How to Prevent Mouth Pain While Wearing Invisalign According to Your Minneapolis Invisalign Orthodontist

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – Wearing Invisalign is the incognito way to straighten teeth without resorting to traditional metal braces. Like orthodontic braces, Invisalign can cause some discomfort to the wearer. To help patients alleviate pain, yourMinneapolis/St. Paul Invisalign orthodontist offers a few tips.

Not All Invisalign Wearers Experience Pain or Discomfort

Your ORTHODONTIST ensures that all patients are comfortable from the beginning of every Invisalign appointment to the very end, and even beyond. However, she makes a point to tell her patients that, while Invisalign is designed to be as comfortable as possible for the wearer, the orthodontic treatment is not without side effects.

“Mouth pain isn’t something you need to live with when wearing Invisalign, but patients could experience some discomfort as they wear their aligners,” your ORTHODONTIST said.

The key word, your doctor stresses, is could. Not all patients experience pain or even mild discomfort. For those that do, here are the steps to follow.

1. Switch Out New Aligners Before Bed: Most discomfort occurs when the wearer switches out new aligners for their old ones. The new aligners feel tighter, and thus may cause mouth pain and even headaches in some cases. Your ORTHODONTIST suggests wearers switch out their new aligners for their old ones right before bed since patients are less likely to feel the pain while asleep. And in most cases, any discomfort will be alleviated before the wearer wakes up.
2. Take an Over-the-Counter Pain Reliever: If the pain is too great, your doctor may suggest taking an OTC pain reliever. You should also ask your Invisalign orthodontist about specific medications before taking anything.
3. Opt for Softer Foods: When teeth and gums are sore, stay away from crispy or crunchy foods, as those can make the pain worse. Instead, your doctor recommends patients choose foods that are soft or even mushy in texture, at least until the soreness goes away.
4. Use a Cold Compress: If the pain is too much to take, your ORTHODONTIST suggests a cold compress pressed against the lips and cheeks for 10 minutes twice daily. Another tip that can alleviate soreness is to suck on ice cubes once per day.
5. Fight Through the Pain: Wearers who do experience pain should take solace in the fact that the discomfort is only temporary. Patients should remember that they need to wear their aligner trays for at least 20 hours per day to be effective. “Don’t take your aligners out to make the discomfort stop. Doing so might just prolong it. The pain will subside, as long as the trays are kept in the mouth as intended,” your doctor said.

Your ORTHODONTIST says that even though some soreness may be experienced by Invisalign wearers, the discomfort is still less severe than is typically experienced by wearers of traditional metal braces. With the above tips, your doctor hopes that wearers of Invisalign will continue to enjoy their revolutionary teeth-straightening treatment with as minimal pain or discomfort as possible.

To learn more about Invisalign, the near-transparent alternative to traditional metal braces, contact a Minneapolis/St. Paul orthodontist at https://orthodonticsstpaul.com/contact-us/.

About Us: Your ORTHODONTIST is one of Minnesota’s leading Invisalign orthodontists. With expert care and compassion, she and her friendly team help patients in St. Paul/Minneapolis and the surrounding areas experience straighter smiles for life.

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