In recent years, Invisalign aligners have advanced considerably. These clear aligners have always been sleek and subtle, but for a long time they fell short of traditional braces in dealing with many common conditions. Bite problems, for example, could once only be solved by traditional braces; now, Invisalign aligners are capable of handling them with the help of specialized attachments.
However, many people who have bite issues also tend to grind their teeth at night, which leads them to be concerned about whether this could interfere with their Invisalign treatment. If you’re curious, here’s what you should know about that prospect.
Can I Get Invisalign If I Grind My Teeth at Night?
Invisalign aligners have the benefit of being removable, but they’ll only be able to straighten out your teeth while you’re wearing them. This being the case, it’s a good idea to wear them as much as you possibly can, including while you’re sleeping.
If you grind your teeth at night, this may make you a little bit concerned. However it’s important to remember that Invisalign aligners are made of an incredibly durable plastic, meaning that they can usually stand up to the force of grinding teeth. It helps that you really only wear any given set of aligners for a few weeks at a time, which usually isn’t enough time for them to crack under pressure. In most circumstances, you shouldn’t have to worry much about your Invisalign aligners breaking as a consequence of tooth grinding.
What Happens If My Invisalign Aligner Breaks?
If your aligner does happen to break for one reason or another, it isn’t the end of the world. Typically your dentist will recommend either wearing an older set of trays while yours is replaced or just moving you up to the next level of aligners pre-emptively.
In either case, you should be able to deal with a broken Invisalign aligner without much risk of falling off track with your overall treatment.
About the Author
Dr. Dustin Lively has been a dentist serving the Magnum community for over 25 years, and in that time his guiding principle has been to be better each day than he was the day before. He knows that dentistry is about persistent hard work, so he stands by his patients side every step of the way to make their dental care easy. Dr. Lively received his degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and continues his education to this day.
If you have any questions about Invisalign or bruxism, he can be reached at his website or by phone at (580) 782-2552.