5 Invisalign Woes: Solved!

#1 My Invisalign tray is starting to feel loose.

Your Invisalign aligner is meant to sit snuggly around your teeth as this will help to effectively shift your teeth to its ideal position. In the event your clear aligner starts to feel loose after a period of time of wearing it, don’t panic.

The most common reason behind this is that your teeth have effectively shifted as intended and you are now ready for the next set of clear aligners.

Solution: Give your dentist a call or pay a visit to confirm with your dentist the exact cause behind your loose Invisalign aligners. Your dentist is the best person to advise on the step that you should take.

#2 I’ve misplaced my Invisalign aligners!

Especially with an orthodontic treatment like Invisalign whereby you’re required to wear your clear aligners for at least 20 to 22 hours daily, it is normal to panic if you can’t seem to locate your clear aligners. A tip from us to avoid being caught in this situation, is to always place your clear aligners back in its casing. This also helps to protect your aligners from contamination.

Solution: Not to worry, your dentist will be able to provide a new set of aligners for you. In the meantime, you should wear your previous tray or if you’re almost ready to swap to a new one, do speak to your dentist to see if you could start on the new tray earlier.

#3 I was in a rush and I forgot to wear my aligners.

If you do not wear your Invisalign aligners according to the daily-required hours, there could be a delay in your treatment duration. On top of that, your teeth might shift to its initial position. This could gradually happen and even after a couple of hours of not wearing them, you might feel some discomfort when your aligners are worn again.

Pro-tip: Never forget to put on your aligners daily (even when you’re in a rush!), by placing them at a common spot that will not be missed such as on your bathroom sink or dressing table.

Solution: The moment you realise this, try your very best to get your hands on your aligners as soon as possible. If you’ve not worn your aligners for a long period of time, we recommend that you visit your dentist as a new scan might be needed to help you get your treatment back on track.

#4 I’ve suddenly developed bad breath.

Bad breath is caused by the buildup of bacteria in your mouth. Adversely, this could lead to the formation of plaque and tooth decay. As your aligners are fitted well around your teeth, bacteria can buildup easily. To prevent this, adequate oral as well as aligners care are crucial to preserve your oral health throughout your treatment.

Solution: Bad breath prevention for Invisalign wearers is a two-pronged approach. Firstly, your pearly whites must be cared for well with proper oral care such as brushing your teeth prior to putting on your Invisalign aligners, flossing, and gargling with a mouthwash. Secondly, it’s important to clean your aligners daily. Here are some important pointers you should take note of to keep your aligners clean and ultimately, prevent bad breath.

#5 Help! My aligners won’t come off!

If you’re new to Invisalign, you might get a little tensed up trying to remove your aligners initially. This could also happen when you switch to a new tray. Remember, your aligners are created specifically for you and it’s meant to be fitted well to ensure that your teeth progressively realigns to its ideal position. Hence, this is the reason why it could feel snugged and it may be a little difficult to remove initially.

The good news is that, it’s just a matter of time and practice before you get the hang of removing your Invisalign tray.

Solution: There are tips and tricks to help you out. For instance, you could use tools such as an aligner hook or rubber gloves. Check out our list of handy tips on how to remove your Invisalign aligners in a jiffy.