- 02-8814 9941
- [email protected]
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18/15-17 Kildare Rd, Blacktown, NSW 2148.
Congratulations on starting your journey on having your teeth straightened! You’re one day closer to achieving your beautiful healthy smile! Wearing your aligners can be a bit of an adjustment and a lifestyle change; but it’ll all be worth it! See some of our Clear Aligner and Invisalign FAQ from patients.
Accidents happen; we get it. And this is a common Invisalign FAQ.
If you lose or break your aligner, kindly call the practice and we can inform you of the best course of action. We’re also available on Facebook to message; through this method, you’ll be able to send a photo. Link to facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmilesandFaces/
We don’t recommend moving on to your next aligner or back to a previous one until we can gauge how many days you’ve been in your current aligner, try to establish how the fit was and a couple of other factors, so before proceeding, please speak to one of our friendly staff .
As the most Invisalign FAQ- Remind me again.. What do I do?
We provide generic instructions to most patients since everyone undergoes a unique orthodontic journey. If the information below does not align with what you have been told, there is no need for concern. We have many types of Invisalign FAQ as treatment can vary. Remember, you can always contact one of our friendly staff members if you have any questions.
It is important to stay on top of cleaning your aligners to keep them clean and prevent them from staining or turning yellow and getting bad odour. Cleaning your aligners well will also help your teeth and mouth to stay healthy.
Here are some tips on how to clean your aligners:
Remember your aligners are custom made plates and are generally are changed every 2 weeks. They are removed when eating and placed straight back on.
We get lots of questions asked by teenagers and young adults about Invisalign treatment: What are the ways that I can speed up my orthodontic treatment, so that I can complete my Invisalign orthodontic treatment on time?
When it comes to Invisalign treatment, wearing the aligners full-time is crucial. You should aim for 22 hours of wear per day, only removing them for eating and brushing. If you prefer frequent snacking, you can keep the aligners in while eating. However, be cautious with hard and crunchy foods that could potentially damage the aligners. Generally, you can eat sandwiches, pasta, and stir-fries without removing them. Remember to rinse the aligners if you consume colored foods or liquids.
If you are finding it a bit awkward removing the invisalign aligners before eating and then putting them back in again, you may eat with the invisalign aligners in. Sometimes with these aligners, particularly when you have the hard crunchy foods you would have to be a bit more wary, because they could potentially crack your invisalign aligners. Other than that, if you are having a sandwich, pasta or a stir-fry, you could keep your invisalign aligners in. They are generally changed every 2 weeks, so the risk of them cracking or breaking, even if you eat with them in, is low. You may find though that when you eat or drink any coloured foods/liquids the fluids can go beneath the invisalign aligner so you may need to excuse yourself and take out the invisalign aligners and rinse them before you put them back in.
Most Invisalign patients are busy young adults, occasionally needing to remove their aligners for special occasions. While not encouraged, if you must remove them, compensate by extending the wear time before switching to the next aligner. For instance, if you wear them less than 22 hours in a day, add an extra day before progressing. However, never wear them less than 12 hours, as it may hinder the desired tooth movement. Prioritize consistent wear for successful Invisalign treatment.
I would just like to make a point about taking out your invisalign aligners when you just start the number 1 of your series of aligners; there may be some slight speech alterations, particularly with the “s” and the “th” sounds for the first couple of days. However, the feedback that we get from our patients is that speech almost always returns to normal within a couple of days. So taking out the invisalign aligners on the basis of speech really shouldn’t be a problem other than in the very early stages of your orthodontic treatment.
Now in regards to the second must have tip to completing your Invisalign treatment on time: Aligner chewies. For those that are considering Invisalign treatment, aligner’s chewies are basically like chewing gum but they don’t degrade, they are ”chewing gum” in the shape of a cotton roll. They don’t absorb saliva so they are easy to wash after you use. You really want to use these aligner chewies for 10-20 minutes every evening, particularly in that first week when you change your new set of aligners. After you use each chewy, just rinse it out with some water and put it back inside the bag. Because they are essential to the progress of your Invisalign no braces treatment, we provide them as part of your orthodontic treatment.
