I am a member of the Invisalign Advisory Board, and am receiving complimentary treatment. All opinions are fully my own.
Since I’ve been wearing Invisalign aligners for about 4 months now, I deem myself an expert of sorts. (Cocky!) I talked about my initial experience here, but I have some new thoughts to share with you all. First off, I love these dang aligners. I can’t believe the movement in my teeth already! My front teeth used to cross over one another, and they are almost flat and even in a few months time. And to think I almost didn’t do this….I liken it to seeing tangible results after starting a new workout program – when you see those new muscles and do a double take? That’s how I feel about my teeth! I find myself smiling in the mirror when I pop them out and getting really excited.
Secondly, I’m taking much better care of my teeth overall. The thing about eating and then putting the aligners back in – I personally feel the need to brush and floss after every meal because I don’t want anything left in between my teeth. So, yep, that means flossing 3 times a day. Hello, oral health to the max.
Thirdly, and most important for those of you starting out with Invisalign, you really should carry a SOS kit with you in your bag. Chances are you aren’t eating every single meal at home, right? And what about meetings or cocktail parties where snacks and/or appetizers are everywhere you look? (I will say, for me, I don’t partake in snacks and appetizers nearly as much as I did before. Sometimes, not wanting to take out my aligners and brush trumps eating a snack.) You need a SOS bag, pronto. Here’s a look at mine.
1. A cute little bag – You know those little pencil case-sized cosmetic bags that you never really use on a daily basis? One of those will be perfect for your Invisalign stuff.
2. Your aligner case – The above red case is the one I received when I started treatment. It’s important to put your clear aligners in that case for safekeeping. In fact, just this week, a friend of mine took his aligners out at lunch, put them in a napkin, and promptly forgot about them and left. Ooops! Don’t be like my friend – put your aligners in the proper case so you don’t misplace them.
3. Toothbrush – I use my toothbrush two ways – to brush my teeth after eating, duh, and also to brush my aligners before putting them back into my mouth. While I use toothpaste for my mouth, I actually use a mild soap to wash the aligners. (My favorite is Method Free & Clear Hand Wash.)
4. Toothpaste – Teeth brushing and all that good stuff.
5. Floss – Oh man, don’t forget your floss. (I even have the real deal and a flosser!) With the movement in your teeth, you might develop some little crevices that would just love to house a hunk of spinach for the remainder of the day. Be sure you have your floss with you at all times.
6. Rubberbands – I don’t know about your personal treatment, but I have the lovely job of wearing a rubberband on one side of my mouth to help correct my bite. I have to admit, the rubberbands take me right back to high school, and aren’t really my favorite. (I feel like I should be color-coordinating with my outfit. Did you ever do that? HOT PINK FTW) However, I know they will help me to get the best smile possible. Be sure to carry a pack with you just in case you need to replace one or experience the dreaded snap when you yawn or something. (Hasn’t happened to me yet, thank goodness.)
So those are my trusty Invisalign on-the-go companions. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot them my way! Interested in learning if Invisalign would work for you? Click here.
