What Happens in the First 4 Weeks With Invisalign® Treatment?
Your first week of Invisalign® treatment will likely be the most uncomfortable because you're not used to wearing your aligners yet. When you first wear your aligners, they are the tightest they will be over the 2 weeks that you need to wear them.
They start very snugly against your teeth, which enables the aligners to gradually shift your teeth by exerting gentle pressure on them. As your teeth begin to shift, the aligners aren’t as tight. After 2 weeks, you will switch to a new set of aligners.
While it’s normal to feel some level of soreness, tenderness, or sensitivity in your teeth when you first switch to a new aligner, most patients report that discomfort is most common in the first week of treatment and then subsides.
You can rinse your mouth with saltwater solutions and take anti-inflammatory pain medication for relief. After the first week, you will likely be getting the hang of things, as you get used to taking your aligners out whenever you eat or drink flavored or hot beverages.
You’ll need to clean the aligners twice a day and brush and floss your teeth every time you eat. This prevents bacteria and stains from building up in your aligners. The first 2 weeks are your first set of aligners so you can expect to feel the most discomfort and difficulty speaking clearly during these 2 weeks.
Once you switch to your next set of aligners, you’ll likely be getting better at pronunciation and getting used to your aligners. As long as you have been wearing them for 22 hours per day, you shouldn’t have any trouble fitting your next aligners over your teeth. Your treatment remains the same throughout all of the weeks, but you should feel more comfortable as time progresses.
