If you're tired of having crooked teeth, invisible braces are the best, least intrusive way of getting them fixed. But if you've never read much about invisible braces and don't know anyone who has had them, there are some basic facts about being an invisible braces wearer that you should know about. Here are three things you may not have known.

Mild Stress

When you put on any pair of invisible braces, they should fit firmly and snugly. However, they may initially feel a little overly tight or like they're putting a little stress on your teeth.

This is completely natural. Each pair of invisible braces is designed to be slightly closer to your ideal teeth alignment, and you'll change from one pair to the next as your teeth shift. When you put on a pair for the first time, it'll feel a little awkward because your teeth need to start moving to fit them perfectly. After a few days, you should notice considerably less strain on your teeth.

All Day, All Night

Invisible braces are loved for their ease of use. The fact that you can take them off to eat means that you can enjoy whatever foods you like without fear of damaging your braces or risking dental decay, like with standard braces. However, that doesn't mean that you can go without your invisible braces whenever you feel like it.

In general, it's recommended that you wear your invisible braces for 23 hours a day. In other words, you should take them off to brush your teeth and to eat, and nothing else. Of course, whether you follow this rule is up to you, but keep in mind that if you don't wear them as often as you should, your teeth straightening may take longer than expected.

Cleaning

Last but not least, you'll need to keep your invisible braces clean. This means scrubbing them at least twice a day, whenever you normally brush your teeth.

Thankfully, invisible braces are very easy to keep clean. Simply pop them off and scrub them inside and out with your toothbrush and a little toothpaste. The goal here is to remove any biofilm or plaque that's developed on the braces. Make sure that you rinse your toothbrush between brushing your invisible braces and your teeth, or you could end up just transferring bacteria from one to the other.

Lastly, it's a good idea to take steps to keep your invisible braces tidy during the day, too. When you can, consider popping your invisible braces off to rinse them out after meals. This will help to prevent the invisible braces from holding in food debris that could be harmful to your teeth.

Looking to get Invisalign braces? Talk to a local orthodontist today to get started!