Invisalign has been a revelation with modern dentistry over recent years. The clear aligners help to straighten your teeth by placing the transparent clear brace between the teeth and biting down to ensure the aligners are tightly formed around your teeth. The best part is that Invisalign do not have any complications.
The best thing about clear aligners is they’re virtually invisible. This means that you can wear them throughout the day whilst showing off a straighter smile because they’re hardly noticeable. This is usually a key factor when patients make a decision between Invisalign and traditional braces.
If you’ve recently had Invisalign treatment, there are many benefits you can experience with it. Although, there have been questions surrounding Invisalign discomfort, pain or sensitivity when wearing the aligners. Are you experiencing sensitivity whilst wearing your clean aligners?
Good news! Whilst we’re not ruling out any form of sensitivity with your aligners, they’re very manageable and you should only expect minor sensitivity in and around the teeth for a short period of time.
Types of Aligner Sensitivity
If you’ve recently completed Invisalign treatment, you’re likely to experience the following:
Aligner Fit
You should expect to experience minor discomfort in the form of tenderness when you wear your aligners initially. This may also occur when you take them off. The sensitivity should only be minor and is likely to disappear when the aligners become snug and comfortable around your teeth.
Tongue and Gum Irritation
The edges of some aligners could rub against the tongue and gums to cause minor irritation. Although this is not something that typically occurs with all Invisalign patients, it isn’t something to rule out. Invisalign are less irritative compared to wired braces, but if the irritation continues, it’s best to consult your dentist to make any adjustments to your aligners to eliminate this irritation.
Pressure Soreness
You should expect soreness when the aligners press down on the teeth, but this should be expected because the aligners place pressure on your teeth to make them straight. This soreness should subside after the first few days of wearing your new aligners, and should eventually disappear.
How To Reduce Discomfort?
If the soreness and sensitivity continue, there are ways you can reduce any Invisalign discomfort so your aligners begin to feel comfortable and snug around your teeth.
- Suck on ice cubes or drink cold water whilst wearing your aligners to help soothe the sore teeth, but avoid biting down on the ice cubs.
- Wear new aligners so the discomfort subsides while you sleep. You will be able to sleep through the first few hours with any discomfort and wake up feeling comfortable with the aligners in.
- Change your diet to incorporate softer foods and avoid crunchy foods if sensitivity continues.
- Consider taking over-the-counter pain relievers if it’s necessary, but only as a last resort.
- Consult your dentist to smoothen any rough edges with your clear aligners so your gum tissue becomes accustomed to the aligners and thus reduce any discomfort.
Are you seeking Invisalign treatment or further advice to reduce any Invisalign discomfort with your aligners? Are you experiencing an overbite? Contact our helpful dentists in Ashfield Family Dental today! Click here to book or simply call us!
