Invisalign - Steve Sirin, DDS

Was Invisalign the Wrong Choice to Correct My Midline?

June 17, 2019 by Athena Smiles

I’m really frustrated over the lack of progress I’ve had with Invisalign. A little over 1.5 years ago, I told my dentist that I wanted to straighten my smile. The big issue was that the line between my two front teeth wasn’t lined up with the middle of my face, so it made everything look asymmetrical. His plan involved doing Invisalign for nine months to straighten that line and then doing some veneers. To his credit, he let me do payment plans. I paid half of the treatment costs up front and then made payments for the full nine months. At the end of the nine months, the line still wasn’t quite right. He suggested we do another six months and ordered a new set of aligners.

Fast-forward to this week, I’m nearing the end of the second round and my teeth still are not how they should be. I consulted with another doc who says I never should have been offered clear braces. He says I should have done traditional metal braces.

Now I don’t know who to trust. Should I get a third opinion? And, if so, and this doc concurs I should have done metal braces, do I have recourse? Can I demand a refund from first one? Without it, I’m not sure I can afford to start treatment all over again. And, even if I could, I’m not sure I want to.

-Jim

Dear Jim,

If you aren’t certain whom to trust, there’s no harm in getting another opinion, but let’s break down the specifics here.

Invisalign Works for Most Situations, But Not All

Addressing the midline is tricky. The aligners are incredibly precise because they’re generated by a computer to exacting measurements. There is some possibility metal braces would have been a better choice, but it could also be a difference of opinion. A lot of general dentists offer orthodontic treatment with aligners and that’s within their level of expertise and comfort zone. It sounds like you started with a general dentist. On the flip side, orthodontists usually offer both, and they are frequently old school in their approach, and it sounds like you had your second visit with an orthodontist. In either case, it isn’t necessarily wrong, but the dentist must be able to live up to the expectations he sets.

That said, any tool is only as good as the craftsman wielding it. It sounds like you do have a particularly challenging case and it’s probably better that you’re in the care of an orthodontist now. Regardless, you’ve given the first dentist a year and a half to make good on the expectations he set and he hasn’t. In this respect, it’s probably time to move on.

Start with a Polite Refund Request

A lot of dentists will be totally ok with giving a refund under these circumstances. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an issue. Just start with a simple and polite refund request. You can speak with the dentist or to his office.

If he fails to respond, you can also ask the dentist you’re seeing now to send a refund request on your behalf. Doing so can help build the credibility of your case if the dentist has any doubts.

From there, you can caution him that you plan to take your complaint to peer review boards or the local dental board. Again, keep it polite, but be firm. If he doesn’t respond, take the action you said you would.

Lastly, you can retain a lawyer. This is not to say this dentist was negligent or did anything wrong—but it would be the next logical step if you don’t get the resolution you seek with the earlier steps. Best of luck to you.

This blog is sponsored by Elgin Invisalign dentist, Dr. Steve Sirin.

Could I Choke on My Invisalign While I Sleep?

May 22, 2019 by Athena Smiles

This may or may not sound crazy, but I’m supposed to get Invisalign next month and I’m terrified my aligners will dislodge while I’m asleep and I’ll choke. Does this sort of thing ever happen? If so, can I only wear them during the day? I know the rules say I have to wear them all night, but isn’t wearing them some of the time better than not wearing them at all?

Thanks.

-T.

Dear T.,

Most removable dental appliances do come with a disclaimer that they could potentially be swallowed, but don’t let that scare you. There aren’t any reports of that actually happening and causing any harm.

Invisalign Aligners are Snug

Your aligners are made with the use of CAD/CAM technology. Basically, the computer gets the image of your mouth and maps out every single ridge and pit. Then, a map of what your mouth will look like after treatment is created, and from there, the computer automatically generates all the steps between. Each aligner gives your teeth a little nudge. Ergo, the first time you put them on, they’ll be incredibly snug. It may even take you a few times to get the hang of snapping them into place and getting them back off again because they’re not an exact fit for where your teeth are—they’re a fit for where your teeth will be. Each set is typically worn for two weeks, so by the end of those two weeks, they will be a perfect fit. In any case, they start snug and finish snug.

