Have you had enough of having a misaligned smile? Do you want to use invisible aligners to straighten it out?
Nifty, practically invisible and easy to fit around day to day life, invisible aligners have taken the world of adult and teenage orthodontics by storm. And while you may have read that these aligners can work miracles, their effectiveness is often accompanied by a myriad of accessories, all designed to help you get the straighter teeth that you want and deserve.
At Archway Dental, we are proud to be able to offer our suitable patients Invisalign in Cornwall and can advise you on all of the best accessories available to help make your dream smile occur sooner. Perfect!
Here, our team discusses one of the most common accessories used by patients today concerning Invisalign in Cornwall; chewies!
What are chewies?
In short, chewies are a device that you chew on while wearing Invisalign in Cornwall that help to reduce the presence of air bubbles between your teeth and the aligners. They are designed to help improve the overall fit of the aligners and thus, they help to keep your realignment progress on track.
They are most valuable when you are switching from an old aligner to a new one, that may not fit as well and requires a little encouragement to slot into place. They are safe to chew on, as they are made from a soft plastic called styrene copolymer, which has a springy texture.
How often should I use them?
It is advised that you use chewies at least twice a day.
Typically, you will need to use a chewie each time you change the aligner tray. This will help it to fit snugly against your teeth and will help keep the treatment on schedule.
Of course, if you are having prolonged issues with your aligner trays fitting correctly, then we advise that you contact our team to have an assessment made about your treatment with invisible aligners.
Are they reusable?
Yes, they are!
Each chewie can be used for between 1-2 weeks but once they lose their bounce or elasticity when chewing them, it is time to move on to another one.
Do they need cleaning?
They may need cleaning but as they are made from a silicone rubber polymer, it is fairly straightforward to clean them.
Simply rinse them under a cold tap after each use and store them safely. As a general rule, once they lose their elasticity, you should consider replacing them.
Do they speed up treatment time?
Generally speaking, chewies are not designed to speed up the treatment time of invisible aligners. However, they can help keep it on track.
Remember, that you have to wear the aligners for 22 hours per day for them to work but, to ensure that they do work, they need to be fitted correctly next to your teeth. As chewies help to reduce the incidence of air bubbles between the teeth and the aligners, they can help keep the treatment schedule as planned and will help to prevent delays. Great stuff!