What Is the Purpose of Chewies When Using Invisalign?

Invisalign is a form of orthodontic care that employs transparent aligners to straighten teeth or address an incorrect bite. For many patients, they serve as an alternative to conventional metal braces.

Using impressions or digital scans of your dentition, your orthodontist crafts a sequence of clear aligners. Each aligner in the progression gently shifts your teeth incrementally toward their intended positions.

You’ll generally wear each aligner for 1 to 2 weeks before moving on to the subsequent one. Aligners should be worn for most of the day, only removed for eating, drinking, and oral hygiene.

For the aligner to be effective, it must sit closely against your teeth every time you insert it. To help achieve this snug placement, you can use aligner seaters, commonly called chewies. Keep reading to find out more about chewies, what they do, and how to use them properly.

What do aligner chewies do?

Aligners exert light pressure on your teeth to shift them into their new alignment. To accomplish this, they must fit accurately over your teeth and remain securely in place.

Aligners are built to move teeth gradually. Because of that, each new aligner will be slightly different from the current arrangement of your teeth, which can sometimes make getting the aligner positioned correctly a bit challenging.

Aligner chewies assist in seating your aligner. They are soft plastic cylinders roughly the size of a cotton roll.

After inserting your aligner, you can bite down on a chewie for a few minutes. This repetitive biting helps the aligner better adapt to the contours of your teeth.

Can chewies speed up treatment?

You might have heard that chewies can accelerate Invisalign or other clear aligner treatment. That claim is partially accurate.

A correct aligner fit is crucial for effective tooth movement. Because chewies can improve how well an aligner seats, their use can help make sure your treatment advances as scheduled.

Conversely, wearing aligners that aren’t flush with your teeth can delay progress. That’s why chewies may appear to “speed up” the process.

Side effects of using chewies

When you insert an aligner, it applies gentle force to your teeth to move them, which can produce soreness or discomfort, especially when beginning treatment or switching to a new aligner.

While the aligner itself often causes this discomfort, using chewies may add to it. Because they involve repeated biting motions, your jaw may feel a bit tender after using them.

Soreness from a new aligner usually subsides over time. Meanwhile, you can ease discomfort with over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol).

How to use Invisalign chewies correctly

In general, you’ll reach for chewies when:

• you’ve started a new aligner
• you’ve reinserted an aligner after eating or cleaning your teeth
• you notice a spot where the aligner doesn’t seem to fit well

To make chewies effective, use them properly. Follow these steps:

1. Place your aligner in your mouth following your orthodontist’s directions. Try to seat it as snugly as possible.
2. Put a chewie between your upper and lower teeth.
3. Gently bite down on the chewie repeatedly for several seconds.
4. Shift the chewie to another area of your mouth and repeat step 3. To ensure all teeth engage the chewie, it can help to start on one side and move across to the other side.
5. Aim to use a chewie for about 5 minutes twice a day. Your orthodontist may provide different guidance on timing and duration.

If a particular region isn’t seating well, apply the chewie directly at that spot. An aligner that isn’t fitting properly often shows a visible air gap between the teeth and the aligner.

Where to buy Invisalign chewies

Your orthodontist may supply a pack of chewies when you begin Invisalign. If you need more, you might wonder where to purchase them.

Some grocery or drugstores carry chewies or comparable items in their dental care aisle.

Shop for aligner seater chewies online.

Are there alternatives to Invisalign chewies?

Chewies are one form of aligner seater. There are other options you can consider:

• Movemints. Movemints are chewable mints designed to help seat your aligner. They’re shaped to fit comfortably between your teeth while wearing the aligner. Shop for Movemints online.
• Munchies. Munchies are available in different firmness levels (from soft to firm). Made of silicone, they return to their original shape after being bitten. Shop for Munchies online.

Takeaway

Aligner chewies, also called aligner seaters, are small plastic cylinders used with clear aligners. Chewing on them helps your aligner adapt snugly to your teeth, which is crucial for successful treatment.

It’s commonly advised to use chewies for a few minutes multiple times daily. When you begin clear aligner treatment like Invisalign, your orthodontist will likely give you an initial supply of chewies and advise you on proper use.

Chewy use may cause temporary soreness that can be managed with OTC pain relievers such as acetaminophen. If pain continues or your aligner still does not fit properly, consult your orthodontist.