What Can I Do to Stop Pain from Invisalign?
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For teeth realignment, Invisalign is a suitable solution that adults and teenagers love. But like some orthodontic treatments, Invisalign brings some level of discomfort. However, if weighed on a scale, Invisalign pain is lower than metal braces discomfort. For different persons, Invisalign pain is different. Most times, it is said that the Invisalign wearer experiences discomfort because the aligners are actually moving the teeth.
There are two situations where Invisalign pain commonly felt: at the beginning of the treatment; and when changing trays. Think about this. Your mouth is not used to having trays around the teeth which is why it hurts a little. Each time a new aligner is worn, the teeth move closer to the predetermined position. This can cause soreness for few days. Again, while some users will be uncomfortable for a couple of days, some experience discomfort for the entire duration of treatment.
Whenever you begin to feel some pressure on your teeth which makes you unable to relax, think of it as Invisalign moving your teeth to where they should be. This is what shows that the aligners are effective. But does that mean you can’t do anything to alleviate the mild pain Invisalign brings? No.
In fact, there are some steps you can take to soothe Invisalign pain.
Try a cold compress, icepack or a bag of cold veggies:
The swelling and pain you feel with Invisalign can be relieved by placing a cold material on the area. When the swelling reduces, the soreness drops in intensity. Apply the cold compress, ice cubes or cold veggies for straight 10 minutes. Avoid direct application; cover the ice cubes with a towel and place it on the skin—repeat application as many times as needed.
Cold drinking water:
Just like the icepacks, cold drinking water can soothe the soreness. And you’re allow to drink cold water with your trays on. Drinks containing sugar, including juice, should avoided. They’re no good for the teeth as they open the door to cavities.
Ice cubes:
With the aligners inside your mouth, you can gently suck on ice cubes, and it will help ease the pain. Avoid chewing on the ice. They are hard, and chewing on them can cause teeth sensitivity and pain.
Do not eat any food that is hard:
Chewing on hard foods with tender teeth doesn’t work well. You will give yourself more pain by doing so. To this effect, abstain from nuts and go for more soft foods, including hummus, soups, and bread.
Take over-the-counter pain medications:
This is yet another way to stop Invisalign pain. Painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen can used. But ensure to adhere to the dosage and terms of use of the medication. Where pain felt following the change of aligner trays, use pain medication before wearing the new set of aligners. This will keep the pain at bay.
Try Orajel:
You can apply this topical pain medication directly on the spot where the pain felt. For a short time, the discomfort will cease. Don’t apply Orajel with your aligners inside your mouth. Take them out and place the Orajel directly on the area where you have the pain.
Be sure your aligners fit well:
It’s important to note that when Invisalign doesn’t fit comfortably around the teeth, it will disturb your peace. Any aligner that is ill-fitting is not working to move the teeth correctly. So, each time you put your aligners on, check that they are a good fit – that they go all the way around your teeth.
Keep your aligners in for most part of the day:
For at least 22 hours every day, you should wear your aligners. Remove them only to eat, drink or clean your teeth. Less pain experienced when the aligners remain more inside the mouth than out, as reported by some patients. The more your aligners stay out, the more uncomfortable they will be when you wear them again. This is because the teeth have to used to the trays.
Wear new set of aligners at night:
After two weeks of using a set of aligners, and you have to wear another set, do it before sleeping, not in the daytime. For the period you’ll be asleep, you won’t be removing and wearing the aligners so you won’t feel any pain, and your teeth will be moving. So by morning, your teeth should have adjusted completely to the trays.
Follow your treatment plan:
There is a recommended time interval between wearing each set of aligners. This planned to help you achieve teeth movement and good results ultimately. So, it’s important you stick to the wearing plan and not rush the treatment.
Use saltwater rinse:
Patients may sometimes develop mouth sores if the trays irritate the inside of the mouth. In this case, use a saltwater rinse to alleviate the soreness.
Give it time:
Usually, first-time wearers of Invisalign will go through pain. Continuous use of the trays will make the teeth used to them, and the discomfort will drop as the day goes by. Often, you have to be brave to withstand Stop Pain from Invisalign and used to having something inside your mouth. Few months into wearing Invisalign, your level of discomfort should have reduced or stopped completely.
Finally…
Compared to metal braces, Invisalign pain is minimal. A good number of patients say they feel slight pain when they wear Invisalign.
What’s important here is that though Invisalign can give you some painful stings, it can also take a punch. You can control Invisalign pain with the above guidelines.
Should pain from Invisalign stop you from starting treatment with a London Invisalign provider?It shouldn’t. As long as straightening your teeth is your goal, then you should go ahead and have an Invisalign consultation.
