How To Remove Invisalign Braces- What to do if your Invisalign are stuck!

When trying to remove Invisalign braces there are a few tips that will make it easier:

Wait as long as possible after inserting them before trying to remove them. Even an extra half an hour makes a difference as your teeth gradually move which makes getting them off easier.

Make sure that your mouth is warm and that you haven't had a cold drink. Drinking very cold drinks just before trying to remove Invisalign seems to make the plastic less pliable and makes them more difficult to remove.

Relax. I know this isn't easy. The first day I ever tried Invisalign I truly believed that my braces were stuck in my mouth forever. I sat in front of my bathroom mirror crying with frustration, which of course, made it worse. Your aligners will come out. Honestly.

Ok, Now look through my four main removal methods below....

One of the biggest problems when trying to remove Invisalign is that because they are made of plastic and get covered in saliva they can be quite slippery. This makes them difficult to get out.

Many people report that using a paper towel to grasp the aligners helps to give additional grip which means that they can be more easily removed. The kind of paper towels that you need are the kind that you find in washrooms in a dispenser. These are thick enough to dry the teeth sufficiently but also give enough grip to allow the aligners to be more easily removed.

The idea is to hold the paper towel in your hands, place it over your aligners, starting with the molars and then grip firmly pulling the aligners off your teeth.

If this doesn't work consider tip #2 Removing Invisalign with rubber gloves...

Similar to tip #1 latex gloves are supposed to help increase the grip on the aligner. The advantage that they have over the paper towel method is that they are much finer so they allow you to have much more control.

The kind of gloves that you want are the fine latex powdered gloves. These increase the grip whilst still being fine enough to allow you to feel the aligners. As with previous techniques it is best to start with the aligners on one side, gradually working your way around.

One way to help to make Invisalign easier to remove is to always switch to a new aligner at night. This means that your teeth have several hours to move in the braces before you try to take them out. This really does make them easier to remove and help to prevent the feeling that the aligners are stuck. It also helps with any feeling of pressure as the time when the pressure is greatest is the time when you will be asleep. If your aligners are stuck now, and you don't have to take them out immediately, wait an hour and try again. You might be surprised how much easier it is....

Tip #4 is something that many Invisalign wearers swear by. Rather than any special technique, the 'outie" or aligner hook is a tool expressly designed for the purposes of removing Invisalign. The great thing about it is that you are able to hook it under the side of the aligner without fear of damage. This tool is particularly useful for people who have attachments as you can hook it under the aligner at the point where the attachments are and lift the aligner out and over the attachment.

Outies or aligner hooks are available in some pharmacies or online. Clicking on the image below will take you to somewhere where you can view all of the options.

Invisible Braces
Retainer Removal Tool
Outie

Invisible Braces
Retainer Removal Tool
Outie

Invisible Braces
Retainer Removal Tool
Outie

Invisible Braces
Retainer Removal Tool
Outie

Invisible Braces
Retainer Removal Tool
Outie

If your aligners are still stuck or too difficult to remove even after purchasing an aligner hook you should contact your dentist or orthodontist and discuss what you should do. One thing to remember though is that everyone's Invisalign are difficult to remove at the beginning and I have never heard of anyone still having difficulty a few months into treatment.