How many hours a day do you wear your aligners?

[Mel]

My ortho told me to wear mine a minimum of 22 hours a day which I really, really try to stick to but sometimes it's just impossible. Will it affect my treatment too much if I had them out for any longer, like say 3 hours a day instead of 2? I'm a slow eater so 2 hours a day is a real struggle!

[Phantom Muse]

According to my ortho, the goal is to wear each set of aligners at least 300 hours. Two weeks' wear at 22 hours a day is 308 hours, and 21 hours daily wear comes in at 294 total hours. However, my ortho also told me on one occasion that 20 hours daily was fine, which is only 280 hours of wear per set!

I think it is best to try to make 22 hours a day, but not kick yourself if you find you can't make that number without a huge headache. Invisalign is a strict system in some ways - mostly in wear time - but many have "made up" hours by wearing certain aligners an extra day to make up for a party over the weekend and that sort of thing.

When I first started with my trays, I wrote down the exact time I took them out and when I put them back in so that I was P-R-E-C-I-S-E! Now, I don't. I still come in around 21.5-22 hours daily (some days more, few less), but my progress has been fine, and I am happier now that I do not obsess so much about wear time.

Hope this helps!

[greensky]

I just started a week and a half ago and I was told to wear them 21 hours per day. So far every day I think I've hit at least 22, but thats probably because I'm a fast eater and I just took it easy last weekend - with long weekends & music festivals coming up and my usual social life I'm anticipating that I'll get below 22 more often in the near future. I definitely never expected that I'd be wearing mine for longer than my orthodontist instructed, but I guess stranger things have happened! Hopefully it will buy me a bit more leeway with nights out this weekend.

[Sunny]

We tell our patients that if they can't make the 22 hours a day, to wear their aligners for a few extra days/week before changing to the next retainer. This wouldn't be necessary with all changes, but some weeks there are reasons why our patients drop below the 22 hour mark. Holidays ... is a time they often wear their aligners for additional week.

[bstein]

I think if you wear them at least 21 hours a day, you wont' have an issue. It's not worth obsessing over.

[Invizzle Rizzle]

As much as I enjoy reading the tips on how long to wear the aligners, are there actual studies that show if a certain amount of wear time isn't being done-that certain results will follow? Where did the 22 hour figure come in?

[TONTAGE]

i wear mine no less than 22hrs on any given day

[gap]

I usually come in around 22 - 22.5 hours a day. I've been thinking about challenging myself to 24 complete hours on a tray. I don't know why.

[Sunny]

There have been many studies done about the affect of movement on the roots of our teeth and what happens if root reabsorption occurs. The worst affect of root reabsorption is that teeth fall out after become loose due to there not being enough root to keep them in the jaw bone.

To help reduce the risk of root reabsorpton it's important to move teeth slowly and not to let them move 'back and forth'. If aligners aren't worn long enough, teeth are continually being 'forced' to move when the aligner is put in. Plus if the aligner is being left out for long periods, it allows the teeth to move 'back and forth' ... both these may result in root reabsorption.

[miley3455]

22 hours a day i wear my for i sleep with it in.

[ohyrgod]

my ortho said at least 20, but I keep mine in for 22. it's not too hard for me though as I am quite a fast eater.

[telleki]

My ortho told me 23 hrs per day, and I do aim for that, but in reality I think I'm actually doing 21-22. I try to never leave them out long enough at a time to let them get tight again because of what Sunny said. Forcing them to move back and forth is bad news!

[miley3455]

my told me 22 to 20 hours a day & i never leave them out for long just to eat & brush and floss just for that.

[Rosieee]

I wear mine for approx 14-16 hours a day and have had no problem throughout my treatment (I am almost 2 years into treatment now). The trays only feel tight again if I have had them out for a whole day/night.

Relax everyone.

[miley3455]

im like 6 weeks in to my treatment & i have no problem with my to i dont move on to the next one till them feel loose my tray feel tight right now if i had them out for a day or the night them dont feel tight so i try to keep them in for 22 to 20 hours a day.

[Claudia~]

As much as I enjoy reading the tips on how long to wear the aligners, are there actual studies that show if a certain amount of wear time isn't being done-that certain results will follow? Where did the 22 hour figure come in?

Hi
I believe the 22 hr comes from trying to immitate or follow the same amount of hours as what traditional braces move the teeth (24 hr), luckly w invisalign, we can take the trays out to eat, but constant pressure when trying to get the teeth to move the philosophy behind braces, right?
I'm also new invisalign wearer and it takes time to get used to the routine.
Good luch!