Aligners are Made from Durable Plastic

It’s also worth noting that the aligners are made from a tough plastic material that is designed to withstand biting forces and apply pressure to your teeth. If not for that, they wouldn’t move them. Invisalign has gone so far to patent its material. Under any kind of ordinary circumstances, they will not break. You’d actually have to work pretty hard to get them to snap. The aligners are designed to be worn a couple of weeks, but they’re durable enough that some people keep their final set for years and wear them as a retainer.

You Shouldn’t Wear Them If You’re Incapacitated

You’re naturally self-aware of what happens while you sleep. If you didn’t have some awareness, you’d fall out of bed every night. The same is true of what’s going on with your aligners. Although it’s incredibly unlikely they’d slip out of place or break, chances are you’d wake up right away if they ever did. However, if something interferes with your natural processes, such as alcohol or medications, you might not. In those cases, it would be more understandable to skip the aligners that night. Equally, if you suffer from a sleep condition and take sleep aids, it’s worthwhile to mention this to your dentist before you start treatment. Although you’d probably be fine regardless, the two of you may agree traditional braces are a better fit for your needs.

You Shouldn’t “Break the Rules”

If you don’t adhere to the schedule, the results aren’t predictable. There’s some chance your teeth will shift back to their original positions each night and you’d never make any progress. If you miss one night here and there, you probably won’t have an issue, but if it becomes a habit, you will. Lastly, as long as you’re taking care of them and switching them out when you should, they’re going to remain in top condition the whole time they’re in use. It’s once you start edging away from the instructions that you run the risk of having trouble.

This blog is sponsored by Elgin Invisalign provider, Dr. Steve Sirin.

What Foods are Safe to Eat with Invisalign?

March 26, 2019 by Athena Smiles

bowl of mixed fruit for invisalign food blog

I’m wondering what foods are safe to eat when I get Invisalign. I know the general rule with braces is that you have to avoid chewy or sticky stuff because it can damage the braces, but you don’t wear Invisalign while you eat. So, does my diet have to change at all?

The main reason why I’m asking is because I’ve been on the paleo diet for about a year now and I’m doing really well on it. However, I’m not really much of a meat eater and I never have been. I eat a lot nuts and eat an apple just about every day. I’m worried that going through ortho will somehow relegate me to meals outside the paleo diet and, if so, I’m just not up for that.

Thanks,

Meaghan

Dear Meaghan,

You should be totally in the clear doing the paleo diet while you’re using the Invisalign system. As you noted, the real worry is, with braces, that you’ll damage the wires or pull your brackets off. Because you wouldn’t be wearing the aligners while you eat, none of that is a concern.

The only potential pitfall is that your teeth will become mobile while you go through any kind of ortho. They have to or they wouldn’t move to their intended spaces. Right when you start and when you switch aligners, you’ll notice some sensitivity and it will probably get worse if you’re eating hard and crunchy foods. Everyone is a little different. You may be ok if you’re going with softer nuts like cashews, but chances are, you’ll probably want to give them up periodically throughout. To be fair, the apples could become a problem too.

However, where there’s will, there’s a way. If you’re experiencing sensitivity or achiness as you transition between aligners and your mouth is telling you apples and nuts are a no-go, something like a fruit puree could work. You’ve probably seen those in little pouches at the grocery store. Some companies mix in veggies too. You can also mix your own purees or do a kind of smoothie.

There are ways to get protein in too. For example, eggs are a fantastic source. Legumes are typically out, which means no peanut butter, refried beans, soy, or chickpeas, but these are all healthier non-meat options if you’re willing to bend the rules for a few days. You can also choose things like avocado and spinach, which both have decent protein and are paleo. Of course, there’s also spirulina, which has 4g of protein per tablespoon and is often hailed as a paleo superfood, though some people report upset stomachs when they ingest it in large quantities.

The bottom line is, you know what foods you like and what fits within your diet. You can certainly find ways to modify your meals during the tender times, and it’s a good idea to come up with a list of alternatives before you start treatment. If you have worries that you won’t be getting the nutrition you need because some foods may be out for short periods of time, you can also consult with a nutritionist in advance.

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Steve Sirin, an Elgin Invisalign provider.

Are Invisalign Braces Toxic?

