What happens in the first week of Invisalign?
Invisalign is an excellent alternative to braces if you want to improve your smile and not worry about wires and brackets, but what exactly should you expect in the first week?
Most patients get used to their Invisalign braces quite quickly and there’s definitely less hassle compared to traditional braces, but still, there are a few things you should be aware of.
Will I feel pain in the first week of Invisalign?
Every patient is unique and may experience Invisalign aligners differently but, in general, you won’t feel more than slight discomfort in the first seven days.
Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign gently pushes your teeth in the desired direction, which makes them more comfortable.
If it hurts just a little bit, don’t worry – it won’t get any worse.
If the discomfort prevents you from doing your daily activities, regular doses of over-the-counter pain relievers such as Ibuprofen can help.
Changes in speech
As your mouth adjusts to your new Invisalign braces, you might experience some subtle speech problems in the first days or develop a lisp.
Words with many S and TH sounds will be the most challenging, but for most people, the lisp goes away after a couple of days.
At first, your mouth will perceive the aligners as a foreign body, so the change will feel more obvious for you than for those around you.
Invisalign braces are almost impossible to notice, even up close, so if you feel self-conscious about your lisp, your friends and workmates might not be able to tell what’s different.
Apart from the change in speech, you might also experience excessive saliva production in the first 24 hours.
This is completely normal and will go away as soon as your body gets used to the aligners.
Eating and drinking
One of the best parts about Invisalign braces is that you can remove them while eating, so there will be no discomfort there.
You can enjoy your meals as usual, without any restrictions.
As for drinking, it will feel a bit odd at first, but you’ll quickly get used to it.
The only thing you can safely consume with the aligners in your mouth is cold water, for all other drinks, it must be removed.
Inserting and removing your braces
For Invisalign treatment to be effective, you need to wear your aligners as much as possible, ideally between 20 and 22 hours per day.
You can, however, remove them to eat, brush, and floss your teeth. Removing your Invisalign braces and putting them back on will feel a bit awkward at first, but after the first week, it will feel like second nature.
Your dentist can give you detailed instructions on how to remove, insert, and clean your Invisalign attachments correctly.
Even if Invisalign braces can be a tiny bit uncomfortable at first, you’ll get used to them by the end of the first week and realise why so many people prefer them over traditional braces.
