When it comes to having a new dental procedure done, it’s pretty common to have a few questions. For starters, many people want to know if their insurance will cover their procedure. Another common question is how long will the procedure take. Finally, and maybe most common (and important!) is “how bad is this going to hurt?”.
It’s natural to be worried or fearful about the pain of a dental procedure, especially if you have never had that procedure before. Thankfully for procedures like fillings and root canals there is anesthesia and sedation, but what about treatment plans, such as orthodontics – or more specifically, Invisalign®. So, does Invisalign® hurt? Here’s what you need to know.
To answer your question, yes, sometimes Invisalign® does cause some discomfort, however it is usually mild and short lived. In fact, a study from 2005 found that 83 percent of new Invisalign® users stopped feeling most of the discomfort from their aligners after the first week of usage.
Furthermore, 54 percent of those polled said their pain was only mild, while 35 percent said their experience was painless. Forty-four percent said they only experienced pain while chewing.
As for switching to a new aligner after the initial aligner, most users in general say the pain only lasted two to three days. Most aligners are worn for about 2-4 weeks.
Thankfully, there is plenty you can do to help lessen the severity of discomfort caused by your Invisalign® aligners, such as using over the counter pain medication, using dental wax, or modifying your diet to help find foods that do not irritate the teeth while chewing.
The good news is that invisible aligners like Invisalign® have been shown to be overall a lot less painful than traditional wire and bracket braces, and that pain lasts for a much shorter duration, so if you are at all worried about pain, Invisalign® is still the ‘clear’ choice for your orthodontic needs!
If you are interested in learning more about the less painful, more discreet (but just as effective!) Invisalign® aligners, please contact Dr. Abelar today for a consultation.