February 20, 2019 by Athena Smiles

glass ball in nature for invisalign safety blog

I’m worried about the safety of Invisalign. I’ve been using the system for about eight months and have not had any issues with it. However, I just found out I’m pregnant. Although I wasn’t planning on having a baby, I’m incredibly excited and this will be my first child. I started reading about the precautions I should be taking, and several articles mentioned avoiding plastics of all types. Then, it hit me—my aligners are plastic. I stopped wearing them right away just to be on the safe side, but now my mind is going a mile a minute. Are Invisalign braces toxic? If they are, then how much danger have I already put my unborn child in by wearing the aligners and is there a way to undo any damage from exposure? I’m probably 5-6 weeks along, if that matters.

Thank you,

Lis

Dear Lis,

This is a great question that weighs on the minds of a lot of people, particularly with all the information that’s circulating on the net. It can sometimes be difficult to tell what’s what and which piece of information is true. This is an area where you will see lots of conflicting reports, so this page will break down some of the common concerns about the safety and toxicity of Invisalign and point you to reliable and trustworthy sources to confirm information.

BPA is not typically a component of clear braces.

“People became worried about BPA safety because of animal studies that showed a link between high levels of the chemical and infertility, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure,” says WebMD. This was of particular concern in 2008 when the CDC announced more than 90% of all adults had BPA in their systems. There was enough worry or public outcry over it that companies which manufacture baby-related products such as bottles and dinnerware moved away from it and the FDA ultimately restricted its use in some cases.

Each manufacturer has its own proprietary blend of plastics and raw materials which go into their clear braces, so it may not be guaranteed across the board, but Invisalign reports that their raw materials do not contain “latex, parabens, phthalates, glutaraldehyde, epoxy or Bisphenol A (BPA).” Ergo, if you’re going with the trade name, this is not a concern.

Cytotoxicity and estrogenicity have been ruled out.

Researchers have also looked into cytotoxicity and estrogenicity; cytotoxicity meaning toxic to cells and estrogenicity meaning the substance behaves like estrogen in the body. Ultimately, it’s these things which were the worry with BPA. There’s a fantastic article on Scientific American which breaks down the discovery of the link between BPA, hormonal abnormalities, and fertility issues. It was written in 2008 and much research has been conducted since; to the point the FDA believes BPA is safe. That being said, BPA is not even a component of the aligners and, to take it a step further, researchers have experimented with the aligners regardless of their BPA status and have reached the conclusion that the aligners do not produce any estrogenic effects.

Adverse effects are incredibly rare.

An alternate research study looked at adverse effects as a whole. It was published by the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dental Orthopedics and it looked over all adverse reports from 2006 through 2016. In 2017, the brand announced over five million people had used their aligners. That’s a significant number, but perhaps what’s most interesting is that of the millions of people who have worn the aligners, just 173 adverse events were recorded. This isn’t the total number of people, to be clear, as individuals could report more than one event each.

The Most Common Adverse Events:

Difficulty breathing (56)
Sore throat (35)
Swollen throat (34)
Swollen tongue (31)
Hives and itchiness (31)
Anaphylaxis (30)
Swollen lips (27)
Feeling of throat closing/tight airway/airway obstruction/laryngospasm (24)

There are no issues at all related to pregnancy, toxicity, or hormonal issues. Most items on the list appear to be related to allergy, irritation, or immune responses. Considering how few people have even those issues, the aligners are some of the safest medical devices around right now.

It’s difficult to imagine a safer product than clear braces.

When you look at the data and the FDA approval, all signs point to the clear aligners as being incredibly safe. Moreover, they actually serve an important health benefit. Crooked teeth are hard to clean, which means people without straight teeth typically wind up with more incidences of gum disease and tooth decay. Research presented by the American Academy of Periodontology notes that gum disease in pregnancy is linked to pre-term labor, low birthweight, and a host of other conditions which can span the child’s whole life. In other words, ditching the aligners is needless, and there’s some chance it could actually be detrimental to yours and the baby’s health to stop orthodontic treatment, particularly if you struggle with gingivitis. Keep using them as planned and visit your dentist for a cleaning and checkup for maximum health.

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Steve Sirin, a provider of Invisalign in Elgin, Illinois.

Are Invisalign Trays Recyclable?

January 23, 2019 by Athena Smiles

I recently wrapped up a round of Invisalign treatment. While I was going through it, my dentist told me to make sure I kept the old ones, just in case I needed to use them again for some reason. It kind of made sense at the time, particularly if I were to lose one, but now I’ve got a drawer full of them and have no clue what I’m supposed to do with them. Since they’re plastic, are they safe to toss in the recycle bin? Is there any kind of special protocol I need to do beforehand, like run them through the dishwasher first?

