Why Does My Invisalign Hurt My Teeth?

Invisalign marketing materials often promote the “comfort” of Invisalign compared to braces. And, in many ways, Invisalign is a lot more comfortable. You can remove your aligners to eat and drink and to brush and floss. Invisalign also doesn’t have any wires or brackets that may poke your mouth. 

But does that mean Invisalign is supposed to be pain-free? Is it normal for your Invisalign trays to hurt your teeth when you wear them? Find out now in this blog from Myers + Co Family Dentistry.

It’s Normal For Invisalign To Cause Some Pain When You Switch To New Aligners

Invisalign can cause some pain and discomfort. This is completely normal, and it’s usually the most noticeable when you switch to a new set of aligners, which is usually done about every 2 weeks for most Invisalign patients.

Why does Invisalign hurt? It’s simple. Because it’s putting pressure on your teeth, and moving them to a new position. Each aligner is custom-built to push your teeth into a specific position in your mouth. Your teeth don’t like this. They want to stay where they are, but Invisalign won’t let them.

So eventually, Invisalign wins this battle. After about 2-3 days of wearing your new aligners, your teeth will have mostly shifted to their new position. This is also when you may feel the most discomfort. 

After this, your teeth will adjust to their new position in your mouth, and you won’t feel any more discomfort until you swap to your next set of Invisalign aligners. Then, the process will repeat. Your teeth will have to move again, and you may feel some pain and discomfort until they’ve adjusted to their new position in 2-3 days. 

How Can I Deal With Pain When Switching To A New Set Of Aligners? 

Wondering how you can deal with pain from Invisalign? Here are a few tips that our Cary cosmetic dentist usually recommends for patients at Myers + Co Family Dentistry in Cary.

• Put new aligners in before bed – If you switch to a new set of aligners before bed, you’ll be able to sleep through some of the discomfort. ‍
• Drink cold water or ice water – Cold water and ice water can help numb your teeth and provide some relief from your pain. Remember, though, you can only drink pure tap water and bottled water when wearing your aligners.‍
• Consider Invisalign “chewies” – “Chewies” kind of look like earplugs. They’re made of a soft plastic material, and are meant to be chewed after you switch to a new set of Invisalign trays. Chewing them helps push your aligners onto your teeth properly, and some people find that the pressure of chewing helps relieve some of their discomfort.‍
• Eat soft foods while your teeth are tender – After you switch to a new set of aligners, you should avoid crunchy foods like popcorn, chips, and granola. Instead, opt for softer foods like bananas, yogurt, soup, macaroni and cheese, and mashed potatoes. Soft foods won’t require as much force to chew, which helps with pain. 

Interested In Invisalign Clear Aligners? Come To Myers + Co Family Dentistry Today! 

At Myers + Co. Family Dentistry, Dr. Sarah Myers is a certified Invisalign dentist and can help you explore the possibility of this popular braces alternative. If you’d like to straighten your smile in Cary, contact us online or give us a call at (919) 851-5166 to schedule an orthodontic consultation. We’re always accepting new patients, so take the first steps toward a straighter smile today. 

‍