3 Common Invisalign Struggles And How To Fix Them
Posted on: 8 January 2015
It sounds like a dream come true: correcting your bite and straightening your teeth without that metal mouth look you get from braces. Invisalign promises you just that, doing the job of traditional braces but using clear appliances that are much more difficult to see at a casual glance.
While Invisalign does offer a more aesthetic option, there are still battles wearers will combat as they correct their teeth. Read on for three common struggles and ways to overcome them.
Sores in the Mouth
Most beginning users develop at least a small number of sores in the mouth, either on the inside of their cheeks or on their tongue. Much of this is because the edge of the appliance is often really sharp, and it scrapes against the inside of your mouth all day long.
Also, tongues seem to naturally gravitate to anything odd in the mouth, and the tip of your tongue can get sore from rubbing on the rough edges. The solution might seem destructive, but it works like a charm: file down the edges of the appliance with an ordinary emery board. This won't affect the way the appliance works, but will be much easier on your mouth.
Stained Teeth
Are your teeth changing color now that you've started wearing Invisalign? You're most likely causing this problem yourself. While you might be great at taking out your appliance every time you eat even a small snack, it's easy to forget it when taking a sip or two of coffee or soda. If even a drop or two slips into the appliance cup, and it's very simple for this to happen, you'll spend the day soaking your teeth in a dark liquid. Always take your appliances out, even if you're drinking a small cup of tea, to avoid this problem.
Pain
While Invisalign appliances are mostly pain free, they aren't completely pain free. Every two weeks or so you'll have to discard your old appliance set and put in a new one. This new set is a fraction closer to your eventual permanent teeth positions, so the space for every tooth is slightly misaligned from the one before. This means that, especially in the first eight or ten hours, you're going to have some pain. Your best defense is twofold: try ibuprofen about half an hour before changing appliances, and put in the new set right before bed. The painkiller will have begun to work when you switch over, and you'll go through most of the pain while you're asleep. By the time you wake up, the worst of it will be over.
Talk with a dental or orthodontics office, like North Hunterdon Dental Associates, for more helpful tips regarding Invisalign.
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