Thanks,

Josh

Dear Josh,

This is a great question, Josh. Invisalign recently got a patent for the plastic they use and call it SmartTrack. According to their press release, the material is a “multi-layer polymer.” This basically means there are lots of layers of plastic pressed together in order to make the trays. An example of this in film form is cellophane; what you might wrap your leftovers in or what your meat from the deli counter could be wrapped in. However, there are many types of polymers too, and they can be mixed together to form different materials. According to Invisalign, they tested over 260 materials before they settled on SmartTrack. That’s fairly easy to do given how a single shift in polymer use results in a whole new material.

That being said, you’re probably familiar with the numbers written on the bottom of plastic items. Those designate the type of plastic because each type has to be processed differently in recycling and some facilities don’t have the ability to recycle certain numbers, while certain plastics are not recyclable at all. In this case, the plastic used is actually a mixture of plastics, and scientists are still working out how to effectively recycle it. So, at present, the tech doesn’t exist to recycle the trays.

Adding to this, most cities have a ban on recycling medical waste. Here in Elgin, medical waste cannot be recycled. The trays typically fall under this classification, meaning even if the tech existed, you still couldn’t toss the trays in the recycle bin.

Bear in mind, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Everything we do leaves a carbon footprint of some sort. If you’re going with metal braces, then there’s mining, processing, shipping, and more taking place. If you don’t get braces of any type, then having teeth closer together or misaligned can put you at greater risk for decay. Ergo, you aren’t wrong to act and take care of your oral health. You need to. Given the choices available to us today, trays are not a bad way to go, but hopefully new materials will emerge that provide similar results with a lessened carbon footprint.

This blog is sponsored by Elgin Invisalign dentist, Dr. Steve Sirin.

When Will My Elgin Dentist Get My Invisalign Aligners?

January 16, 2019 by Athena Smiles

compass and map for elgin dentist invisalign blog

Will it take an Elgin dentist longer to get Invisalign aligners than it would for one in Chicago? That probably sounds like a weird question, given how close the two cities are, but the reason why I’m asking is because I wanted to get a start on my treatment right away. My dentist in Elgin quoted me a six-week wait, but my friend who goes to an office in Chicago was told four weeks or less. When I questioned my office, they said “it’s always six weeks.” Is there something odd about transit or bigger cities getting preferential treatment or is my office just behaving strangely? I guess neither is good. I’m just confused. If it does take longer for things to be made and shipped for some reason, will this impact my treatment later and slow me down even more?

Thanks,

Sammi

Dear Sammi,

It sounds like you’re following the general process; that the Invisalign factory gets your models and pictures, fabricates the aligners, and then ships them to your dentist in Elgin. There shouldn’t be a difference in timing based on the cities. It could be that your office has had bad experiences with cases showing up late or getting delayed in transit, so perhaps they delay booking the delivery appointment longer than others. Or, it could be that the person was misinformed, they were booked, the dentist would be on vacation, or something similar. This is a good question you’d want to ask them directly. If a staff member doesn’t know, the office manager or doctor will.

As far as the delay impacting things as you progress in treatment goes, it should not. When the aligners are fabricated, they’re done all at once in a big batch. Your dental office may not give them to you in one lump. Oftentimes, they’ll only give out a couple at a time to ensure you follow up with your check-ups and to make sure that the aligners remain in good condition until you’re ready to use them. The only reason it might become an issue later on is if your treatment changes or you lose an aligner. With lost aligners, people can usually just move to the next set, so a replacement isn’t necessary, but it depends on how long you wear it before it’s lost. Because treatment is mapped out by a computer, it’s pretty rare to have anything change while you’re working through the aligners. In other words, chances are your office will have them all from the start, so there’s no waiting for shipments at all.

This blog is sponsored by Elgin Invisalign dentist, Dr. Steve Sirin.

Would Invisalign Have Been an Option for Freddie Mercury?

December 14, 2018 by Athena Smiles

My friends and I just finished watching Bohemian Rhapsody and got to talking about Freddie Mercury’s teeth. Supposedly, he never got them fixed because he was afraid it would change his voice. Is it true that braces do this? And, even though Invisalign didn’t exist back then, would that maybe have worked better for him if it did?

