04 May Can I Just Wear Invisalign at Night?
Invisalign is a method of teeth straightening where clear aligners gently shift teeth to their correct occlusion. One of the advantages of Invisalign is the ability to remove them for eating, snacking, and daily oral hygiene. This may make removing them more often tempting, but just as with traditional braces, the only way to accomplish the goal is to adhere to the guidelines.
Invisalign is designed to be worn twenty to twenty-two hours each day to complete treatment in the designated timeline.
The purpose of wearing braces is to shift teeth over time. Throughout the day and night teeth are being moved to their correct location; part time correction would delay results, and failure to follow the program as designed can produce an unsatisfactory outcome.
Your dentist will guide you through the treatment plan and what is required; but if you are going to invest the time and money in having your teeth straightened, why would you only follow the program half of the time?
With Invisalign aligners, there is really no reason not to wear them day and night. They are:
Clear – This makes them virtually undetectable to those around you.
Comfortable – Since there are no wires or brackets like metal braces, once you have made the minor adjustment in wearing the aligners, you will not even be aware of their presence. [pullquote]Following the Invisalign teeth straightening program as outlined by your dentist will provide you with optimum results in the allotted timeframe.[/pullquote]
Removable – You can take them out for meals, snacking, and to brush/floss your teeth every day. This eliminates the need for a special diet; you can continue to eat all the foods you love. And you can floss daily without obstruction; coupled with brushing with a fluoridated tooth paste twice each day, you have an advantage in keeping your teeth and gums healthy throughout orthodontic treatment.
If you were to wear the aligners just at night, teeth would not have the time to adequately shift and be allowed to develop a “memory” of where they belong. It is possible that teeth would not move at all if you only wear the aligners during the night.
Following the Invisalign teeth straightening program as outlined by your dentist will provide you with optimum results in the allotted timeframe. Failure to adhere to the instructions can produce a negative result leaving you frustrated that you have invested so much without the desired effect … a smile makeover to last a lifetime.
To find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign, contact our office today!