Is Invisalign Right For You?

Struggling with crooked teeth or a big gap in the middle as an adult can be frustrating. The days of constantly worrying about what people are thinking, getting food bits stuck in your teeth, or trying to hide your gorgeous smile because you don’t want people to see your teeth are over. Show off your pearly whites with a clear aligner that will straighten your teeth without the worry. If you’re considering Invisalign, there are a few things that it might be helpful to know ahead of time. Read on to learn more and if you still have questions about the process, call your local Seattle dentist at First Hill Dental Center for professional and reliable answers.

How Does it Affect Social Situations

People who are considering Invisalign want to know if they can still kiss and how it may affect other social scenarios. Don’t worry, you can still have a romantic life while achieving the straight teeth you’ve always wanted. Many times, those who are wearing the aligner are more self-conscious about it than his or her significant other.

Are you worried about a lisp? While it can affect your speech at first, it simply takes time to adjust to having the aligner in your mouth. It typically takes a few days up to a couple of weeks adjustment time, but if there is still a problem after a few weeks, contact your dentist as this could mean the aligner isn’t fitted properly.

Does it Hurt?

Your teeth are adjusting inside or your mouth, so there will be some pain involved, but there are some things you can do about it. Some experience a little irritation if there are sharp or rough edges to the aligner and there are two things you can about this:

• Visit your dentist to have the edges shaved down and smoothed out.
• Use dental wax to cover up the sharp edges. Try placing the wax onto the tray before putting it in your mouth, this will make it easier for the wax to stick.

If you are struggling with pain because your teeth are repositioning themselves, stock up on protein shakes and soft food that can be eaten with limited chewing.

Speaking of Food and Diet

Your dentist will recommend that you only drink water while you are wearing the aligner. Drinking plenty of water will also help with your mouth feeling dry and slightly irritated due to the aligner. Many users miss drinking coffee or beer slowly. Because the aligner needs to be taken out while eating or drinking a liquid other than water, patients eat or drink quickly in order to brush their teeth and replace the aligner.

Invisalign Isn’t Right For Everyone

While it takes only a few months before patient begins seeing results, it takes others up to a year to see results and Invisalign isn’t capable of fixing every problem. The aligner should be worn 22 hours a day (minus eating and drinking time), so for those who have difficulties wearing the aligner consistently, it will take longer to see results. Other problems that may need a different course of action include rotating lower canine teeth, correcting jaw size differences, and adjusting the vertical position of small teeth.

Taking Care of the Aligner and Your Teeth

After each meal, it is important to rinse the aligner and floss and brush your teeth. If the aligner is not rinsed off, your teeth will be soaking in whatever is left on the tray. It’s easy to skip flossing or brushing, especially after lunch when you are typically not at home, but keep in mind that you are doing this for the health and appearance of your teeth, so it’s essential to continue taking care of them. Simply rinsing the aligner is commonly enough to keep them clean throughout the day, but your dentist may recommend that you brush the aligner with toothpaste at times.

Having straight teeth can be a confidence booster, but it’s important to know all of the details before signing up. Taking care of your teeth, the aligner, and wearing it consistently is key to successful treatment. If you think you want to give Invisalign a try, consult with your Seattle dentist to have all of your questions answered.

Give First Hill Dental Center a call, our services include dental implants, dentures, crowns, veneers, and more.