One of the most important factors for patients going through Invisalign is to make sure that they wear their trays for about 20-22 hours every day, as this maximizes their ability to shift the teeth. While this sounds easy in practice, it can become a little tricky when real life gets in the way! Thankfully, a few basic tips can make this nice and simple, ensuring that a patient is able to achieve the beautifully straight smile they desire as quickly as possible.
1. Don’t Use Your Phone While Eating
The primary time that most people will take off their trays is during meals. Usually, actually eating the food doesn’t take that much time, but a lot of people use breakfast, lunch, and dinner as a chance to relax and recharge, meaning they end up on their phones. As a result, instead of spending 15 minutes with their trays out, it ends up being an hour or more.
So, it’s recommended that Invisalign patients keep their phones tucked away while they eat, and when they are done with their food, they can clean their teeth, put their trays back in, and then chill out with their phone.
2. Reduce Snacking
There is something called the “Invisalign Diet,” and it refers to the fact that many patients become more conscious about their food habits as a result of having to take their trays out every time they want to eat. What often happens is that patients notice how much they tend to snack.
One easy way to maximize how much time you wear your trays each day is to cut down on the snacking between meals, meaning you’ll remove them less frequently. To ensure you don’t become hungry throughout the day, it’s wise to start incorporating more lean meats and fiber-rich foods into your diet (such as fruits, vegetables, and various nuts), which will help you feel fuller.
3. Multi-Task
It’s suggested that you occasionally soak your trays in Invisalign cleaning crystals or a similar product in order to remove the more stuck on bits of food and plaque that can accumulate on them. You can take care of two things at once by doing this while you’re eating. This way, you get a good meal, clean your trays, and minimize the amount of time spent with them out all at once.
As with any orthodontic treatment, there is always a bit of an adjustment period. But, by keeping these tips in mind, you should be able to easily wear your trays for 20-22 hours a day, and this will help you breeze through your treatment and enjoy your final results before you know it.
About the Author
Dr. Jeffrey Shirck is a board-certified orthodontist that has served the Columbus area for over a decade, and he’s been an Elite Invisalign Provider since 2017. He offers both regular Invisalign as well as Invisalign TEEN, and he has already used both treatments to help countless patients achieve straight, healthy smiles without having to get metal braces. To learn more about Invisalign or schedule a FREE in-person consultation to see if it would be a good fit for you or your child, click here.