One of the most important parts of clear aligner (Invisalign) treatment is wearing them the prescribed number of hours – 22 hours a day. We know that is a big commitment and making a plan for eating and brushing will be key to getting the outcome we all want.
We talk with patients when they first get their Invisalign trays about what times might be a challenge:
- Are you a one-cup-of-coffee-for-hours person?
- Are you constantly snacking on the go?
- Do you like to sit with a glass of wine in the evening?
You can be successful with aligners and still enjoy snacks and drinks, but you may have to change your habits a little bit to reach the prescribed number of hours. For example, drink coffee, but do so fairly quickly and then get the aligners back in – rather than sipping a lukewarm cup over several hours. Being prepared is the greatest way to be successful.
When you are traveling, your schedule is obviously different. You may not have the same access to meals or restrooms that you’re used to at home. Again, thinking about your daily activities and planning as best you can will help you meet the number of hours needed. Can you plan for bigger meals and less snacking? Can you pack a water bottle so you’re not tempted by juice or soda?
Making sure you take care of your aligners to not lose them is very important too. Thinking about where you will keep your retainer case, especially if you have different bags or are away from your desk, etc. where you normally keep them will help you not lose them while away from home. Taking a back up set of aligners is a good idea too, because it’s difficult to get a replacement from our office if you’re not in town.
That said, sometimes you *want* to eat and drink with more freedom on vacation. But we also don’t want to lose ground in your case. For those patients who know that they will not reach the time requirements, we ask that they still wear the aligners consistently every night time, but don’t count those days towards the number of days before switching to the next set. For example, if you put in a new tray on August 1st and you are instructed to wear it for ten days, you would switch on August 11th to the next one. However, if you were on vacation for 5 days and only wore them at night time, you would instead change trays on August 16th. We want to get the full number of full time wear days before moving ahead. If you have a question about that calendar math, please reach out and we’ll help you make a plan.
Invisalign is a nice treatment option when you’re traveling because there won’t be an emergencies – no broken brackets or wires, for example – but you do want to maintain good habits and progress, if possible. As reviewed above, good planning will help us stay on track in moving forward with your case.