At American River Orthodontics which serves Sacramento, CA and surrounding areas, Dr. Payne and his team recommend that their patients wear their aligners for approximately 22 hours a day. It is also encouraged that patients remove their aligners for eating, drinking, brushing and flossing, which is a perfect time to clean them. Here are four different Invisalign® cleaning methods to consider:

Method #1: The Invisalign® cleaning system. Designed by Invisalign®, this cleaning system helps remove plaque within 15 minutes and keeps your aligners odor-free and clear. You can get the Invisalign® cleaning system here at American River Orthodontics.

Method #2: Purchase a denture cleaning product. While you eat you can soak your aligners in denture cleaner (one aligner per one tablet of denture cleaner). At American River Orthodontics we suggest leaving the aligners in the cleaning product for approximately one hour. This should be done twice a day.

Method #3: Use a baking soda product. Dr. Payne suggests dissolving 1 tablespoon of baking soda in 1/2 cup of water, and then soaking your trays in the baking soda water for about an hour. This method also should be done twice a day.

Method #4: Brush your aligners. With a toothbrush and toothpaste brush your aligners, this will help keep them fresh and clean of any particles.

At American River Orthodontics we want to help you keep your aligners clean so that you can straighten your teeth invisibly. If you have any questions regarding your Invisalign® care don’t hesitate to give us a call at 916.486.4233. As always remember to rinse before putting your aligners back on and keep on smiling!