When it comes to your smile, most people want theirs straight. Many of our patients in Merrimack, NH have had crooked, crowded, or overlapping teeth straightened successfully with Invisalign® treatment. At Something To Smile About, Dr. Kevin Boulard uses clear teeth aligners to slowly and continuously help his patients realign their teeth. This is a great orthodontic treatment for anyone who doesn’t want to go through a long and uncomfortable process of straightening their teeth with traditional metal braces. To ensure that your teeth look and feel their best, we will teach you oral hygiene tips on how to keep your Invisalign trays clean. We will also discuss diet recommendations of what to eat and what not to eat with Invisalign attachments.
How does Invisalign work?
At Something To Smile About, Dr. Boulard uses Invisalign to fix his patients’ concerns with their smile. He will map out a custom treatment plan for each of his patients in the Merrimack, NH area. He uses digital impressions of the upper and lower arches to send to the lab to make your clear teeth aligners. When your aligners are ready, you will re-visit our office and learn how to use and care for them properly. Follow-up visits to our office will allow us to track your progress. The length of time that you will need to use Invisalign trays will depend on your existing teeth positioning. On average, our patients have Invisalign treatment for about a year.
What foods should I avoid during Invisalign treatment?
One of the benefits of having Invisalign is being able to eat a more varied diet. Unlike traditional metal braces that restrict many more foods, Invisalign gives patients the opportunity to eat more of the things they enjoy.
Some foods that should be avoided during Invisalign treatment include:
Hard food or candy: Raw vegetables, hard candy, or hard fruit such as ripe apples should be cut into smaller pieces so they do not damage your aligners.
Sticky food or candy: Do not chew gum with Invisalign. Jelly beans, caramel, or other sticky foods can also pull at the aligners, causing them to break.
Acidic beverages: Tea, wine, or coffee can stain the aligners. These drinks can leave a tint to your aligners, which may make your teeth look discolored. Also, the high temperatures can change the shape of your aligners, which can lead to the need for longer orthodontic treatment time. Dr. Boulard suggests limiting soda consumption too, as it is very acidic and can break down tooth enamel.
Oral hygiene tips for Invisalign
It’s important that you clean your Invisalign trays every time that you brush your teeth. Soak your trays with cleaning crystals with warm water for at least 20 minutes. Brush them gently to remove any stains. Make sure that your aligners are completely dry before you put them back on your teeth. Toothpaste isn’t recommended for cleaning, as it can be abrasive and can scratch your aligners. Also, never use mouthwash when undergoing Invisalign treatment since it contains harsh ingredients that can damage your trays. Knowing how to clean your Invisalign trays helps make sure that they don’t get stained or dirty.
Schedule a consultation to learn about Invisalign today
If your smile is making you feel self-conscious, Invisalign can help. At Something To Smile About, Dr. Kevin Boulard helps patients straighten their crooked, misshapen, gapped, or overlapping teeth in Merrimack, NH. To learn if you’re a candidate for Invisalign, call our dental team today to schedule a consultation.