Does Wearing Invisalign® Invisible Braces Hurt?

Wearing Invisalign® invisible braces is a great option if you have poor teeth alignment. These appliances provide discreet and non-invasive treatments for a variety of dental issues like:

• Underbites
• Overbites
• Crooked teeth
• Crossbites
• Spaces between teeth
• Crowded teeth

Does teeth straightening with invisible braces like Invisalign® hurt?

One common question sbout Invisalign® invisible braces is if treatment with these devices hurt. Anyone who has ever used traditional metal braces is all too aware of how uncomfortable these contraptions can be.

More about invisible braces

Traditional metal braces consist of metal brackets that are attached to each of the patient's teeth and metal wires that are used to connect the brackets and apply force on the patient's teeth. Metal braces are usually adjusted every one or two months, so the patient deals with a constant amount of force on their teeth during that period. It can make the first few weeks after metal braces have been adjusted quite painful and uncomfortable.

While invisible braces work using the same concept as traditional metal braces (gradually pushing the patient's teeth to a better position), they do not use any brackets or wires. Instead, the patient gets several aligner trays that apply a precise amount of force on each of the patient's teeth. Each tray is only worn for a couple of weeks before being replaced with another that pushes the patient's teeth a little closer to the desired position. This gradual increase in the forces being applied leads to a more comfortable experience. Patients might experience slight discomfort during the first few days of using a new aligner tray, but their teeth will quickly adjust to them. That is typically as far as discomfort goes when using invisible braces.  

Invisible braces can also lead to slight discomfort due to the aligner tray rubbing against the soft tissue in the mouth. It is a rare occurrence, however, since invisible braces are usually made out of smooth plastics to reduce the odds of soft tissues being irritated. The irritation to the soft tissues usually stops once the patient's mouth develops the callouses needed to prevent further irritation. That process should have occurred by the time the patient switches out their first pair of aligner trays.

A third type of discomfort that can result from wearing braces is cutting the tongue on the edges of the trays. While these edges are not sharp, running the tongue continuously over it can lead to cuts or blisters. It is normal to run the tongue on any foreign object on the mouth, so patients who are unable to resist the urge might find themselves with a tiny cut on their tongue once in a while.

Invisible braces are the most comfortable way to straighten teeth

While you might deal with discomfort when you first start wearing invisible braces, your mouth gets used to the appliance in a few days. Call or visit our Delray Beach clinic to learn more about how a dentist can straighten your teeth.

Request an appointment here: https://www.palmbeachdentistry.com or call Palm Beach Dentistry at (561) 225-2057 for an appointment in our Delray Beach office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Invisible Braces in Delray Beach, FL.