In recent years, the number of people opting for Invisalign to correct their misaligned teeth has increased significantly. This type of corrective treatment is seen as a more discreet and convenient option than traditional braces, but is it always without risk? A small number of Invisalign users have reported experiencing headaches and dizziness, which can be worrying and inconvenient.
However headaches are a common adverse effect of Invisalign treatment, particularly at the beginning of treatment or when aligner trays are being switched. A variety of factors can bring on these headaches, and their severity can range from minor discomfort to a full-blown migraine.
How Invisalign Treatment Works
Your orthodontist will begin treatment with Invisalign by using sophisticated computer software to establish a plan for moving your teeth from their current locations into the best possible alignment. This plan will be created before any of your teeth are moved. Because your treatment will be divided into several stages, your orthodontist will instruct you to wear a new set of plastic aligners every few weeks to move your teeth in a controlled manner.
You should wear each set of aligners for roughly two weeks, and the only times you should take them out are when you’re eating, drinking, brushing your teeth, and cleaning your aligners. As you proceed through the treatment, your teeth will shift somewhat from week to week until they have moved into the ultimate position that we have prescribed for you. This process can take as little as a few weeks or as long as a few months.
The degree of difficulty in correcting your orthodontic difficulties could also have an impact on how successfully Invisalign works for you. If you have more complex spacing or biting concerns, this treatment may need to be administered over a longer period of time to be effective.
Read More: Is Invisalign Treatment Effective in Closing Tooth Gaps?
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Can Invisalign Cause Headaches?
When commencing treatment with Invisalign, it is not unusual for patients to experience mild, more temporary headaches. Dental realignment requires pressure to be given to your teeth, which encourages a process known as bone remodeling. Although this method is more comfortable than traditional braces, dental realignment still requires pressure to be applied. While this is happening, new bone tissue is being formed to support your teeth in their new positions, even though the bones that are currently holding your teeth are physically disintegrating.
The application of pressure like this can set off pain receptors in your jaw and the soft tissues that are close to it. If anything, it will make you feel slightly uncomfortable (but only temporarily) instead of actually hurting you. This response can result in a minor headache, which is your body’s way of opposing this new development. If you experience headaches, they will probably only last a short time and won’t be particularly severe. They can be controlled with over-the-counter pain medication but will eventually become less noticeable as your body adjusts to the orthodontic treatment you are receiving.
3 Common Side Effects of Invisalign
1. Headache
Headaches are a common side effect of Invisalign treatment and can occur in certain patients. Patients who are likely to have these adverse effects will often go through them at the beginning of their treatment. Patients typically experience these adverse effects because they aren’t accustomed to the pressure their aligners put on their teeth, nor are they comfortable with having something in their mouths for extended periods. Additionally, patients aren’t accustomed to having something in their mouths.
Because patients get used to having their Invisalign aligners in their mouths and because the aligners only apply light pressure, many patients do not experience the development or recurrence of these adverse effects at all during their treatment with Invisalign.
Relax, because this is common and transitory! The teeth are moved into position with Invisalign in a manner comparable to that of braces, which involves applying moderate pressure. Because your teeth and jaws are not used to being subjected to this level of pressure, you may initially experience some soreness or discomfort. Getting used to your Invisalign aligners and breaking the habit of grinding your teeth might create tension headaches. This is especially true if you have a history of grinding your teeth.
They shouldn’t be too significant and shouldn’t significantly impact your way of living. As your mouth becomes accustomed to the pressure, your discomfort should lessen after a few days. This ought to lessen or do away with any headaches that you could be experiencing.
2. Soreness or Discomfort
As you acclimate to your invisible braces at the beginning of your Invisalign treatment, you might initially feel some pain or discomfort in your mouth. This is normal.
As you progress through your treatment plan and acquire new aligners, this may happen to you once more. This discomfort can be treated with over-the-counter medicine, and it will disappear quickly in the vast majority of instances. Most patients who have tried traditional metal braces in addition to Invisalign indicate that the soreness associated with Invisalign is significantly less severe than the soreness associated with metal braces.
3. Allergic Reaction
An allergic reaction to the Invisalign aligners is typically related to their proprietary material, although such reactions are exceedingly uncommon. In most cases, an allergic reaction to Invisalign aligners is not severe and results in a slight irritation of the gums, which goes away rather fast on its own. Contact your Invisalign orthodontist if the gum inflammation continues for more than a few days or if you have headaches or nausea for more than a few days.
Read More: Can Invisalign Cause Allergic Reactions?
What to Do If You Get Bad Headaches with Invisalign
You should probably be fine if you take some ibuprofen and tough it out until you get used to the new aligner tray, and the headaches stop if you get minor headaches when switching your trays. Still, they don’t interfere with your daily life and are manageable. If this is the case, the headaches won’t affect your ability to function normally and can be managed.
On the other hand, if your headaches are so severe that they start to affect the quality of your sleep or your life in general, you should make an appointment with your orthodontist as soon as you possibly can to determine the cause of the problem. It’s possible that something is wrong with your aligner tray, that you’re getting TMJ condition, that your bite is becoming misaligned, that you’re moving too quickly through the treatment, or that it’s something else entirely. The onset of severe headaches or migraines is not a typical reaction to Invisalign treatment, and it is certainly an indication that something is not right.
Consult with Kumra Orthodontics to learn more about does Invisalign causes headaches
If you are experiencing headaches after starting your Invisalign treatment, consult with Kumra Orthodontics to learn more about the potential causes and how to remedy them. We want you to have a positive experience with Invisalign, and we will do everything possible to help ensure that you don’t suffer any side effects during your treatment. Headaches can be debilitating, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you are experiencing this issue.
