Invisalign trays are made from plastic. They are not designed to resist stains, which is why your orthodontist insists on proper oral hygiene. Invisalign from Eastwood and East Orlando Orthodontics offers some insight and advice as to why your Invisalign trays may be turning yellow, and what you can do to stop or change that. They have seen patients with similar issues for some years now and can help you.
What Causes Yellowing?
As previously mentioned, there are reasons why these plastic aligners turn yellow. One reason is that you are a smoker and you are smoking with the aligners in your mouth. Rather than have the nicotine and tobacco residue land on your teeth, it sticks to the liners and will not come off. If you want to avoid that as a smoker, take your Invisalign trays out of your mouth every time you smoke or chew tobacco.
Another reason is that you are consuming foods that naturally stain teeth and you are not brushing after you consume these foods. They include red pasta sauces or products made from tomatoes, fried greasy foods, coffee, tea, berries, curry, etc. If you are going to consume any of these things, take the liners out before eating or drinking. Brush your teeth thoroughly before putting the liners back in your mouth.
Invisalign trays (or liners, as they are sometimes called) can yellow over time just because they are plastic. Usually, this doesn't happen if you are required to replace them sooner than six weeks per treatment cycle. If you are not replacing the liners per your orthodontist at East Orlando Orthodontics, the trays may be yellow on their own. You can avoid that by changing the trays/liners according to your orthodontist's instructions.
Brushing Is Extremely Important
The number one way to prevent Invisalign braces from turning yellow is to brush your teeth often. It's also a good idea to brush the braces before reinserting them. Any food residue inside the trays or liners that isn't removed through cleaning them can cause them to yellow.
As long as you have good oral hygiene practices and you are following your orthodontist's instructions, your Invisalign from Eastwood providers will remain clean and unnoticeable.
What Else You Can Do If the Yellowing Really Bothers You
Obviously, yellowing Invisalign braces are bothersome. They can make you self-conscious, which is something most Invisalign patients want to avoid. Talk to your orthodontist to see if you can get replacements if and when all other preventive measures haven't seemed to work at reducing the yellowing effect. Orthodontists can make spare trays for a cost if you really want to reduce the emotional discomfort you feel about the yellowing.
Contact Dr. Ross Taddeo, an East Orlando Orthodontics in Eastwood to discuss this issue and find a solution.