How To Take Care Of Your Teeth After Invisalign Treatment
Not only do you get all the end benefits of traditional braces (a beautiful, straight set of teeth) but you get it without many of the drawbacks.
With that said, it is a major investment for a lot of people. Not only is it a procedure that can take over a year to complete in many cases, but it’s also a significant financial investment as well.
That’s why it’s so important to take care of your teeth after your Invisalign aligners come off. Because just like with traditional braces, the teeth are susceptible to shifting back out of place immediately afterwards.
Here are the steps you should be taking after getting Invisalign near you to prevent that from happening.
What Should I Expect After My Invisalign Treatment Is Complete?
Generally speaking, your orthodontist in NE Calgary will require you to go through a post-Invisalign treatment that will involve keeping the teeth in their new position.
Because while your teeth may have successfully shifted, it takes time for the bone and tissue in the surrounding area to settle down and maintain that new position over the longterm.
Generally speaking, this post-treatment period will look a lot like a post-braces treatment - and that means wearing a retainer for a certain amount of time to hold the teeth in place.
What Will My Retainer Look Like?
One of the benefit of Invisalign in NE Calgary is the fact that it is such a discreet process, and nobody needs to know that you’re having realignment treatment done.
So naturally, many patients are concerned when they find out that they’ll need to walk around with a retainer once it’s all said and done.
Rest assured however that, while they may have a similar function, an Invisalign retainer and the retainer you probably remember from traditional braces are two very different looking things.
Just like the aligners you’ll be wearing during the treatment itself, Invisalign retainers are completely invisible.
How Long (And How Often) Will I Have To Wear A Retainer?
The length of time that you’ll be required to wear a retainer will depend on your specific situation and the extent of realignment that needs to be done.
In general, a orthodontist near you will likely ask that you wear your retainer for up to a year. Again, your teeth are highly susceptible to shifting during this period, and you should wear your retainer all the time (or at least the vast majority of the time).
After this period is finished, you’ll very likely be able to reduce the frequency that you wear it, but you likely will still have to wear one (typically at night).
Again, this will depend on your dentist’s assessment of your situation. Remember, your teeth are capable of shifting even years after treatment is complete, so it may be quite a while before you’re able to ditch the retainer entirely.
Tips For Dealing With A Retainer
While a retainer is a bit of a hassle, it shouldn’t have too much of an impact on your daily life.
Just like your Invisalign aligners, you should always remove it when eating, as well as brushing, flossing or playing any kind of contact sports.
You should also make sure that you store it properly when it’s not in your mouth - there’s nothing worse than putting a retainer on a napkin only to realize an hour later that it’s been thrown away.
Finally, you should take steps to clean it regularly. This will help prevent any bacterial buildup from food, as well as keeping it looking (and smelling) nice and fresh.
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