Thanks,

Deklyn

Dear Deklyn,

There’s a whole lot of talk about Freddie Mercury’s teeth lately. Most reports say he had four extra teeth. In the dental world, that’s referred to as hyperdontia, and it affects 1-4% of the population. A whole lot of the reports say all four were in his upper jaw. That would be pretty extreme and is fairly unlikely, considering he has severe crowding on both his upper and lower jaws. Chances are, he had one extra tooth in each quadrant of his mouth.

One way to think of this is to compare it to wisdom teeth. If you have adequate space in your mouth for them and they come in well, they go right in place and don’t cause an issue. Most of us don’t have the space for them or they come in facing the wrong way/ twisted/ angled, so as they come in, they push all the other teeth together toward the front of the mouth. Freddie had this too, but it was amplified because there were even more teeth coming in.

Just like wisdom teeth, extra teeth or hyperdontic teeth don’t always need to be removed. The concern comes in when they move the other teeth out of position. That changes the bite and also makes it really hard to keep the teeth clean, thus increasing the risk of decay. So, most dentists will preemptively remove those teeth—saving the patient from a crooked smile and inevitable decay.

As you noted, Freddie was resistant to this because he thought it would change his voice. He wasn’t worried about what it would be like during treatment, so it’s not a matter of braces vs Invisalign, but rather whether changing the teeth changes the voice.

Well, let’s consider the inverse for just a moment. The actor who played Mercury was a guy named Rami Malek. In order to do the role, he had a prosthesis made. His fake “Freddie teeth” went on over the top of his natural ones and he wore them throughout filming. Malek actually had his teeth made before the film even got the greenlight and he went straight to work; wearing them daily and practicing talking and singing in them. You can hear the finished product in the movie. In other words, his voice didn’t change, but he had to learn to adapt to the shape of his teeth. It would have been the same for Mercury.

Modern singers would do well to consult with their dentists first, but Invisalign may be a better option for situations like this because they can take them out for performances or learn to sing with them on, just as Malek did with his prosthesis.

freddie mercury gold teeth for invisalign blog

Malek with a gold version of his Freddie Mercury teeth

This blog is sponsored by Elgin Invisalign provider, Dr. Steve Sirin.

Are Invisalign Aligners Made with 3-D Printers?

October 28, 2018 by Christene Bennett

Hello,

I am a fifth grade student at [name redacted] school in Elgin, Illinois. My class is working on a project about how technology is used in everyday life and I am going to talk about 3D printing. My teacher said clear braces like Invisalign are one example but I cannot find information about this online. I know. I looked EVERYWHERE. Can you please tell me if she was right and how the process works?

Sincerely,

Joshua

Dear Joshua,

This is a great question! Yes, your teacher is correct. Invisalign aligners are made with 3-D printers. The technical term for the process is Stereolithography or SLA for short. A company called Formlabs gives a really good overview about how SLA works. It’s a bit high-tech, but there are videos you can watch on it too. To view the page, go here: https://formlabs.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-stereolithography-sla-3d-printing/

When patients are in the office, digital images of a patient’s mouth are taken, and those are stored in the computer system. Specialized software creates a virtual map of the person’s mouth and is used to create digital models of what their mouth looks like at that moment, what it will look like in the end, and the individual steps or movements the teeth will need to make to get there. Each movement represents a different aligner. Patients will start with the first one, which closely represents where their teeth are now, then move to one that’s slightly different to encourage the teeth to shift to a new position. This continues on through several aligners. Each one is worn for a couple weeks and the average patient usually has 20-30 different aligners, meaning their treatment will last about a year.

The initial data is transferred from the dental office to a manufacturing plant where one of the first steps is to form the individual aligners using SLA or 3-D printing. If you check out the page linked earlier, you’ll get a better idea of how it works, but the gist is that the aligner is slowly built up in layers using a specialized thermoplastic material. It’s an automated process. The printer references the “map” of the mouth made earlier, so the finished aligner takes on the exact shape of one of the stages of movement and matches the person’s teeth and oral structures perfectly.

From there, each aligner is given a tag with an ID number, so that it’s easy to tell which patient any given aligner belongs to—that’s important in a factory that processes thousands each day and in busy dental offices with lots of Invisalign patients! It also identifies where the aligner sits in the sequence, whether it’s the 1^st, 30^th, or will be worn somewhere in between.

