How to Clean Your Invisalign Aligners

closeup of a woman with red lipstick taking out her clear aligners from Queensboro Plaza Dental Care

For many patients, Invisalign® aligners are a fantastic solution to crooked teeth. For those that are good candidates for clear aligner therapy, treatment delivers impressive results. The trays are barely noticeable, comfortable to wear, and fairly simple to maintain. When undergoing treatment, patients spend the majority of their days (at least 20-22 hours) wearing the trays. As a result, it’s imperative that the aligners are kept clean. In this post, we’ll share some hygiene tips to help patients protect their Invisalign aligners from deterioration and discoloration.

  1. Always Rinse
  2. Anytime you remove your aligners, make sure to rinse them with cold water. This will prevent your saliva from building up on the aligner and harboring foul-smelling bacteria.

  3. Use Soap
  4. When you clean your aligners morning and night, reach for a gentle unscented liquid soap instead of toothpaste. Certain toothpastes can be too abrasive for the thin plastic, creating tiny scratches that can house bacteria. Additionally, scratched aligners won’t be quite as clear, making the trays more noticeable when worn. Just be sure to rinse them thoroughly so you don’t have a soapy taste in your mouth.

  5. Give Them a Soak
  6. For a deeper clean, soak your aligners in a gentle retainer cleaner, like Retainer Brite®, during meals. Then rinse and gently brush off any residue before placing back in your mouth.

  7. Never Use Hot Water
  8. Although you might think that hot water is more effective in killing germs, it’s an absolute no-no when it comes to cleaning your clear aligners. You’ll risk warping the thin plastic tray, rendering the aligner totally useless.

Invisalign at Queensboro Plaza Dental Care

Ready for a straighter smile? Here at Queensboro Plaza Dental Care, we’re proud to offer Invisalign clear aligner therapy in Long Island City. So if you’re interested in perfecting your smile discreetly and efficiently, contact us to schedule a consultation. We’d be thrilled to help you achieve a straighter and healthier smile!

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Patient Reviews

Karoline PammerKaroline Pammer
20:52 30 Mar 22
Dr. Nguyen and his staff are extremely competent, friendly and professional. He is very thorough and explains everything very clearly. Finally I feel like I am in good hands when it comes to dental care.
Matt SmithMatt Smith
21:18 05 Feb 22
Great overall experience getting a dental cleaning. Very friendly staff, beautifully designed office, and a comfortable experience watching calming Netflix nature programming while in the chair. Complimentary beverages are in the waiting room and so is a little play area for kids.It felt to me that this was a patient-focused family practice as opposed to a cold, corporate dental mill trying to churn through as many patients as possible.I’ll definitely be coming back here for all my dental needs and I highly recommend.
Sundup SherpaSundup Sherpa
22:07 02 Feb 22
Dr. Nguyen and his staff are very welcoming and they provide an excellent experience every time I visit. I’ve only been here twice for annual checkups but would definitely consider and recommend this place to anyone who appreciates good customer experience and a very thoughtful approach to making sure that you feel at home. I have some procedures set up for later in the month and I must actually be the only person in the world actually looking forward to a dentist appointment.
Jayrockem GottemJayrockem Gottem
21:27 09 Nov 21
Great place wonderful staff they will be my go too dentist 100%
shawaf alishawaf ali
22:08 26 Aug 21
Very confident after leaving the office that my teeth are in greatttt hands. Above and beyond patient care. Very informative visits. A sense that they genuinely care about patient concerns. Added helpful guidelines I took home with me to reach dental hygiene goals before my next visits. Highly recommended you leave your old scary dentist ! 😁😁
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Queensboro Plaza Dental Care

Queensboro Plaza Dental Care