Invisalign aligners provide a convenient and comfortable way to straighten your crooked teeth. Best of all, they’re removable, allowing you to enjoy all your favorite foods during treatment! However, there is a limit to how long you should leave your aligners in their case. Most adults need to wear their Invisalign for at least 22 hours per day for timely and successful results.
Why is this wear time necessary, and how can you meet that requirement consistently? Keep reading – this post will lay out the details.
Why You’ll Want to Wear Invisalign for 22 Hours
The short answer is that failing to wear your Invisalign as directed could very well prolong your treatment timeline. These clear aligners correct crooked teeth by applying gradually increasing amounts of pressure. For about two weeks, one set of trays will adjust your teeth’s position, gently nudging them towards a progress milestone. Once they move as desired, you’ll initiate the next phase by donning a new, tighter set of trays.
Basically, Invisalign aligners need to be attached to your teeth in order to move them! Since the process works in stages, wearing them for 22 hours each day helps ensure your treatment goes smoothly.
How to Meet Your Daily Wear Time Goals
There are a couple of tricks you can use to meet your daily wear requirement, and your goal might be easier to achieve than you think! Here’s what you can do:
- Download an app like Tray Minder to help you keep track of your wear time
- Plan ahead and remove your trays at the same time every day.
- When calculating how long you can go without your trays for meals, give yourself enough wiggle room for snacks or spontaneous happenings.
- Practice makes permanent – create regular oral hygiene habits for post-meal maintenance.
- Multitask by soaking your Invisalign trays in an aligner-friendly cleaning solution while you eat.
- Take pain relievers as needed so new aligner discomfort doesn’t tempt you to remove your trays.
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dry mouth and promote your comfort.
These are good tips, but they’re not the only ones. Maybe you already have some out-of-the box ideas for helping yourself wear your Invisalign consistently! Don’t forget that your dentist is another resource available to you. As a professional and as your dental care provider, they might have some personalized advice for promoting a smooth Invisalign treatment.
About the Practice
At EMA Dental, we have eight experienced and skilled dentists on-staff who would love to meet you and help you with your oral care! Meeting your Invisalign wear time can seem daunting but rest assured that our team will do everything we can to promote a smooth and successful treatment. To contact our office with questions or concerns about Invisalign clear aligners, call 413-731-8800.