A common question we are asked is how will my child manage caring for their Invisalign aligners while at school?
My daughter is almost 12 years old and is in her 5th month of treatment with Clear Orthodontic Studio’s resident orthodontist, Dr Ash. I thought I would share with you the tips we give our patients at Clear Orthodontic Studio as well as my daughter’s personal challenges and tips when it comes to her Invisalign braces and caring for them.
What to pack:
On the day you are given your clear aligners, Clear Orthodontic Studio provides you with a retainer case; antibacterial spray; small tube of toothpaste and an aligner removal key.
After our initial appointment I took my daughter to purchase a travel toothbrush and a small make up pouch (which has dogs on it – as she is mad about dogs) to hold everything she would need to take to school. She takes everything that was given to her by Clear Orthodontic Studio as well as her travel brush.
Maintaining good hygiene
At recess and lunch the aligners need to be removed before eating and placed in their case. Never put your aligners in a napkin or a lunchbox, as they can easily get lost or be thrown out (Your aligner should only ever be in one of two places; on your teeth or in their case). After eating, you can give your teeth a quick brush and/or floss, or if you are short of time, a simple rinse with water for your mouth and a spray on the aligners using the antibacterial spray (no rinsing required) and you are ready to pop them back in.
After my daughter accidentally left her case at home, we got her a second case that stays in her dog pouch and we have another at home. This means she will never be without a case.
Initially my daughter felt self-conscious taking her aligners out in front of her friends. I suggested she go to the bathroom a few minutes before recess and lunch, so she could remove them and place them in their case.
She only needed to do this for a short time before she became confident at removing and replacing her aligners discreetly.
Soreness
After changing to a new aligner, you may experience tightness and find it hard to remove your aligners. You may also find your teeth feel a bit sore for a day or two.
A tip we tell our patients, is when you are due for an aligner change, do it at night so your teeth have a block of time without being taken out and you don’t feel the tightness while you are sleeping.
Pain relief medication is not usually needed, but can be given if required.
Will they wear their clear aligners for the required amount of time?
It is recommended that clear aligners are worn for 20-22hrs a day to be effective. Some parents are concerned as to whether their child will comply with this recommendation. However, research shows that on average, teenagers wear their aligners for exactly the recommended amount and in fact are more compliant with their treatment compared to adults.
Invisalign treatment has been perfect for my daughter’s busy schedule and only took her a few days to get into a good routine that worked for her.
The team at Clear Orthodontic Studio are here to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
For an orthodontic assessment please contact us to find out how aligner treatment could work for you or your child.