Tips for Cleaning and Maintaining Your Invisalign Aligners

The promise of a perfectly aligned smile has many people turning to Invisalign orthodontics to straighten their teeth. Caring for your aligners will ensure you get the most from their use. Your Lake Oswego dentist, Dr. Brad Sievert, from Westlake Family Dentistry, offers these tips on how to clean, maintain, and care for Invisalign invisible aligners. 

How to Clean Invisalign Clear Aligners 

Invisalign aligners should be cleaned daily to keep them looking and functioning at their best. This can be done after brushing your teeth so the aligners will be fresh and clean when you place them back in your mouth. 

Using a soft bristle toothbrush or retainer brush without toothpaste, follow these steps for aligner cleaning: 

• Rinse your aligners thoroughly with lukewarm water
• Gently brush your aligners inside and out
• Rinse again to remove any residue
• Store the old set in their protective case when switching to new aligners. If you’re still using the aligners, put them back on your mouth

Before & After Treatment Images

• Patient did not like crooked and overlapped teeth
• This made it difficult for the patient to eat and hard to clean
• Invisalign used to uncrowd and align teeth
• Patient loved the outcome and appreciates how easy it is to keep teeth clean and healthy

• Patient has been frustrated with crooked upper and lower teeth.
• The crowding of her teeth also made adequate cleaning difficult.
• We used Invisalign to straighten the teeth and remove crowding
• Patient loves her new smile and improvement to overall health

More Results

If your aligners show signs of tartar build-up (a white, cloudy film), soak them in an Invisalign cleaning solution to eliminate this film and restore your aligner’s clear appearance. 

Invisalign Aligner Care 

For consistent care, clean your aligners every time you brush and floss your teeth. Even if you remove your aligners for meals, they can still collect debris from snacking or food left on your teeth after brushing. Over time, this food can make your aligners have an odor. 

Use Invisalign cleaning solution to brush your aligners. Avoid cleaning products with harsh ingredients.

Never soak your aligners in mouthwash, as they can become tainted with the mouthwash color or warped from the alcohol content in your rinse. 

When changing to new aligners, clean and store the old ones in their protective container for safe-keeping. You never know when you may need them again. Proper storage will keep your aligners bacteria- and odor-free for the future.

If you have any questions concerning the maintenance and care of your Invisalign aligners, feel free to contact Dr. Brad Sievert from Westlake Family Dentistry, Lake Oswego, at (503) 386-4164.