Invisalign is a convenient and generally pleasant teeth alignment treatment. At Dentistry in Canterbury, we are proud to offer the best Invisalign Melbourne service in the area, courtesy of our highly skilled team of dentists and their expertise in cosmetic dentistry.
If you’re considering Invisalign, you’ll naturally have several questions, including “how long can I leave my Invisalign off for” and “can I sleep with Invisalign”. Below, you’ll find all the guidance you need about sleeping with Invisalign retainers, as well as additional information on the benefits and requirements of the treatment.
How to sleep with Invisalign
As part of the treatment, you must sleep with your Invisalign retainers. Since you must wear your aligners for 22 hours each day, you must fall asleep with them. During the night, they’ll work best, giving them a long, uninterrupted period to enact their treatment on your teeth.
It’s a good idea to clean your retainers before you go to sleep to prevent bacteria from being stuck in them overnight. This could lead to tooth decay and cause problems during your treatment.
What will happen if you don’t wear your Invisalign at night?
If you don’t wear your aligners at night, you run the risk of the treatment not working. You might find that when you reinsert your retainers in the morning, they don’t fit or are too painful to put on. This is because your teeth will start shifting to their original positions overnight without the aligners to keep them in place.
Does it take discipline to wear aligners?
Although the convenience of Invisalign is unmatched, it still requires a certain degree of discipline to work effectively. As an Invisalign user, it is your responsibility to make sure you are wearing your retainers for at least 20-22 hours every day and to ensure you are cleaning them carefully and with the right substances.
You might also ask yourself, “do I need a retainer after Invisalign treatment?” The answer is yes, you will have to wear one until enough bone tissue has formed to keep your teeth from shifting out of position. This requires further discipline, so you must understand this before committing to the treatment.
Can you order nighttime aligners online?
You can order nighttime aligners online as part of a do-it-yourself dentistry kit, but it’s much easier to book a consultation and have your dentist do it for you. If you order online, you’ll first have to make your impressions of your teeth before sending them off for the retainer to be made. You’ll receive this in the post later, ready to start using.
Benefits of wearing Invisalign while you sleep
Wearing your Invisalign at night ensures full functionality of the treatment. Your teeth will move into their desired positions more effectively, and your treatment will work as it should, making the whole process smoother and hassle-free. What’s more, you’ll significantly reduce destructive teeth-grinding habits and won’t suffer from minor cuts like those caused by metal braces.
What happens if you wear Invisalign only at night?
Invisalign trays aren’t like normal retainers; you can’t wear them only at night. To enable the treatment to work as effectively as possible, you must wear your aligners for around 22 hours every day, meaning you’ll have to keep them in during the day and while you sleep.
If you fail to wear your retainers during the day, you’ll notice they won’t fit either. You may have to go back to a previous retainer, which would prolong your treatment. Invisalign retainers are clear and more inconspicuous than braces, giving people the freedom and confidence to wear them during the day.