Patients of all ages love Invisalign because it straightens the teeth without significantly limiting dietary and lifestyle habits – unlike traditional braces. Of course, Invisalign has this advantage because Invisalign aligners are removable. With the freedom to remove the aligners whenever they please, patients often wonder how often they should be wearing their Invisalign on a daily basis. Here’s exactly how long you should wear Invisalign each day to stick to your treatment timeline.
Doctors Recommend 22 Hours a Day
The recommended duration of Invisalign use is 22 hours a day, every day of the week. Ideally, you will only be removing your Invisalign aligners to eat, drink or take care of your oral hygiene (like brushing and flossing). In other words, you should be wearing your Invisalign as much as possible!
What Happens if I Don’t Wear My Invisalign Long Enough?
If you don’t wear your Invisalign long enough, the biggest risk is delaying your treatment progress. Invisalign treatment plans are outlined with the expectation that patients wear their aligners for the recommended 22 hours per day. Without wearing them for 22 hours per day, it’s unlikely that your teeth will move as quickly as they’re supposed to. Unfortunately, this means that your Invisalign treatment could take months longer than expected if you fail to wear your Invisalign as directed.
Can I Miss a Day of Invisalign?
Even the most consistent patients can forget to use Invisalign for a few hours, and in most cases, one slip up won’t significantly delay your treatment. While it’s still recommended to wear your Invisalign as often as possible, missing a few hours (or even a whole day) of Invisalign will not ruin your treatment, as long as it doesn’t happen routinely. However, it’s still important to keep in mind that missing a day of Invisalign could throw off your treatment cycle. You may be required to extend the use of your current trays before moving to the next tray in your treatment. Therefore, any missed days with Invisalign should be discussed with your orthodontist so that you can find the best way to proceed with treatment.
If you’ve missed any time on your Invisalign treatment or you’re interested in getting started with Invisalign, contact us today to schedule your consultation with Drs. Savage, Sabbol & Visser.
