This is one question that I get asked over and over again. As a member of the Invisalign Mom Advisory Board, I am receiving complimentary treatment from Invisalign so this means that I am experiencing Invisalign first hand.
There are times during your Invisalign treatment where it might not feel good but there hasn't been one time yet where I would say it is painful. It is more uncomfortable rather than painful. I should note that I also wore traditional braces about 20 years ago so I find Invisalign to be no more uncomfortable and no less than traditional braces.
There is shifting and changing happening with your teeth. It will get uncomfortable but it hasn't been anything that I couldn't live with but let's discuss when Invisalign can be uncomfortable and what you can do about it.
There are three times that I have identified when I find Invisalign uncomfortable.
1. Aligner Switch Day (see How I Switch Trays below).
I definitely feel a pressure the day that I switch aligners. However, I know that this means they are working and my teeth are shifting like they should so the end result that I am wanting far outweighs any minimal discomfort that doesn't last long..
2. Gum irritation.
This only happened during the first week after I got rubber bands. There is a little break in the aligner that allows a rubber band to hook onto it. I have rubber bands on each side. As a result, the first week I had some gum irritation.
To combat this, I rinsed with mouthwash a lot to make certain that food didn't get caught near the irritation sites and after about a week, I didn't have any more irritation.
3. Chewing food or certain foods.
Avoid tough to chew foods after first putting in aligners. I actually crunched some ice (not sure what I was thinking there) and that did NOT feel good. My teeth were a little sore.
I have a process that I repeat every single time that I put my new trays in. I take some ibuprofen about an hour before I go to bed. Right before bed, I brush, floss and then put in the new aligners. I fall asleep and when I waked up in the morning, I barely even notice the new trays. This works well!
The only time Invisalign really bothers me is when I have taken the aligners out and left them out for too long. You are supposed to wear the aligners for 22 hours everyday so on the few days that I haven't done that, my jaws kind of hurt. I left them at home one day and was gone for a little over 8 hours. I instantly felt relief when I put them back in. I haven't gone without them since!
Other than that, the next day after switching aligners, I barely even notice that they are there. There is discomfort and everyone's level of discomfort can be different but I have worn traditional braces and found everything to be the same with the exception of that no one knows I am wearing Invisalign. I LOVE that!
The best thing to do if you are experiencing continuous discomfort is to talk to your Orthodontist.
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I am a member of the Invisalign Mom Advisory Board. I am receiving complimentary Invisalign treatment as part of this program. All opinions are my own. Invisalign Mom Advisory Board Disclosure Statement.
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I had metal braces and I would have given anything for these when I was a kid!!
i would think it should be uncomfortable with new trays- like you said, that would reassure me that my teeth were shifting. i remember having braces- when they tightened those hideous wires, i’d be sore- within a few days? just fine.
Those are great tips for the days you switch trays. I had very few issues when I had Invisalign.
I just learned some excellent information about invisalign. Thanks for addressing the issue that concerns most of us the most – Does it hurt? It’s good to know there may be discomfort, but that you haven’t noticed pain.
Our dentist has already told us that our daughter is going to need braces. I got them in the 3rd grade, so I’m not surprised. I’d love for her to escape the traditional, metal braces if possible. They are so uncomfortable. It sounds like Invisalign might be a better option for her.
Thanks for the heads up . good to know.
I’ve taken the assessment. I am hoping to someday have Invisalign. I have never had straight teeth. It would be nice to know what it feels like.
Thanks for this info! I’ve been wondering about the comfort level of Invisalign.
I always wondered if it hurt! Good to know it doesn’t as much as actual braces!
So much great info. I’ve been considering this for a while now. I had braces in middle school but my bottom teeth have all shifted back.
I always wondered about invisalign. My kids had traditional braces but we considered Invisalign for my daughter!
Oh man. Where were these when I was a kid? I had brace face complete with picking food out of my braces. Gross.
These sound great! I we’d had these when I was a kid.
These are so great! Kids have so many things to be self conscious about. It’s nice that braces don’t have to be one of them now.
Thanks for the honest feedback. I’ve always wanted to try this!
Thank you for all of these great details on Invisalign. I really want to try it out!
Thank you for sharing these details about Invisalign. I think it’s great that there’s another option to regular metal braces.
I had conventional braces as a teen and have invisalign now. Invisalign hurts way less than the metal braces, I love my invisalign 🙂
I think Invisalign is a great option for professionals who want to straighten their teeth but don’t want to look like they went back to high school. Since they aren’t noticeable, that is perfect. Of course there’s a little pain but even when we exercise and work our bodies hard we ache a little. No pain, no gain, right?
I would think invisalign would hurt less. Don’t have that metal scratching the inside of your checks.
I’m going to be talking to my dentist about ortho’s in town. I’ve got minor issues. 🙂 Thanks Stacie!
My friend used these. He had a great experience with it.
My son wants to try the Invisalign. It’s nice to know it doesn’t hurt (except for a bit if you leave it out too long).
Ive heard such great things about invisalign. I needed braces as a kid, but we couldn’t afford it. This would have been wonderful.
My oldest hated her braces, they caused nothing but irritation. I wish we would have known more about invisalign back then
I hadn’t ever thought to ask if they hurt, since they do look more comfortable than old school braces. I love that you are sharing your journey with these. So many are curious about this, I know my Mom recently used them and while I thought her teeth were perfect before she used them, I did notice a difference afterwards!
I had braces when i was a teenager. I have always wondered about these. I like your tip taking the ibuprofen before bed when you switch to a new tray.
I have them and wear them at night only to keep my expensive work in tip-top shape. They weren’t around when I originally had orthodontic work done. Such a bummer, I love and they do NOT hurt 🙂
I really want to try invisalign! I think it’s so cool.
I am sure it hurts no more than braces do. I have been considering getting invisalign
We are talking about Invisalign for my daughter. She has a dental appointment next week!
I have zero to no discomfort from mine. I’m really pretty pleased with them!
I would love to try these someday. I had braces, but now I need a little refresh to put them back in place!
I would love to have Invisalign some day. I had braces, but no longer have the retainers and my bottom teeth are starting to shift.
I had braces as a kid, but I think invisalign would have been a much better experience!
I could probably benefit from invisalign now. I did braces when I was a kid but it was painful for me and I begged my parents to allow me to take them off. I wished they would have said no all these years later.
I’ve been considering getting invisalign for a while now, but I’ve been worried that they could hurt just as much if not more than braces. I’m glad then to find out that this isn’t the case, unless you don’t wear them like you should. However, it’s the same with retainers and other mouth equipment for teeth. I will be sure to keep your tips in mind to reduce pain in case I do get invisalign. Hopefully it will make the experience much more enjoyable!