Invisalign® FAQ

How to insert and remove aligners:

Why do I have attachments?

Attachments are tooth-colored “bumps” glued to teeth. They are designed to facilitate tooth movements. They come in various shapes and sizes and are placed at different locations to accommodate tooth movement and retention needs. Without attachments, the aligners may not “grip” the teeth and move them as planned.

How to clean your aligners:

Use a toothbrush (electric or manual) with soft bristles to clean the inside of the aligners. A drop of dish soap is sufficient. Toothpaste with abrasive agents is not recommended. There are other tools and supplies to clean the aligners if you have time to make additional effort. For instance, retainer crystals (Retainer Bright), denture tablets (Polident), jewelry or portable ultrasonic cleaners are good alternatives.

How do you clean your teeth during Invisalign treatment?

Invisalign treatment makes it easy to keep your teeth and gums clean. With aligners removed, you can brush and floss like usual. Ideally, you should brush and floss after every meal and snack, then put your aligners back on your teeth. However, your schedule may not allow you to do so. If you drink anything that is not water (juice, tea, coffee, wine, soda, etc.), you should remove the aligners or use a straw when appropriate. Please use water to rinse your mouth before putting your aligners back.

How do I avoid excessive stains on my attachments and aligners?

If stains from drinks and food stays on teeth and in aligners, your teeth and aligners can be stained quickly. A whitening procedure will not remove these stains. Please avoid wearing aligners while eating and drinking non-water drinks. Thoroughly rinsing your mouth right after eating and drinking helps to reduce staining.

How to reduce risk of cavities during Invisalign treatment:

Just like how you keep your teeth free from caries, a consistent hygiene routine such as brushing and flossing reduces your risk of dental decay. If possible, brush your teeth right after a meal or snack. If it is not practical, rinse your mouth with water. Using a Waterpik® or a similar cleaner helps too. In the morning and evening, brushing and flossing is required to thoroughly clean your teeth.

How often should I change my aligners?

Tooth movement is a biological process that involves tissue formation and breakdown around the tooth roots. The turnover rate and extent vary from case to case. Your orthodontist will determined the change interval of your aligners. Another factor is tooth movement tracking. Aligners are designed to be slightly different from your tooth position, therefore, wearing aligners gradually guide your teeth to move. If an aligner does not sit perfectly on your teeth at the end of an interval, your orthodontist may tell you to stay in the current aligners for a few more days and monitor improvement of aligner seating. Otherwise, aligner unseating would worsen over time, which cause unwanted tooth movement. At the end of a series of aligners, if tooth movements do not happen as planned, more aligners will have to be added.

How do I avoid losing my aligners?

Here are three tips:

1. Keep your aligners in your mouth or their case. Please always keep the aligners in a case if they are removed from your mouth.
2. Get multiple cases for home, work or school, and keep them in your bag or in your car so that you always have to a case to store aligners. Never put the aligners in a napkin or in your pocket. This is often how aligners are lost.
3. If you have a dog, keep your aligners away from them. Some dogs chew aligners, even if the aligners are stored in the case.

What do if I lose my aligners?

If you have the next pair of aligners, please change to your next pair and contact your orthodontist at your earliest convenience. If you only have the previous aligners with you, you can change to the old aligners because it is likely better than not wearing any aligner. When not wearing aligners, teeth tend to shift toward their “old” position.

What do I do with old aligners?

In general, you can discard all “old” aligners. If you are traveling and packed limited aligners on your trip, you can keep the immediate “old” aligners in case you lose the current aligners but do not have the next pair to change to.

Is using an aligner uncomfortable?

During tooth movement, tissues around tooth roots such as periodontal ligaments (fibers), bone and other cells undergo very active reconstruction and reorganization. As the result, your teeth may feel sore and may not tolerate the same amount of biting pressure as you were used to before your orthodontic treatment. The greater extent of movement, the more significant “soreness” you may experience. A softer diet is often recommended during orthodontic treatment. Occasionally over-the-counter pain medication may be needed in the most sensitive cases.

How to reduce discomfort during Invisalign clear aligners treatment:

Consistent full time (21-22 hours/day) wear of aligners can reduce overall pain during aligner treatment because it can avoid a “round trip” of tooth movement. When aligners are not worn, teeth always tend to move back toward where they were. After the aligners are replaced, teeth are forced to return to their positions before the aligner removal. The shorter time spent without aligners, the smaller the extent of relapse, therefore, you experience less discomfort.

Why do my teeth become loose during treatment?

Teeth may become loose when significant movement occurs, particularly for the slender teeth such as the lower front teeth. Your orthodontist will monitor your tooth mobility during orthodontic treatment. When necessary, your treatment progress may be adjusted (slower or faster) to enhance success and avoid the risks of damage.

How do I shorten my total treatment time?

