Invisalign is an excellent way to straighten your teeth without the trouble of traditional braces, but many patients find their Invisalign hurts during treatment. For instance, a little bit of pain when changing aligners is completely normal, but isn’t the most pleasant experience. In fact, some pain means that your teeth are moving to their correct position and your Invisalign is working properly. Still, if you’re finding that your Invisalign hurts and you want some relief, we’re compiled these 6 tips for 24 hour Invisalign pain relief.
What To Do If Your Invisalign Hurts in the Morning
When you wake in the morning, especially after introducing a new aligner, it is normal to experience some pain. Here’s what to do:
1. Use Aligner Retriever Tools
In the morning, you will have to take out your aligner to brush your teeth in the morning. Many Invisalign users will experience pain when taking out their retainer for the first time that day. In order to reduce some of the pain experienced when removing and replacing the retainer, we recommend using an aligner retrieval tool to remove your retainer.
An aligner retriever prevents you from bending or warping your retainer when removing it. The convenient aligner retriever is also easy to clean and take on-the go if you need to remove your retainer for any reason.
2. Use Cold Compress over the Painful Area
Cold compresses are a well known remedy for pain and swelling on any part of the body, including your mouth. If you are experiencing pain from your Invisalign after you wake up, it is probably best to start your day with a cold compress on the affected parts of your mouth. Since your teeth are shifting to their correct position overnight, you may need to give your gums some extra care in the mornings before you start your day. Usually, a cold compress can ward off pain for a few hours while you wake up.
What to Do If Your Invisalign Hurts During the Day and On-the-Go
When you are wearing your Invisalign for 22+ hours a day, you should have some easily accessible pain relief remedies like these:
3. Do Chewing Exercises to Relieve Pain
Your Invisalign aligners are designed to slowly move your teeth into their correct position over time. A lot of the pain people experience is because of this slow movement causing gum and jaw soreness. Many providers recommend using Invisalign chewies to bite on, which has the dual benefit of “seating” your trays for proper fit while promoting beneficial blood flow to the teeth and gums.
4. Keep Your Invisalign Accessories in a Travel Kit
When you are out and about, it is especially important to keep your Invisalign accessories with you in case you need to remove or clean your trays. We already mentioned how aligner retrieval tools and Invisalign chewies can help relieve pain, so it is best to keep them with you at all times. In addition to Invisalign chewies and aligner retrieval tools, you should also keep some toothpaste, cleaning spray, and floss in your travel kit. If you are going out to eat, it is especially important to clean your teeth and aligners before replacing them. If there are any food particles stuck between your teeth and aligners, it could cause more discomfort in the future.
How to Curb Discomfort Before Bedtime
A few adjustments to your nighttime routine can prevent discomfort in the future.
No one wants to deal with pain while trying to fall asleep, so follow these tips to stay comfortable and get a good night’s rest:
5. Switch to New Trays Before Bedtime
Tooth and jaw pain caused by Invisalign usually will subside quickly as your teeth adjust to the new aligner. However, if you are experiencing jaw pain before bed, it can be difficult to get to sleep. Because of this, many Invisalign users wonder how they can minimize or prevent pain at bedtime. One way is to change your Invisalign trays just before bedtime. By changing your trays before you go to sleep, it gives your teeth some time to adjust to the new tray before any soreness occurs. Putting your new aligners in right before bedtime allows you a few hours to get to sleep with minimal discomfort.
6. If You Are Experiencing Discomfort, Do Not Take Out Your Retainers
Though it may seem counterintuitive, taking out your retainers will not help relieve pain. In fact, taking out your retainers for pain relief will lead to many more problems in the future. First, removing your aligners will not relieve pain, you will experience the discomfort with your retainer in or out. You will also likely experience more discomfort replacing your retainer if you remove it for too long. The bottom line is that you need to wear your retainers for 22+ hours a day to achieve your desired results. By taking your retainers out for pain relief, you could be changing the course of your Invisalign journey.
It can be difficult to push through the initial discomfort that comes with Invisalign, but luckily there are lots of ways to help your teeth seamlessly adapt to new retainers. Follow our tips for retainer pain relief at any time of the day.
Source: “If Your Invisalign Hurts, Try These 6 Tips,” Dental Movemints