When you get your Invisalign aligners, you’re beginning the process of getting the smile that you’ve always wanted. However, you also have a new responsibility; keeping your trays in the best condition possible throughout the duration of your treatment.
Invisalign sells their own proprietary cleaning crystals, and they are essential tools in keeping your trays in the best condition possible. However, if you’ve never used them before, you might feel a little bit lost; here’s some info that might help you.
What Are Invisalign Cleaning Crystals?
As the name would imply, these are small crystals that are sold by Invisalign in order to disinfect the trays. They’re designed to dissolve in water to create a soaking solution that breaks up plaque and bacterial deposits.
They’re strong enough to remove bacteria from hard-to-reach places on your aligner, but gentle enough for daily use.
How Do I Use Invisalign Cleaning Crystals?
Ideally, it’s a good idea to let your Invisalign soak in the cleaning solution once a day. That may sound daunting, but thankfully the process is fairly easy.
First, take off your trays and rinse them under lukewarm water. Then, put your trays in a glass of warm, but not hot, water. The aligners should be submerged completely.
At this point you can pour in the cleaning crystals. Pour in one full packet, then gently shake the container to allow the crystals to dissolve. Then, let your trays soak for 15 minutes or longer.
At this point, gently shake the container again to loosen any built-up plaque. Finally, take out your trays and rinse them thoroughly.
Tips for Use
While using your cleaning crystals should be fairly easy, there are a few important things to keep in mind in order to use them safely. It’s critical that the water that you use be neither extremely hot or ice cold—both can warp your aligners.
You should also be conscientious about how long your aligners soak. The solution should work within 15 minutes, and while you can let them sit for longer, you risk not meeting the 20-22 hour daily quota.
Keep these tips in mind, and you should be more than ready to care for your Invisalign trays when you get them!
About Our Practice
At Jones & Knight, DDS, we know that there’s much more to your oral health than what happens when you’re in our office. We do what we can to set you up for success by providing you with the highest level of dental care, but more than that, we try and equip you with the knowledge necessary to maintain your smile on your own time. Whether you’re interested in straightening your smile, keeping it clean, or just doing what you can to avoid serious oral health problems, we’re happy to help you.
If you have any questions about caring for your Invisalign aligners, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (210) 494-4407.