Wearing and Using Your Invisalign ® Aligners

1. Wear your aligners 20-22 hours per day.

2. Change to new aligners as per your Doctor’s instructions. Two aligner cases are included in your starter kit, a blue case and a red case. This will help protect them from loss and damage. Designate your blue aligner case for your “current aligner.” Store the aligners you are currently using (e.g., aligner #1) in this case. When it is time to switch up to the next aligner (e.g. aligner #2), transfer the previous aligners (e.g. aligner #1) to the red case. Always keep the most recently used aligners in this case. If your current aligner is lost or broken, your doctor may recommend that you temporarily go back one stage and use the aligners in the red case while a replacement is being made.

3. Always rinse your aligners when first removing them from the packaging.

1. Make sure you have the proper aligner—the upper for your top teeth and the lower for your bottom teeth.

2. To help avoid confusion, each aligner is engraved with your unique case number, a “U” for upper and an “L” for lower, followed by the stage number.

3. You may insert either the upper or lower aligner first. When inserting each aligner, gently push the aligners over your front teeth. Then apply equal pressure, using your fingertips, to the tops of your left and right molars (back teeth) until the aligner snaps into place.

4. Do NOT bite your aligners into position. This may damage them. Instead, use the chewies provided by your doctor to fully seat your aligners in place.

An Aligner Chewie is a small cylinder made of a soft spongy plastic-like material. Use Aligner Chewies to help close any air gaps between your teeth and your Invisalign aligners. Typically, when you get a new set of aligner trays, they may not fit tightly against your teeth at first. Biting on the Chewie helps your trays to fit tighter on your teeth, which helps your treatment progress faster.

1. On one side of your mouth, use your fingertip on the inside of your back molar to slowly pull the aligner from your molars.

2. Repeat this process on the other side of your mouth before trying to completely remove the aligner.

3. Once aligner is disengaged from the molars on both sides of your mouth, you should be able to slowly work your way forward gently prying the aligner away from your teeth with your fingertips.

1. Remove your aligners for eating and drinking. (You do not need to remove your aligners to drink cool water.) 2. Brush and floss your teeth after each meal or snack prior to reinserting your aligners. If you don’t have access to your cleaning system or a toothbrush, you can simply rinse your mouth, and then clean your aligners by holding them under cold running water. It’s not the best way to clean, but it works in a pinch. Be sure to thoroughly clean your aligners at your earliest convenience.

2. Store your Invisalign aligners in the provided aligner case when they are not in your mouth.

Clean your aligners prior to each insertion. Use a soft bristle toothbrush with water and a small amount of antibacterial hand soap or dish soap. Be sure to rinse each aligner thoroughly with water after each cleaning. Also, if you would like your Aligners to stay clear and bright we recommend that you use a retainer or denture cleaning products once a week, or as needed. Do NOT use tooth paste and Do NOT soak them in mouthwash. These products can damage the surface of the aligner, causing it to become dull and more visible.