What do aligner chewies do?

Aligners apply gentle pressure to your teeth to move them into their new positions. In order to do this, they must fit properly over your teeth and stay in place.

Aligners are designed to gradually move your teeth. Because of this, each new aligner will differ ever so slightly from the current position of your teeth.

This can sometimes make it a little difficult to get the aligner properly situated.

Aligner chewies can be used to help seat your aligner. They are soft plastic cylinders that are about the size of a cotton roll.

After you’ve put in your aligner, you can bite down on a chewie for several minutes. This repeated biting action helps your aligner to better conform to the shape of your teeth.

Can chewies speed up treatment?

You may have heard that using aligner chewies can help to speed up your Invisalign or clear aligner treatment. This is partially true.

The proper fit of an aligner is essential for effective treatment. Because chewies can help improve an aligner’s fit, using them can help ensure that your treatment proceeds as planned.

In contrast, wearing aligners that don’t fit snugly over your teeth can slow treatment. This is why chewies may seem to “speed up” treatment.

Side effects of using chewies

When you put in an aligner, it applies gentle pressure to your teeth in order to move them. This can cause pain or discomfort, particularly when you’re just starting or when you’ve switched to a new aligner.

While feelings of discomfort can often be caused by the aligner, chewies may contribute as well. Since they require a repeated biting or chewing motion, it’s possible that your jaw may become a little sore when using them.

Discomfort or pain due to a new aligner typically goes away over time. In the meantime, you can ease this symptom using an over the counter (OTC) pain medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol).

How to use Invisalign chewies correctly

Generally speaking, you’ll use chewies when:

• you’re starting out on a new aligner
• you’re replacing an aligner after a meal or after cleaning your teeth
• you’ve noticed an area of your mouth where your aligner doesn’t seem to fit well

In order for chewies to be effective, it’s important to use them correctly. To do this:

• Position your aligner in your mouth as instructed by your orthodontist. Aim to get it to fit as snugly as possible.
• Place a chewie between the teeth of your upper and lower jaw.
• Bite down repeatedly on the chewie for several seconds.
• Move the chewie to a different area of your mouth and repeat step 3. To ensure that all teeth bite the chewie, it may be helpful to start on one side of your mouth and gradually move to the other side.
• Try to use a chewie for about 5 minutes twice per day. Your orthodontist may also give you specific instructions on when and how long to use chewies.
• If there’s a specific area that doesn’t seem to fit well, you can use the chewie at that location. You can tell that your aligner isn’t fitting well when there’s a visible “air gap” between your teeth and the aligner.