You’ve finished your Invisalign treatment and now have a perfectly straight and beautiful smile. Congratulations on achieving the smile of your dreams! However, this is not the end of the road. There are some steps you need to take after your treatment concludes to ensure that you maintain that beautiful and healthy smile for years to come. Dive into all the details below to learn everything you need to know about Invisalign aftercare with Northern Virginia Orthodontics.
How to Maintain Your Teeth After Invisalign
Just because your Invisalign treatment has ended does not mean that your work is completely over. Just like with any orthodontic treatment, there are steps you need to take to maintain the results. Here are the things you need to do to make sure your smile remains beautifully aligned.
Wear Your Retainer
Wearing your retainer might be the single most important thing you can do to maintain your Invisalign results. After your treatment ends, your teeth can sometimes want to shift back into their original positions. The retainer will prevent that from happening.
Your orthodontist will tell you how long you need to wear your retainer each day. Often, this will require wearing the retainer at all times (except when eating or drinking) for the first 90 days after your treatment ends. After that, most patients can switch to wearing their retainer only at night while sleeping. The retainer will keep your teeth from shifting and will keep your smile perfectly straight and amazing!
Keep Your Follow-Up Appointments
When you finish your Invisalign treatment, that does not mean that you will never have to return to the orthodontist again. In fact, it is extremely important that you keep your follow-up appointments after the end of your treatment. Your orthodontist will likely want to keep an eye on your results, and they will also advise you on the use of your retainer based on what they see during your follow-up visits.
Keeping your follow-up appointments can also help your orthodontist catch any potential problems sooner and avoid potential lengthy re-treatments. So, don’t cancel those appointments just because your treatment is over. Keep them on your schedule and listen to what your orthodontist has to say!
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
This one might seem obvious, but practicing good oral hygiene will also help protect the results of your Invisalign treatment. Make sure that you brush twice each day for two minutes at each brushing session. You should also make sure to floss your teeth every day. You might be wondering how brushing and flossing helps protect the results of your Invisalign treatment.
First, keeping your teeth and gums healthy keeps your smile looking beautiful. Failure to practice good oral hygiene practices can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. These issues can make your teeth more likely to shift and can cause problems with your alignment. Next, keeping your teeth clean will keep them bright and shiny. Since you have a beautiful straight smile after your Invisalign treatment, you certainly want to keep it shining brightly so that your teeth look as amazing as possible.
Keep Your Retainer Clean
You’ve already learned about the importance of wearing your retainer as directed by your orthodontist. Additionally, it is crucial that you keep your retainer clean and in good condition. Failure to properly clean your retainer could lead to food particles or bacteria sitting on your teeth for extended periods of time. This could lead to cavities or even sickness.
Also, it is important that you take care of your retainer and do not allow it to get damaged. A damaged retainer might not work properly, and your teeth could start to shift. If you lose your retainer or damage it, make sure to visit your orthodontist right away to get a replacement.
Be Mindful of Your Diet
After your orthodontic treatment is complete, you still need to be mindful of your diet and the types of food you eat. You should avoid excessively hard or chewy foods to avoid potential damage to your teeth. Additionally, you should limit your intake of sugary drinks and candy to avoid cavities and tooth decay. Finally, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and maintain your beautiful smile. Not only does drinking water keep your teeth and gums healthy, but it also helps wash away foot particles that may be stuck on your teeth.
Maintaining Your Beautiful Smile After Invisalign
Invisalign is a great way to achieve a beautiful and flawless smile. Invisalign is comfortable and discreet, and you can use Invisalign to obtain the smile of your dreams. Once your treatment is complete, there are still a few things you need to do to help maintain teeth that are perfectly aligned. If you want to explore your options with Invisalign, contact Northern Virginia Orthodontics to schedule an appointment today. We can help you get the smile you have always wanted!