After the orthodontist installs your braces, you may experience some pain and soreness in your teeth and gums for a few hours following the procedure. The soreness can last up to a week and results from pressure from chewing and sometimes cuts on the tongue from running it across the braces.
Wearing Invisalign braces take 6-24 months depending on treatment complexity. You occasionally visit your dentist during the period to get aligner adjustments. After these adjustments, it’s common to experience discomfort for a few days.
CAN YOU USE ORTHODONTIC WAX FOR INVISALIGN?
Dental wax is most commonly used for metal braces as it helps protect your gums from the metal edges of your braces. However, many individuals choose to use dental wax for aligners to alleviate irritation or abrasions resulting from the tray’s surface rubbing up against your gums and tongue. Orthodontic wax is natural and safe to use as a brace barrier when wearing Invisalign.
Whether you’re using dental wax for aligners or metal braces, orthodontists recommend changing the wax every day and even sooner if it starts to detach. Keeping orthodontic wax in your mouth for more than a day increases the risk of bacteria and cavities.
Here are other ways patients wearing Invisalign for the first time can reduce irritation and discomfort.
ADVIL
Also known as Motrin or Ibuprofen, Advil is considered a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
Advil is an over-the-counter pain reliever that is helpful in the first 12-24 hours of wearing a new set of Invisalign aligners. Advil provides relief for about 6-8 hours for traditional metal braces.
Patients experiencing pain and discomfort when changing clear aligners can use this anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce the inflammation and swelling that may happen in the gums when the Invisalign press against the teeth.
EMERY BOARD
These are small flat boards that have emery paper glued to them. They are often used to refine nails; Invisalign patients use them to smoothen the rough edges of new Invisalign.
To file the edges on your aligners, orthodontists recommend you hold the emery board at a 45-degree angle from the edge where it’s bothering and file back & forth unit it’s smooth.
BIOTENE & XYLIMENTS
Biotene is a mouth spray used to prevent tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease; Xyliments are synthetic forms of mucus secretions produced in the mouth and help relieve the pain and dryness in the throat or mouth.
Invisalign patients involved in public speaking like lectures or business meetings may need Biotene & Xyliments to moisturize the mouth from irritation.
CANKER-X
Canker sores are small shallow ulcers occurring in the mouth lining that often can get triggered by minor injuries, acid fruits, or hot spicy foods.
Canker-X is a non-prescription product with no alcohol or benzocaine that helps the mouth heal from canker sores caused by clear aligners.
Patients wearing Invisalign can use Canker-X to coat the sores preventing discomfort and irritation.
HOW DO YOU USE DENTAL WAX ON CLEAR ALIGNERS?
Dental wax typically comes from natural waxes like carnauba wax or beeswax. Some contain ingredients for flavor and texture.
When inserting wax for Invisalign braces, follow these steps:
- Wash your hands
- Brush your teeth
- Take a small piece of dental wax
- Squeeze it until it’s a small ball and flatten it.
- Then gently push the wax onto the problem area of the braces. You can use your tongue to adjust the wax.
CHEWIES FOR INVISALIGN
Invisalign chewies are devices that patients chew to close air bubbles between the clear aligners and teeth. The patient bites down on a chewie and chews for 5-10 minutes while shifting it around in the mouth to fit the aligners with the teeth.
Another alternative is a clean paper towel, which you can roll to the thickness of your pinky finger, then chew for a few minutes before disposal.
DOES ORTHODONTIC WAX DISSOLVE?
Orthodontic wax wears out over time. You can always apply another layer of dental wax if the Invisalign aligners continue to irritate your mouth. It’s also safe to swallow the wax.
CAN YOU SLEEP WITH ORTHODONTIC WAX?
You can wear orthodontic wax during sleep, more so when you face down; it’s okay if your swallow some wax as it’s non-toxic.
Find out how to make Invisalign more comfortable by consulting with our team at Amazing Smiles ****Orthodontics. We are available to answer questions on Invisalign and recommend the best solution for you to reduce discomfort during the first few weeks of undergoing aligners treatment in NYC, Queens, Forest Hills, and around Brooklyn. Contact Amazing Smile Orthodontics for a free consultation today. Call us (718) 275-3200