The last tip is to wear elastic bands as instructed. These bands may be attached to your back teeth and assist in tooth movement. Not all patients need them, and it will be discussed during your Clincheck appointment. Initially, they are usually worn full-time, but the wear time may be reduced later if they are working well.
To sum it up, the three tips to completing Invisalign treatment on time:
We generally provide Fixed and Removable Orthodontic Retainers as part of your orthodontic treatment. After we issue your retainers, we follow you up for another 12 months to make sure that the retainers are fitting well, all intact and that your teeth have not moved.
Fixed retainers are bonded or “glued” on the inside surface of the front 6 teeth and therefore not visible and are permanent. This is one of the best ways to prevent your teeth shifting as they are permanently attached. They are comfortable and if are kept clean with normal brushing and flossing as well as visiting your Dentist for regular cleans, they are not likely to cause tooth or gum disease. During your follow-up retainer checks, we make sure that your fixed retainers are intact.
On top of the fixed retainer, we also provide clear removable retainers that fits over the entire arch of the teeth. They are easy to wear and are nearly invisible! It is important that these retainers are worn as instructed. They must be worn frequently enough and for long enough to keep the retainers fit comfortably. If they are left out of the mouth for too long, teeth will sometimes start to move and if this occurs, some discomfort or tightness may be experienced the next time the retainer is worn. In this case, retainers must be we worn more often and should be checked for fit in our office.
We Want You to have that Smile for Life!
Who wouldn’t like to keep that straight teeth and smile for life? After all you have worked hard during your orthodontic treatment. It is therefore important that you wear your retainers as instructed and attend your follow-up retainer checks to make sure that everything is going well.
If taken good care of, your removable retainers can last you a few years. However, over time, retainers may wear down or break and will require replacement. We have also encountered cases where patients have unfortunately lost their retainers, for example, while on holidays or due to their pets chewing/eating them. Having a spare set of retainers is advisable to ensure the maintenance of tooth position.
First and foremost, it is important to know if you have wisdom teeth or not. Not everyone has all four of their wisdom teeth and other people may have one, two or only three. Every patient is different.
The deciding factor on keeping your wisdom teeth is if you have enough room in your jaw for them to fully erupt and for them to become ‘functional’ – that is, use them to eat with.
If you do NOT have room for your wisdom teeth, they may be termed ‘impacted’. If your wisdom teeth are impacted and sore, it is generally advisable to have them removed; please note this will be discussed on a case-by-case scenario.
Please speak to Dr Chang for the treatment that is best for you.
It is essential to determine the presence of wisdom teeth. Not everyone possesses all four wisdom teeth; some individuals may have one, two, or only three. If you have wisdom teeth, it doesn’t necessarily mean they must be extracted, as each patient’s situation is unique. The key factor in deciding whether to keep your wisdom teeth is the availability of sufficient space in your jaw for their full eruption and functional use during eating.
Please speak to Dr Chang for the treatment that is best for you.
*This is the audio version of the transcript if listening is a preference over reading.
After removing braces, we issue removable clear plastic retainers as part of your treatment to help maintain the straightness of your teeth.
In some instances, Dr. Chang. may recommend a Retainer Splint. This is ideal particularly for patients who grind or clench their teeth. Some signs and symptoms of grinding or clenching include making teeth noises at night, waking up with tender jaw muscles or headache in the morning and worn down teeth. Teeth that continue to wear down from the force of grinding and clenching are at risk of becoming sensitive overtime, and may be prone to fracture. Jaw joint problems may also develop from grinding and clenching.
We make the Retainer Splint from a durable acrylic material, and it serves as an ideal option for long-term use in protecting teeth from wearing down due to grinding and clenching. It also helps to keep the teeth straight. Dr. Chang will advise you if this is suitable for you or your child.
If you are concerned about grinding or clenching or experience any jaw pain or discomfort, please do not hesitate to approach our staff or contact us on 8814 9941 or [email protected]. We can provide you with tips and guide you to get the treatment you need.
If you have any questions that have not been covered in the Invisalign FAQ, feel free to reach out.
