Cavities are pretty difficult to avoid. With sugar- and starch-filled diets, about 90 percent of Americans contract at least one cavity by the time they turn 19 years old. And did you know that cavities can still form during Invisalign treatment? In this post, you’ll learn what cavities are, how to prevent them during Invisalign treatment, why maintaining your oral health during this time is important, and why you should consider starting Invisalign despite the maintenance needed.
How Do Cavities Form?
A cavity is a hole in tooth structure eroded by bacterial decay. Acid comes from the overwhelming number of bacteria that grow in plaque, the white sticky substance that develops on your teeth after eating and throughout everyday life. Within hours of adhering to your teeth (if it isn’t removed), plaque hardens and has ample access to damage your enamel. The acid produced by bacteria erodes this structure and can require a filling or root canal treatment and a crown to fix, but in more severe cases, you can even lose the natural tooth entirely. In other words, cavities during Invisalign can delay your treatment plan!
How Do I Prevent Getting Cavities During Invisalign Treatment?
Although the custom trays will snugly fit your teeth, you can still suffer from tooth decay if you aren’t careful. You need to continue having a strong oral hygiene routine of brushing and flossing in the morning and night; however, your dental cleanliness needs to be even more diligent than normal! Every time you eat or drink anything besides water, you must first remove the aligners, and when you are finished, take a few minutes to brush and floss your teeth before repositioning the trays in your mouth. Otherwise, microscopic bacteria can become trapped between the aligners and your teeth, increasing the risk of cavity development.
How Long Am I Supposed to Wear My Invisalign Aligners Every Day?
For optimal results, you should wear your Invisalign trays for a minimum of 20 hours every day. That may seem like quite a bit of time, but without this requirement, it may take much longer for your teeth to shift into alignment.
To increase your chances of improvement and speed of treatment, try to cut back on snacking. Small bits of food here and there can figuratively consume your available time, so use it wisely. Drink more water over other beverages because this fluid doesn’t contain sugar or other materials that contribute to decay. You can still have dessert—just be sure to eat it right after a meal to be more efficient with your time sans aligners.
Why Is Invisalign Worth Time and Effort?
At this point, you may ask yourself whether keeping track of how much time you wear your aligners and constantly brushing and flossing your teeth really merit undergoing the treatment at all. Invisalign is very much worth pursuing! Not only can these little trays shift teeth into their appropriate places for aesthetic value, but they also can make it easier for your teeth to remain cavity free afterward. Evenly spaced teeth are much simpler to take care of and to keep clean in the long run.
In the end, cavities can still strike while you straighten your teeth with Invisalign; however, with a little extra effort and care throughout each day, you can achieve the smile of your dreams in less time than traditional braces and have a stronger smile for the future.
About the Practice
At Richardson Orthodontics, both of our board-certified orthodontists enjoyed their own realignment experience during their teenage years and wanted to provide similarly satisfying treatment to others. Meeting various needs depending on the individual patient, Dr. Tamara Jones and Dr. Stephanie Amerson can’t wait to make your dream smile a reality for you! Contact us online today or call our Richardson office at 972-238-7101 now to schedule an appointment.