[miley3455]

me im ues to the routine & yea for traditional braces it the constant pressure to move the teeth but to me invisalign is easy.

[oceanscape]

I wear mine for approx 14-16 hours a day and have had no problem throughout my treatment (I am almost 2 years into treatment now). The trays only feel tight again if I have had them out for a whole day/night.

Relax everyone.

That's really reassuring. I probably average only 18 hours per day (I never wear them for more than 20-21). They never feel tight when I put them back in, so I assumed that my wear-time was okay. It's a relief to hear you've been fine with 14-16 hours of wear-time.

Even when I put in a new set of aligners it doesn't feel that tight anymore, there's just a small amount of pressure.

[Sunny]

Oceanscape this is about having your teeth move in the best way possible for the health of the roots. If you are continually having your teeth move 'back and forwards' ... which happens everytime the aligners are left out, then you risk reabsorption of the roots and your teeth may fall out. As Rosieee points out, there may not be any affect during the first few years ... but what about in 5 or 10 or 15 years time. Do you really want to go against the research for the best results and put the health of your teeth and your smile at risk?

Invisalign is hard work ... and requires more discipline than braces, due to the aligners being removable. They also require a level of maturity to be able to cope with this discipline.

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

As Claudia mentioned, it is about continuous pressure, even if you don't feel it. Certainly there is going to be variation depending on the rate of tooth movement prescribed by your doctor, as well as individual factors such as biology, but 22 hours a day is the amount of time that most people need to wear their aligners to ensure proper tooth movement. Some people may "get away" with less time, but for the most part, 22 hours is required. There are many patients who have worn aligners for 18 hours a day consistently, and had treatment run off track.

Unfortunately, it may take several aligners to discover that the teeth aren't moving properly. Keep in mind that mid-course correction is allowed, but if it is required due to dental work or lack of compliance, your doctor will incur a new lab fee, and likely pass it on to you.

[Stellina]

I think for everything they will charge a fee.. Obviously they do work with some margins in the sense that they are allowed to some mid-corrections complimentary of charge.. and they will charge the patient in most cases.. at least in my case is specified that mid-corrections and refinements are not included (only first 3) but this is also reasonable giving the fact that the compliance of the patient is highly important.. as simple as wearing your aligners most of the day.. why do you go and pay lots of money and then try to sneak out the hours you need to wear it? I think is a sacrifice you do for up to a year and then you will be rewarded with many more years of bright smiles... and no aligners.. yipeee!! Can't wait to have them off for good.. but in the meantime, I am very responsible! ;-)

[Miss A]

I werar mine about 23 hours...but I'm doing only my lowers, so I can eat with my trays in. of course after eating I'm taking them out, brushing and all and only then put the tray back.
is there anyone else here who's eating with the tray?
so far (5th tray) no change of color was seen, most people hardly notice I am wearing it.

[Invizzle Rizzle]

I eat sometime with my trays in but it's the soft foods or other things that I can break down by pushing the food with my tongue against the roof of my mouth. Anyway, be careful about it. I've eaten popcorn and after a hour or two my teeth were hurting...why? Took the trays off and popcorn slid underneath the trays causing uneven pressure.

[Stellina]

I eat sometime with my trays in but it's the soft foods or other things that I can break down by pushing the food with my tongue against the roof of my mouth. Anyway, be careful about it. I've eaten popcorn and after a hour or two my teeth were hurting...why? Took the trays off and popcorn slid underneath the trays causing uneven pressure.

I think that is highly risky... For starters eating with the trays on is by all means uncomfortable, how are you going to taste the food if you straight away swallow it? And pop corn? They are sticky and of course the bits and pieces are going to go under the trays.. That is what Invisalign is removable - to take them out while you eat... I never ever would think of eating with them on.. only thinking that I may damage them and then pay a fortune to have another set of trays done.. not to mention the time you will loose while these are being done... I prefer to eat promptly and then brush and put them back on!

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

There are threads about eating with Invisalign in. While we do not suggest this, some orthodontists actually ask their patients to chew with them on, simulating the use of aligner chewies and also to minimize the amount of time the trays are off. This still requires excellent oral hygiene when the meal or snack is complete.

[Invizzle Rizzle]

There are threads about eating with Invisalign in. While we do not suggest this, some orthodontists actually ask their patients to chew with them on, simulating the use of aligner chewies and also to minimize the amount of time the trays are off. This still requires excellent oral hygiene when the meal or snack is complete.

Right. I don't see myself taking off my trays for an hour while I eat popcorn watching a movie, plus an additional 15 for me to get up and clean them. That's time docked from my total time wear.