The treatment can take 12 to 18 months and the cost is comparable to fitting regular braces. The advantages, aside from convenience and cosmetics, are that the aligners are removable. You take them out at mealtime and eat normally.
With so much delicious food around during Thanksgiving and the holidays ahead, Invisalign wearers might be tempted to snack and nibble between meals without removing their aligners. The best advice, however, is to always remove your aligners when eating for numerous reasons.
3 Reasons To Remove Your Invisalign Braces Before Eating
1. You could damage your aligners. They are molded from thin plastic. Bite down on that candy cane or almond and you could crack, bend, or punch a hole in your aligner.
2. Your aligners don’t come with spares. Ruin or break one, and it’s back to Giardina & Kray Orthodontics for a refit.
3. Trying to eat food while wearing Invisalign is awkward. Even if the snack is soft and gooey, it will likely stick over and around your aligners. It likely will not be an enjoyable experience, and you will have to remove the aligners to clean them anyway.
Suggestions for Holiday Eating with Invisalign Braces
Snack Less
You don’t have to drastically change your eating habits with Invisalign. On the other hand, since you need to remove your aligners each time you eat, you might find it more convenient to pass up frequent, light eating in favor of less frequent, heavier meals. Instead of reaching for that peppermint candy cane or hard sugar cookie, wait until mealtime. You’ll have a better appetite, and you’ll pass up all those empty calories. You will also spare your teeth from contact with all that sugar.
Eat Softer Foods
If Thanksgiving and the holidays occur during a time when you have just switched to a new set of aligners, the new fit might cause your teeth to be a bit tender. Pass up the turkey drumstick and have a slice of tender white meat. Load up on the mashed potatoes and stuffing, and enjoy a dollop of chocolate pudding for dessert.
Minimize Eating Discomfort
When it is time to start using a new set of aligners, we recommend putting them in at bedtime. Your teeth will have several hours to adjust to the new fit, and you’ll be ready to enjoy that holiday meal. You also might want to take an anti-inflammatory over-the-counter medication an hour before eating to relieve any tenderness.
Invisalign is your best choice
Invisalign treatment will straighten your teeth and restore your smile. Giardina & Kray Orthodontics have the skills and experience to help you towards that goal.
Have a question or want to know more about Invisalign treatment? Click here to go to our contact page.
