cases, the issue isn’t that problematic.
Remember: A given tray will eventually move your teeth as much as possible. As a result, it’ll often loosen significantly – your pearly whites won’t be under as much pressure. Such a thing usually happens about a week after a tray change.
Of course, there are exceptions; trays can loosen if something is wrong. For instance, a button may fall off or an aligner tear. Therefore, be cautious and call your orthodontist in these scenarios.
“Will I Have to Wear a Retainer After Invisalign?”
You’ll need a retainer once you’ve finished your Invisalign journey. The latter appliance will preserve your treatment results.
Even so, how long you wear the retainer will vary with time. You must keep it on full-time for the first six months. In contrast, you only need to wear it at night for the following two or so years. From there, you’ll only use the retainer for a few nights each week.
As you can see, Invisalign questions have direct, understandable answers. So, visit a Muskegon dentist soon about getting a straighter smile!
About the Practice
Healthy Smiles Dental Care is based in Muskegon, MI. Led by Drs. Rodriguez, Spraggins, and Sevener, our practice offers great comprehensive dentistry. In particular, our experts perform preventive, cosmetic, and restorative services, not to mention emergency procedures. We also take pride in being a certified provider of Invisalign clear aligners! For more information or to book a visit, reach us on our website or by phone at (231)-563-6878.