Summer is here, and you cannot wait to get into the water. However, you might be wearing Invisalign® or dental braces near you, and you are unsure whether getting into the water with them will be a good idea. Don’t fret! We will answer that in a bit.
However, we understand that you might have concerns since it takes some time to get used to wearing dental braces or Invisalign®. But, once you receive your teeth-straightening treatment from our experienced orthodontists, you will be given a set of instructions. The whole idea is to try and help you be comfortable and get the most out of the dental braces near you.
Dental braces benefits such as straight teeth, improved oral health, etc., far outweigh the set of guidelines you have to follow. Without further ado, let’s “dive in” to see if swimming with Invisalign or braces is possible.
Yes, you can! Let not people fool you when you hear that braces can rust. This is a myth because braces are made from titanium alloy, which is a rust-resistant material. Remember, braces are designed to be in your mouth every single day, and they are surrounded by saliva.
So, if they are swimming in your saliva each day, won’t they survive the water in the pool? You might argue that pool water has chemicals; even so, braces will not be affected. So, swim away!
Of course! It is perfectly fine to wear your aligners while swimming. Before you get your aligners, our dentist will take a digital scan of your mouth and teeth. This will help our dentist design Invisalign trays based on the 3D model of your mouth. So, you will get aligners that are a perfect fit and are snug since they are molded for your teeth.
Therefore, you shouldn’t worry that the aligners might fall out in the ocean or pool. Plus, the chlorine will not damage your aligners.
But if you choose not to wear your aligners, it is okay. You can remove them and keep them safe. However, do not forget that you need to keep the aligners on for no less than 20 hours a day. So, if you do the math and find that you will spend more hours in the pool, it is best to keep them on.
If you love getting in the water to enjoy some volleyball or you are an active water-polo player, your orthodontic treatment will not stop you from having a wonderful time. However, you will need to protect your teeth from trauma. This is critical since sporting activities cause most dental injuries.
Besides your teeth getting chipped or broken due to dental injury, your dental appliance can be damaged and can hurt your cheeks and gums. So, mouthguards will keep your teeth and the braces safe.
Even though you have Invisalign aligners, which are removable and will not be broken, you will still need to wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth. If you lose a tooth, the efficacy of your Invisalign treatment will be affected. This would mean that you will need a new treatment plan that will consider the changes in your bite.
There is one thing that you need to put into account while enjoying yourself in the summer. As mentioned earlier, you can swim with Invisalign aligners since the material can handle chlorine. However, they are not designed to handle exposure to heat. That’s why our experienced orthodontists will always instruct you not to rinse your aligners with hot water.
So, when you remove them, ensure that you store them in your Invisalign case and place the case under a shade. Also, don’t leave your aligners in a hot car since the heat may make your aligners warp.
Here are some of the facts that you can take home with you:
If you need orthodontics in Phoenix or have a query, reach out to us at Braces for All Faces, and we would love to help you.