Your orthodontist shares the same treatment goals to make your orthodontic treatment successful, efficient and enjoyable. Here are three tips to enhance your treatment efficiency:

1. Wear of aligners full-time
2. Use a chewie daily
3. Have submission scans promptly

Can I recycle my aligners?

No. The material composition of Invisalign aligners is unknown. After use, the aligners are “contaminated.” Therefore, we do not recommend discarding your aligners in the recycle bin and recommend they be placed in the trash.

What do I pack on a trip during Invisalign treatment?

1.  Your aligners (include one extra pair in addition to what you will need on the trip)
2. Your aligner case
3. A Chewie
4. The DentalMonitoring scanbox
5. Do not forget to inform your orthodontist of you trip. They may have additional instructions for you.

What are passive aligners?

Your orthodontist may order a few extra pairs of aligners that do not move your teeth further after the last active aligners. They are backup aligners you may use when waiting for additional aligners when appropriate.

What are passive aligners?

This is often determined by your treatment plan. A case may require 1-3 series of aligners, each of which achieve different goals. Occasionally, more series may be prescribed for complex cases. At the time of aligner delivery, your orthodontist can tell you the number of aligners for that series of aligners. An estimate of your treatment time is provided prior to starting your treatment. That is a more realistic predictor your total treatment time.

How often do I see my orthodontist?

We use DentalMontoring to virtually monitor your treatment progress weekly or biweekly. This is to make sure that your treatment is on the right track to finish successfully. It allows us to monitor more closely than a traditional in-clinic check appointment and without frequent trips to our clinic.

The following are a few common in-office visits during Invisalign treatment. Your actual visits may differ based on your treatment needs.

1. Initial delivery of aligners. Attachments may be placed too.
2. In-person checks when additional procedures need to be performed or when your dental condition requires more frequent in-person checks.
3. Progress check after your finish the existing series of aligners. Your orthodontist will review your treatment progress and make a plan for the next step of treatment. Progress photos and intraoral scans will be obtained at the visit. If needed, additional aligners will be ordered.
4. Delivery of additional aligners. If additional procedures such as replacement of attachments are prescribed, they are likely performed at this appointment. If no procedure is prescribed, the additional aligners can be mailed to your address at a reasonable cost.
5. Progress check to finish your treatment. If your treatment goals are achieved after completing this series of aligners, we will schedule to remove your attachments and order retainers.
6. Final records.
7. Delivery of your retainers.

How to connect with your orthodontist?

You can contact Redmond Ridge Orthodontics by text, phone, email and via DentalMonitoring app if it applies.

What happens after I finish a series of aligners?

We will check you in our clinic and make a plan for the next step. If your treatment goals are achieved, we will plan to finish your case.

Will I have retainers after Invisalign clear aligner treatment?

You will wear retainers to maintain your dental alignment and corrected bite. Most likely, you will wear retainers at night or part time every day.

What retainers will I have?

Your orthodontist will recommend retainers based on your treatment, relapse risks and lifestyle. These include removable and fixed retainers.

How long will I wear retainers?

We recommend retainer use for life because our teeth are actively moving throughout the life even without previous orthodontic treatment. Without retainers, relapse will happen sooner or later. This is often why many adults return for another round of orthodontic treatment. We will work with you to plan an optimal retention strategy.

How often will I wear retainers?

In the long term, you should wear retainers every night or part time. In cases with very high relapse risks, we would recommend full-time wear of retainers 3-6 months after removing orthodontic appliances.

Should I consider back up retainers?

Incidents happen in life. We always recommend back up retainers so that you do not have to rush to get retainer replacement or worry that your teeth may shift while waiting for a retainer replacement. If you do not have any fitting retainer, please contact our office as soon as possible for a replacement in order to minimize relapse.

Should I purchase a retainer plan?

Retainers, like many appliances, do not last forever. They may be worn, cracked or broken after a period of use. If you grind or clench your teeth, your retainers may have a shorter life. Sometimes, a new restoration (crown, veneer, bridge, implant or filling) may not fit with your existing retainer. A retainer replacement will be needed immediately. In other cases, retainers may be lost. The cost of replacement can add up over years. A retainer plan is like an insurance to reduce your overall cost of retainer replacement. We strongly recommend you consider a retainer plan before finishing your treatment.

Should I purchase Invisalign retainers or the retainers made by my orthodontist?

Invisalign retainers are of good quality and delivered all at once (4 pairs) after you purchase them. If you do not plan to have any new restorations (crowns, veneers, bridges, implants or fillings) in the next few years, an Invisalign retainer is an excellent option. If you want a retainer that is flexible enough to accommodate your future needs, you should consider our in-house retainers to be. For young kids with baby teeth not replaced yet, we do not recommend Invisalign retainers, as their teeth will transition into full permanent dentition in the following years.