Aligner Care Guide: Invisalign & Angel Aligners | Elate Orthodontics
How to Care for Invisalign & Angel Aligners
Congratulations on starting your journey to a healthier, straighter smile with Invisalign or Angel Aligners! At Elate Orthodontics, we want to ensure that your aligners remain effective, clean, and comfortable throughout your treatment.
Below, you’ll find essential Invisalign or Angel Aligners care instructions, tips on how to take care of aligners, and what to do if you encounter issues with your aligners.
Get to know your Invisalign aligners:
Getting Started With Your Invisalign or Angel Aligners
1. Aligner Fabrication & Treatment Timeline
- Step 1: We take X-rays, photos, and digital scans to design your custom aligners.
- Step 2: Your first set of aligners is fabricated and will arrive in 4-6 weeks.
- Step 3: At your next visit, we will place tooth-colored attachments on your teeth. These help guide tooth movement.
Each patient’s treatment time varies based on the complexity of their case.
Treatment Progress & Aligner Wear Guidelines
2. Wearing Your Aligners Correctly
For best results, wear your aligners at least 20-22 hours per day.
✔️ Only remove them for eating, drinking (except water), and oral hygiene.
✔️ If prescribed, wear rubber bands consistently.
🔹 Changing Aligners:
- Switch to your next aligner weekly (unless otherwise instructed).
- Make sure your current aligner fits snugly before switching.
How to safely remove your aligners:
🔹 Aligner Fit Check:
- No visible gaps between the teeth and aligners.
- If gaps exist, use aligner chewies until the aligner fits properly.
- DO NOT move to the next aligner if a gap persists!
💡 Tip: If you have TMJ issues, avoid chewies and instead apply gentle pressure to seat the aligner correctly.
Common Adjustments During Treatment
3. Interproximal Reduction (IPR)
- In some cases, small amounts of enamel are gently reshaped (filed) to create space for teeth to move.
- This process does not damage your enamel and ensures precise alignment.
Lean more about IPR by clicking HERE.
4. Managing Discomfort
- Mild soreness is normal and peaks 1-2 days after starting a new aligner.
- Pain usually subsides within 3-4 days.
- Take Tylenol or ibuprofen if needed.
Caring for Your Invisalign or Angel Aligners
5. Daily Aligner Care Routine
🔹 What You CAN Drink While Wearing Aligners: Water only!
🔹 What You CANNOT Eat or Drink With Aligners In: Coffee, tea, soda, or any colored/sticky foods.
✅ Remove aligners before eating or drinking anything besides water.
✅ Store aligners in their protective case—never in a napkin or pocket (to prevent loss!).
✅ Brush & floss after every meal before reinserting aligners.
💡 Tip: If aligners become cloudy, it’s a sign of plaque buildup, which can cause cavities and staining.
6. How to Clean Invisalign & Angel Aligners
🦷 Best Cleaning Methods:
✔️ Brush aligners with a soft toothbrush & cool water (never hot water!)
✔️ Use your favorite mouth wash solution for cleaning ( we like the purple bottle Listerine)
✔️ For deep cleaning, soak aligners in a denture cleaner (if no sulfa allergy)
🚫 Avoid:
❌ Hot water (warps aligners!)
❌ Toothpaste
🔹 Aligner Cleaning Tip:
Soak aligners in cool water with a denture cleaning tablet for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly before wearing.
Handling Aligner Issues
7. What to Do If:
✔️ Aligner Feels Rough? Use a nail file or emery board to smooth sharp edges.
✔️ Aligner is Lost or Cracked? If you’ve worn it for one week, you may be able to move to the next aligner—but contact our office first!
✔️ Attachment Falls Off? Take a picture of the affected tooth and text it to us at 972-538-4343.
Fix aligner’s rough edges using a clean nail file:
Aligners are not tracking well:
Back end of the aligner not seating all the way down:
We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions or concerns, call or text us at 972-538-4343.
📍 Visit us at:
✨ Follow these Invisalign care tips, and you’ll be on your way to a perfect smile!