Invisalign is a dental treatment that’s designed to straighten teeth. While there are many benefits to using Invisalign to achieve a straighter smile, one question many people ask is, does Invisalign hurt?
If you’re thinking about straightening your teeth, learn more about Invisalign, what it does, and how you can get the most benefits from it.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a dental treatment that uses clear plastic aligners to straighten teeth. One of the benefits of Invisalign is that these aligners are transparent, making them perfect for people who wish to make their dental treatments discreet.
Invisalign aligners are removable, but they do need to be worn for 20-22 hours throughout the day, including sleeping. Another benefit is that your dental health can improve dramatically because you’re able to brush and floss your teeth regularly while you’re getting treatment. This keeps your teeth healthy throughout your treatment time.
With many advancements in Invisalign, it’s able to treat several dental problems like severely crooked teeth, gaps, overbites, crossbites, and more.
If you’re eligible for Invisalign, you’ll receive new aligners every 4-6 weeks at your appointment. The purpose of new aligners is to continue to shift the teeth into a straighter position. Your dentist will prepare a plan for you before the start of your treatment, and you’ll get the new aligners according to what phase of treatment you’re in.
Once your treatment ends, you’ll receive an Invisalign retainer that will keep your teeth in place. You’ll need to wear the retainer for several months to ensure there’s no shifting.
Does Invisalign Hurt?
So does Invisalign hurt? Will you experience pain when you opt for Invisalign treatment?
Overall, Invisalign isn’t painful, but more so feeling discomfort. However, that discomfort comes at the onset of receiving a new set of aligners and typically lasts a few days, though it may be more for some. The purpose of each set is to move your teeth with gentle pressure, so this is likely to cause some discomfort at the onset of getting new aligners.
Your aligners are mean to fit snuggly around your teeth to move them. If they do not fit well or feel loose, contact your orthodontist so they can make proper adjustments.
It’s important to note that a few things will impact the level of pain and discomfort you might feel from Invisalign.
First, each person’s pain tolerance is different. One person may have high pain tolerance, while another has a low pain tolerance.
Another aspect of Invisalign and pain is the individual case. Some cases may be more challenging than others, and the aligners may cause more discomfort.
Generally speaking, the discomfort should pass after the initial new aligners, and you shouldn’t feel much at all during the duration of wearing them until the next phase.
Keep Pain to A Minimum
Experience a bit of discomfort with Invisalign is very normal and expected. However, that doesn’t mean there are things you can’t do to help with the pain or manage it well.
Here are some steps you can follow when you’re feeling discomfort.
Routine
One of the most important things you can do during your dental treatment with Invisalign is stick to your plan. This means, wearing your aligners 20-22 hours a day, keeping regular dental appointments, and establishing a routine that keeps you in these habits.
Cleaning
Cleaning your aligners is another important part of Invisalign. When you don’t clean them, you subject them to build-up and bacteria which in turn could cause infections and other problems
If you’re wondering how to clean Invisalign, it’s very easy! You can do this at home with soap, water, and a soft-bristle toothbrush, or there are sterilizing solutions available as well.
Be sure to rinse your aligners every night with warm water and store them in a case when you’re not wearing them to protect them from external bacteria.
Foods
Sometimes there are restrictions on foods you can eat when you’re receiving dental treatment and for good reason. You don’t want your braces to break or have food become too lodged. With Invisalign, there are rarely any restrictions since you need to remove them when eating, but you don’t want to eat food that causes your teeth further discomfort.
Try sticking to soft foods and liquids the first few days after you get your new set of aligners. Crunchy or hard foods may impact your teeth and jaw pain and make wearing the aligners even more uncomfortable. Soft foods like soups, bread, and so forth should be your main diet until the discomfort disappears while you’re wearing your aligners.
Bedtime
Discomfort is most likely to occur during the first few hours after your aligners are in. To avoid the most discomfort, put your aligners in before bedtime when you’re ready to sleep. This way, you may sleep through most of the initial pain instead of experiencing it during the day.
When to be Concerned
Thankfully, there are ways to manage the pain with OTC medications or ice packs. Additionally, if your Invisalign aligners are causing significant pain, see your orthodontist because they may be incorrectly fitted. If there is bleeding, swelling, or any other abnormality with your aligners, you should contact your dentist’s office immediately.
However, if you’re unsure about a dental symptom you’re experiencing, always contact your orthodontist to have it examined.
Invisalign For You
When asking the question, “Does Invisalign hurt?” there are many facets to consider. While there is some initial discomfort there are also ways to manage it that keep you on track with your treatment for a healthier, straighter smile!
Do you want to learn more about Invisalign? Our orthodontists have achieved Invisalign certification, so they understand your unique case! Visit our website today to schedule a consultation to see if you’re eligible.