Dental Care for All of Us

Having to wear metal braces as an adult might seem like your personal worst nightmare. Luckily, with clear aligners like Invisalign, you can get straight teeth without all of the metal. All you have to do is switch out your custom-fit clear aligners every couple of weeks for a new one and your teeth will slowly move into the perfect position. Another great thing about Invisalign is that the average patient only has to wear them for a year, which is hardly any time at all in the scheme of things.

Once you are done with your Invisalign, there are a few things that you can do to maintain your smile and appearance. 

Wear Your Retainer

When your teeth don't have anything like a retainer to keep them in place, you can suffer from something called orthodontic relapse which essentially means that your teeth will shift back into the position that they were in before Invisalign. While you may think that wearing your retainer every day is optional, if you skip a few days, you may notice that your retainer fits more snugly because your teeth have already started to shift. 

Depending on your orthodontist, they may only recommend that you wear your retainer at night when you go to bed, but others may recommend that you wear it all day long. Wearing your retainer is one of the best ways that you can keep your teeth in the best shape possible.

Get Your Teeth Cleaned Every Six Months

The American Dental Association recommends that people get their teeth professionally cleaned and examined every six months. Although you may have chosen Invisalign to decrease dental appointments, it's still important that you keep up on all of your regular dental cleanings. When too much food and bacteria sit on your teeth for too long, it can contain a substance called tartar which can be hard to remove with just a toothbrush. However, during your professional cleanings, your dentist will remove it for you. This is still important to do no matter how straight your smile is.

Brush and Floss

Brushing and flossing go together like peanut butter and jelly in the book of oral care. Make sure that you are continuing to brush and floss your newly straightened teeth at least twice a day or at least after every meal. 

Would you like to learn more about Invisalign and your oral health? If so, schedule an appointment with your orthodontist or dentist today.