Invisalign Braces: Cleaning and Caring for Them

One of the most inviting aspects of the Invisalign system is how much more convenient it is when compared to traditional braces. While there is no end to how much more easily the system can fit into your regular life, you can't discount the fact that there are some special modes of care and cleaning that must go into your new treatment plan. If you've already begun the plan, no one needs to tell you how expensive the treatment schedule is. Since you're already paying a great deal to have the smile you've always wanted, you'll want to take extra caution to clean and care for your aligners correctly. Here are some tips that will help you do just that.

One of the best tools you can use to clean your Invisalign braces is a denture cleaning system. The tablets that dissolve in water make perfect sense to use with the aligners and have been shown to be highly effective, while not damaging the application in any way. Take your aligners out twice a day and let them soak in this solution for about an hour. While some have advised taking them out at night and letting them soak while you sleep, this is a very bad idea, as this leaves them out of your mouth at a time when they should be in there putting pressure on your teeth.

Make sure you keep a close eye on your Invisalign pieces, as some etching can occur with certain denture cleaners. If you notice that any etching has started to occur, you'll probably need to stop using the cleaner and move to another brand or to another way to clean the pieces. Of course, some etching and scratching is going to occur just through your normal wear. If you have a new set on hand, you can compare the two and determine just how badly the cleaner may have contributed to the etching.

Baking soda makes another highly effective way to clean your Invisalign parts. Mix a small amount of baking soda into water and follow the same soaking regimen as is recommended with denture cleaners. Of course, as you may know, many people use baking soda to clean their dentures as well. If it helps to remind you to pursue the regimen, you might want to take them out and clean them during meals, as you would have otherwise taken them out of your mouth at that time anyway. Make sure you rinse off the aligners thoroughly to get any particles of the cleaning solution off of them before replacing them into your mouth.