Can I Just Wear My Invisalign at Night?
Invisalign is a popular choice when it comes to straightening your teeth and getting the smile you desire. The hidden brace system is easy to use and almost invisible, meaning it’s great for those who simply want to smile without worrying about their braces showing.
For some people, however, the idea of removing or inserting braces in public is a worrying matter, on top of that, remembering to put them back in after eating can feel too much so the question arises, can I just wear my Invisalign overnight?
Before we answer that question, we need to understand how Invisalign works.
How Does Invisalign Work?
Invisalign works under the same premise as traditional braces in that they exert gentle and continuous force on the teeth to shift them into place. The timing of the force is different in Invisalign in that each set of aligners, which is made specifically for your teeth and changed every 1 to 2 weeks, is pre-programmed to achieve specific tooth movements. At each change in Invisalign aligners, only certain teeth are allowed to move, allowing incremental changes until your teeth reach their ideal alignment.
What is the Recommended Wear Time?
To achieve maximum potential in the shortest time possible, the recommended wear time for Invisalign is 22 hours. It’s not possible to eat or brush your teeth with Invisalign aligners in, so it is not possible to wear them for every minute of the day, but it is recommended that the amount of time the aligners are not in your mouth is limited to no more than 2 hours per day.
What Would Happen if I Only Wore My Invisalign at Night?
In short, only wearing your Invisalign at night would dramatically increase your treatment time. Only wearing them when asleep means that you are cutting the recommended 22 hours a day down to just 8 to 10 hours, which means that a projected 12-month treatment plan could extend to around 24 months or longer.
The time your teeth spend out of the Invisalign aligners means this is the time they can relapse back into their original position; you want to give your teeth as little time as possible to do this. Only wearing your Invisalign at night means that your teeth will have 14 to 16 hours per day to move back to their original position. Compare this to just 2 hours a day if you were to wear them for the recommended time.
How Do the Night-time Only Online Aligners Work?
You may have heard of the nighttime-only aligners you’re able to buy online, which could prompt you to ask why Invisalign doesn't work this way. These aligners are to be used for very mild cosmetic cases, and even in these instances, these night-time aligners do not work well. We don’t recommend these aligners simply because they are not overseen by a certified, specialist orthodontist. They can be easily misused with no thorough direction given and could result in damage to your teeth and gums and could cause misaligned bite and even tooth loss.
I Don’t Want to Commit to Wearing Invisalign All Day: What Are My Options?
At Northenden House Orthodontists in Manchester, we understand that no one treatment is right for everyone. If you feel that you want to correct your smile, you want your treatment to be invisible, but you’re worried about taking them in and out in public, then we have other options that could be more suited to you.
Our Lingual Braces are an effective and very popular hidden brace system that is custom-made to fit the individual shape of your teeth. The small brackets and archwires are fitted to the back of your teeth and are possibly the most invisible method we offer.
Our Ceramic Braces are also another popular choice in hidden braces and take away the need of remembering to put them in or remove them. Ceramic braces are fitted to the front of your teeth and consist of subtle clear or tooth-coloured brackets, with metal wires running through them.
Invisalign Manchester: Come and Speak to us at Northenden House Orthodontics.
Whether you’re after Invisalign or another form of brace to correct your smile, we’re here at Northenden House Orthodontics, Manchester to establish your concerns and decide on the right treatment path for you.
Our orthodontists have undergone extensive training and we utilise the latest technological advances, along with the latest in digital imaging to ensure that you receive the most effective care possible.
Contact us today if you would like to book or discuss an initial free consultation to find out more about the treatments available.
- Mohammad Malik
