How many hours do you keep in your trays?

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#1 Post by **sisi** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 2:55 pm

Hi there
I am about to start treatment with Invisalign and I am hoping to get away without wearing my trays some of the time in work. Basically, I work half-time in a senior role.

I would like to be able to wear my trays in my office but take them out when I go to meetings. On average I would guess that I would be taking them out for 2 hours some days at work but not at all on other days. I would keep them in all weekend. Of course, I have to factor in time for eating and brushing etc. also.

Do you think this would slow down treatment significantly?

Thanks everyone. I love this site.

#2 Post by **Wireless** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:00 pm

Do you want to take your trays out during meetings because of concerns about speech or appearance? I routinely wear mine to meetings and when I'm giving presentations. I even spoke in front of a TV camera with them in. The only special need I have is water, as my mouth can dry out some when I'm doing presentations.

So far, nobody has spotted my trays when I'm wearing them, including a friend who is also an Invisalign patient, and my adult children.

I typically try to take my trays out less than three hours a day and try for two as recommended by my orthodontist. I'm an older patient, so this is probably more critical than someone younger.

My biggest problems with Invisalign have been the need to frequently brush my teeth everytime I want to take my trays out to eat, and my attachments that rub the inside of my cheeks when my trays are out. I'm much more comfortable when they're covered by the trays.

Hopefully you'll find your concerns about meetings to be a non-issue. I told everyone before I got my aligners I was having dental work done and would be unavailable by phone for a few days (I work from a home office). I had no problems and was back on the phone the day I got my first trays.

Good luck with your treatment!!

#3 Post by **amber10101** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:21 pm

I'm not sure exactly why you'd want your aligners out for meetings.

When in meetings, I speak in front of people and no one notices. I'm a sign language interpreter, so Deaf people spend hours on end staring at my hands and lip reading me, so far no one has noticed.

The only reason's I'd want to take my aligners out during a meeting would be to eat all the treats my boss brings. She typically makes something yummy, and today she passed around a variety of chocolate. Oh, so tempting!

If you feel like you'll not be able to have your aligners in for the 22 hours per day, talk to your dentist!

All the best to you!

#4 Post by **Wobblydeb** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:06 am

Ditto what the others are saying - your speech will be fine, and no-one will notice them. The only time I took mine out was when I had to give a presentation to senior management the second day. I felt I was still lisping a bit, but to be honest it probably would have been okay - it was more about my lack of confidence!

The one problem I do find with meetings is that often tea and coffee are supplied (and biscuits if the directors are in!). I take my aligners out if I'm absolutely desparate for a cuppa, otherwise I stick to water.

#5 Post by **sisi** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:52 pm

Thanks so much for your replies. It is great to get feedback from real people who are having the treatment rather than marketing blurb. I live in a country where Invisalign is very new. I have never met, or even heard of, anyone that has had this treatment. I only found out about it through this website. There are a handful of orthos who do it here.

Anyway, the reason I feel nervous about meetings is that I have been given a test tray. It is not a proper Invisalign tray - it is an Essex type retainer and I do feel very self-conscious when it is in. It feels really bulky in the mouth. Blobs have been put on the tray so that you can imagine what it would be like to have attachments but they are huge. They look so obvious up close. I am hoping that Invisalign trays will be better designed.

My ortho says 23 hours a day. I think I could do this half the time (I am not a big eater

) but not every day. It is good to hear that you would consider 22 hours okay.

#6 Post by **PaulInc** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 1:47 pm

Invisalign are supposed to be thinner than Essix retainers, but i cant say for sure as i dont have a retainer yet.

You'll be self conscious in aligners for about 1-2 days. You'll be self conscious of attachments for 1-2 days.

Today i've just had an attachment placed on my front upper central, and it's really not that noticable, but then i am already used to wearing the aligners now, 6 month in.

#7 Post by **bint3gra** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:13 pm

I wouldnt worry about speech and self consciousness. I work in pharmaceuticals and interact with dozens of people a day including co-workers. No one has noticed my 8 attachments or do I have slurred speech. The aligners are very thin. I keep my trays on for about >22 hours.

#8 Post by **holograms** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:41 am

Sometime I have my trays out up to 4 - 6 hours at a time (not recommended). However my teeth are still moving to its correct place.

#9 Post by **Chris1960** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:05 pm

i too remove my trays for many hours a day. Hasn't seemed to be a problem.

#10 Post by **gdriftr** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:18 pm

I started out diligent but quickly went to averaging 20 hours (i.e. half way through my first tray). Turns out the dentist said that was fine, but less than 20 could become a problem. Some days I do less than 20; everything seems fine, but I'm only on my second tray...

#11 Post by **Wireless** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:26 pm

Wear time can also depend on the age of the patient and if you have attachments. I found I could be sloppy with my time the first three trays where my ortho want me to get comfortable wearing them. Once I got attachments, I have found that I need to wear my aligners more or I have trouble going to the next set of trays. I'm age 59, so things don't seem to go as well.

One moral of this post - the younger you are when doing ortho treatment, the quicker it will be over!!

#12 Post by **invisibyte** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:23 pm

My wear time often depends on the time as well. If it's the first couple of days (about 3 days) of a new tray I keep them in for about 21-22 hours, but after that, when my teeth are comfortable I usually slack off and have them on for about 19-20 I'd estimate. Usually I have them off for about half an hour in the morning, and then about 2-3 hours in one go in the evening.

I haven't encountered any problems so far, except for it being exceptionally tight when I got my attachments on and I couldn't get them off for about 24 hours! But I hear that's normal.

#13 Post by **invisibyte** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:23 pm

My wear time often depends on the time as well. If it's the first couple of days (about 3 days) of a new tray I keep them in for about 21-22 hours, but after that, when my teeth are comfortable I usually slack off and have them on for about 19-20 I'd estimate. Usually I have them off for about half an hour in the morning, and then about 2-3 hours in one go in the evening.

I haven't encountered any problems so far, except for it being exceptionally tight when I got my attachments on and I couldn't get them off for about 24 hours! But I hear that's normal.

Tue Mar 24, 2009 3:01 am

Hi there,
My ortho said to aim for 22 and I suspect I average 21. I have the feeling though that my teeth are not that great at moving as they often don't feel like they are properly settled until the second week of a tray. I am 36 though, so maybe my teeth don't move as well as someone who is younger..

The hardest time for me is the morning. I take my aligners out at about 6.15am and then due to the whole getting ready for school/work palaver rarely get them back in for much before 7.15. I am simply too busy rounding up my kids to have time to clean them before this, and it is the one time of day where I feel a proper clean in vital.

Still, so far so good ....

#15 Post by **pompompadom** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:28 am

I'm only on day 4 but I'd say I take them half hour each time I eat which is around 5 times a day.

I had Pizza when I was out and about yesterday, I couldn't find anywhere to brush my teeth so had to put them back in. I'm still alive. lol