Tips on Removing your Invisalign Aligners

Are you breaking your nails taking off your invisalign trays? Or, are you getting so frustrated that you don’t even want to take them off? If you answered yes to any of these questions, don’t panic! We are going to share a few tricks that we have shared with our patients and even some that our patients have shared with us that will make removing your Invisalign trays a lot easier. Here we go…

Start at the back. We always recommend starting to remove your aligners from the back and usually on the tongue side of the dental arch. First, lift the aligners off the molars on each side of the mouth, then gradually work towards the front. Some patients prefer to remove from one side of the mouth to the other. If you choose to use this approach be careful to not use too much force since it can lead to aligner breakage.

Start away from attachments.  Lift off easier sections of the tray and leave tougher areas for last such as, crowded areas and areas with several attachments. So if a specific area is too difficult try another area until gradually the whole aligner is off. When you reach those areas, lift tray out and over the attachment

Use a paper towel. Several of our patients have sworn that using paper towels increase the grip on the aligner allowing them to grasp the aligner firmly thereby allowing them to pull the trays off the molars. This might not work for every patient especially if they have several attachments. However, if you try this approach, it is helpful to keep your mouth as dry as possible.

Use an Outie. An outie is an invisalign removal tool although it is not provided by Align Technology.  It looks similar to a crochet hook and is designed specifically for removing clear braces by hooking under the edge of the aligner and lifting it away from the tooth. They are especially helpful for people with attachments. If your orthodontist does not provide you with them you can find them online (http://www.shop.outietool.com/). 

Try changing aligners at night: Similar to wire changes during braces, new aligners are going to feel tighter (if they didn’t then your teeth would not move!). For this reason, some patients prefer to insert new aligners prior to going to sleep. The rationale is that your teeth will get adjusted over the course of the night making them easier to remove in the morning.  Additionally, the discomfort is more tolerable if you are sleeping and not thinking about it. However, if they keep you up at night, you may want to reconsider this approach or take a mild painkiller to get your through the night.

Removing aligners gets easier with time: Initially, if you try to remove your new aligners, you will find that it is quite challenging. Be patient as your teeth adjust and you will notice that the aligner becomes much easier to remove the longer you wear it. So wherever possible, try to hold off removing your trays.

Hopefully you will find success with one of the above tips. However, if all else fails, do not forget to stay calm. Take a deep breath and relax. Removing your aligners gets more difficult when you panic and become frustrated. Good Luck!