Tag Archives: Invisalign Treatment

Invisalign

Can I Use My Invisalign Aligner Instead of My Retainer?

I’m finishing up my Invisalign treatment. I was scared I wouldn’t like it but it’s been awesome. Only the friends I told knew I wore the aligners. They were really comfortable. My friends always complained about how their braces hurt, but mine never hurt. I’m supposed to get a retainer, but that’s going to be metal. Can I just wear the last aligner instead of getting the metal prison?

Lisa L.

Dear Lisa,

I”m glad you enjoyed your Invisalign treatment. Most patients love it. I wouldn’t recommend using your aligner in place of a retainer though. It’s not that it will hurt your teeth. And, it will keep your teeth in place, but it isn’t designed for long-term use. Two things are going to happen. First, it’s going to get a little “used” feeling and you’ll want to switch it out. Then, it will also start to wear down.

So you know, you’re no longer relegated to metal tooth prison with retainers anymore. There are more options these days. There are retainers which are clear plastic, like your Invisalign and wrap around your teeth. Others can cover the top of your mouth. They can even customize them to have different colors or designs.

Another option is a lingual retainer. It is metal, but it goes behind your teeth so no one will see them.

The key is to talk to your dentist. Let him or her know why you’re not wanting to wear the retainer. They can make sure you know all your options and help you make a choice you’ll be completely comfortable with.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Invisalign

Warped My Invisalign Aligners

I took out my Invisalign aligners in order to brush my teeth. I didn’t realize that I’d laid them down where they were touching my curling iron. Now part of them is melted and warped. What do I do?

Nesibe A. – Houston, TX

Nesibe,

Accidents happen and your dentist has seen every kind of accident imaginable. Don’t wear the warped Invisalign aligners. It will set back your treatment. Instead, call your dentist. He’ll make new aligners for you.

If you’re toward the beginning of this particular two-week block, he’ll just start that block over, making the exact same aligners. If, however, you’re closer to the end of your two-week block, then your dentist will likely just move you on to the next set.

It’s safe to do that once or twice, but you wouldn’t want to do it too often. It won’t be great for the roots of your teeth. Generally, your teeth need the full two weeks to give the roots time to stabilize and bone to re-form over the new position.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Invisalign

The Importance of the Time Between Invisalign Aligners

I thought we’d address a common question we get sometime during a patient’s Invisalign treatment. Invisalign has a very high patient satisfaction rating, however, at some point every patient wonders why they have to wait the full two weeks before they can switch to the next set of aligners. Here’ s why.

Your teeth will move into their new position within just a few days. It is often tempting to think if you switch to the next group of aligners as soon as your teeth are in the new position that you can get through your Invisalign treatment that much faster.

There is a reason your dentist will want you to wait the full two weeks. Your teeth are supported by bone that surrounds the root of your teeth. When your teeth move, the root is moved as well. If you don’t give the bone time to re-form around the roots. If you don’t give them that time, your teeth will become loose. It’s possible they would even fall out.

In the grand scheme of things, two weeks isn’t that long a time, especially to ensure long term health for your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.