From there, the aligners are trimmed to feel comfortable against the gums and then polished, so they’re nice and smooth. The factory ships the finished aligners back to the local dentist, who then will usually give just a few to a patient at a time and perform checks to see progress as the person moves through their aligners.

There are lots of factories that make Invisalign aligners. The infrastructure and technology cost millions (if not billions by now) of dollars to put in place. The video below was designed to teach dentists how the aligners are made, so it might be a little hard to follow, but check it out if you want to see the process in action and the real machines being used!

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Steve Sirin, an Elgin Invisalign provider and family dentist.

What Happens if I Lose My Invisalign Aligner at College?

August 20, 2018 by Athena Smiles

I’m about to start my freshman year at an out-of-state college. I started Invisalign treatment a little over a year ago and we all thought I’d be done long before I left. In truth, some of the fault is mine because I wasn’t always the best at wearing it, but I’ve gotten better. I got to thinking, though, what happens if I lose my aligner while I’m away from home and can’t get back in to see my Elgin dentist? I’ve got return trips planned throughout the year. For example, I will be back at fall break and Christmas break for sure, and then again for spring break. But, we’re talking nine weeks or so between each return trip. If I lose my aligner, it could totally derail my treatment. Obviously, I’ll do everything I can to take care of it, but to set my mind at ease, what happens if I do lose my Invisalign aligner? Worse yet, they’re sending me away with several… what if I lose them all?

Thanks,

Shea

Dear Shea,

If it happens, place a call to your dentist right away. Depending on where you’re at with treatment and how long you’ve been wearing a particular set, your doctor will pitch a different solution. For example, if you’re close to moving onto the next one, your office may just tell you to progress, so long as the new aligner fits ok. If it doesn’t or you’ve just started with an aligner, the doctor may have you backtrack to your most recent one and will have the missing one remade for you. Depending on the office, they may either send it to you or will give it to one of your family members, so they can get it to you in a timely manner.

Some plans have replacement aligners built in just in case you lose one. Odds are, however, if you lose several of them at once, you’ll be responsible for paying to replace them. If you’re living in a dorm or home where you’re not certain you can keep them safe, it may be better to leave them at home and have a parent send them to you one or two at a time as needed. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if you lost them—they can be replaced—though it would be pricy to do so. If you’re still worried and having them sent to you is not an option, chat with your office to see what they suggest. If the aligners haven’t been made already, you may be able to transfer to an office closer to your school.

This blog is sponsored by Elgin Invisalign dentist, Dr. Steve Sirin.

Can I Remove My Invisalign and/or Attachments for My Wedding?

July 20, 2018 by Athena Smiles

I started Invisalign about six months ago and thought I’d be done by now, but my dentist says I still have several more months to go. I’m not due to go back for another month and my wedding is in two weeks. I keep looking at myself in the mirror and I’m certain that the attachments will show up in photos and I’m pretty sure my aligners will too. I asked my photographer about having them photoshopped out and she said she could do it, but that it would be at her hourly rate and would likely run a couple-hundred dollars more.

So, the more I think about it, the more I want to try to remove the attachments. Can I pop them off myself and then go back in and have them added on again after the wedding? What about the aligners? How long can I go without them?

Thank you,

Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,

Congratulations on your happy news! Your best bet with this is to contact your dentist and let them know what’s going on. They’ll be able to give you recommendations specific to your case. However, some general info is provided below to help you get started and know what you might be able to expect.

Don’t try to remove the attachments on your own. They’re bonded to your teeth and are the same material fillings are made from. They’re designed to give the aligners something to grip to in order to encourage more movement. In other words, they should be able to withstand a fair amount of force and if they aren’t removed properly, you could cause permanent damage.

Your dentist may be able to remove them for you for a couple of days, but you will want to get them back on as soon as possible. As far as the aligners go, the general rule is that you should be wearing them 22 hours per day. That said, if you’re normally pretty good about wearing them, you can probably get away with keeping them off during the ceremony and reception. Don’t be surprised if they’re a little uncomfortable to put back in or if the next set is more snug than usual though. There’s also a possibility your doctor will have you stay in this set of aligners a little longer than planned, just to ensure you get the movement necessary to progress.

This blog is sponsored by Elgin Invisalign dentist, Dr. Steve Sirin.