Invisalign chewies are an indispensable and cheap hack to make your Invisalign treatment go faster. These weird little chew toys for humans work in surprising ways to reduce the time you’ll need to be in your trays
What Are Invisalign Chewies?
Invisalign chewies are chewable little chunks of rubber that you are meant to be bitten down on at certain points in your treatment. They’re made of a styrene copolymer and they help to: –
- Seat new trays properly
- Reseat the trays after removing them to eat or drink
- Keep the trays tight to your teeth as they loosen throughout the day
- Gently stimulate extra movement of your teeth into their new positions
When you “chew” on them it’s more of a bite. You are squishing the trays closer to your teeth by removing any air space, bubbles, or saliva. That makes the trays fit as close as possible. The trays are designed to fit exactly to your teeth or where your teeth are meant to move.
How To Use Invisalign Chewies?
When you get new trays or need to reseat trays after taking them out to eat – do the following: –
- Make sure your teeth have been cleaned properly – Brushed and flossed
- Have your aligners seated on your teeth as best you can with your fingers
- Bite down on the chewie with light pressure once or twice, starting just by your canines (the pointy teeth)
- Move the chewie around your mouth, biting down in different places to even out the fit
- Try to bite down using every tooth
- Rinse your chewie once you’re done and store it somewhere hygienic like in an Invisalign case
When you have a bit of spare time you should also lightly bite and chew on them for five minutes once or twice a day. Use the same method but try to move your jaw back and forward while biting. Use a light chewing motion without enough pressure to hurt or break the chewie.
How Often Should I Use Invisalign Chewies?
You should be using your Invisalign chewies every day at key points: –
- When you get your new aligner – This is when your teeth and your aligners are the most differently shaped
- Whenever you take your trays out to eat or drink, brush your teeth, then put the trays back in – use a chewie
- Use a chewie whenever you feel your trays are a little loose or pop out
- Use the chewies for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day – the best time is before bed when you’ll have hours for the tray to loosen naturally
Do You Need To Use Invisalign Chewies?
While you don’t have to use the chewies while you are wearing trays, it would be a real shame if you didn’t. Even if you only use chewies for 10 seconds when you are reseating your trays after removing them for food, you’ll be speeding up your treatment.
If you add in a few extra 5 minutes chewing sessions while you’re scrolling through your phone or watching TV, it will make a difference! They really are one of the best Invisalign accessories that will save you time in your treatment.
You don’t need to use your chewies if the trays fit perfectly. A quick bite of a chewie in a few different places in your mouth is normally enough to seat the tray quickly and check for any loose spots. If you have Invisalign attachments, getting the trays in needs a little more work so it’s definitely worth it.
Best Invisalign Chewies
There are a few different chewies available and you’ll likely be given a few by your dental professional after being sent your first trays. However, you can buy some we think are an improvement on the standard design.
These Y-shaped chewies have specific sections for your different tooth types. You can use them in different ways to bite into to get better seating on the incisors (front), canines (pointy vampire teeth), and your molars (chewing teeth) individually.
They come in a pack of four, you can choose the colors you’d like, and they’re flavored! They come with good reviews and last well without breaking fast.
If you prefer the standard style try these EverSmile OrthoChews. They’re made of medical-grade silicone in the USA, and they’ll last up to more abuse than your standard chewies. The two-pack contains a soft and a medium chewie you can use depending on how much discomfort you’re in while changing aligners.
Can You Overuse Invisalign Chewies? Pain From Chewies
If you use your chewies too much, you might end up with an aching jaw, sore gums, or some discomfort and aching in your mouth. Overuse is often because we forget how long we’ve been chewing or because we’re biting too hard.
If your aligners are quite high or rub against your gums then chewing will be uncomfortable and you might get a little swelling. You could file the tops of the aligners down with an emery board if this happens.
You could also use braces wax on sharp edges – don’t panic if you’ve swallowed braces wax as it’s designed to be non-toxic.
Invisalign Chewies Alternatives
If you don’t like chewies or don’t have any available, there are a few alternatives you could try. Here are our faves!
Movemints
These are hard mints you can carry around wherever and they’ll look just like a normal mint. They have ridges you can bite into to help seating, but also dissolve and break up like a normal mint with enough time and pressure.
Movemints are sugar-free and contain xylitol for a safe, sweet taste. Xylitol is also known to boost dental health by starving the bacteria in your mouth. They make a great alternative to the plastic Invisalign chewies.
Chewable Pencil Tops
If you are anything like us, you’ll have found yourself gnawing on the top of a pencil or pen at some point in a boring classroom. Now with these pencil top chewies, this could actually be helpful and make a great Invisalign chewie alternative!
Wine Corks
If you have wine corks laying about, they’ll do the trick! Just don’t bite too hard as the corks will split, leaving icky bits all over your mouth.
Clean Paper Towels Or Tissue Paper
If you don’t have access to a chewie, roll up a paper toll or some clean tissue paper. Try to make the toll about as thick as your little finger, then bite down as you would with a chewie. Be careful not to get it wet with your tongue or saliva so you don’t swallow any paper bits.
Are Chewies Reusable -When To Replace Invisalign Chewies?
Chewies are reusable after washing. You can keep your chewie about until it starts to break apart and you are in danger of swallowing any of the plastic. At that point get a new one. Luckily most come in packs so you’ll have plenty spare. Some brands last longer than others.
If you find yourself wrecking your chewies really fast – try biting down in slightly different positions on your teeth and on the chewie to avoid weak spots and sharper, cutting teeth. Try turning the chewie in your mouth so it runs along a few teeth at a time.
Why Am I Getting Invisalign Chewies Pain?
Seating your trays can be a little painful, especially on new trays. This is common but you should know from your experience what pain is bearable and what is too much. Your teeth are moving, and that means pressure is being applied on your gums and the bone of your jaw and skull.
Discomfort is normal in areas where there is a lot of movement going on. It’s also more common when you’ve had your aligners out for a while after forgetting to put them back in.
Make sure you’ve got the aligners in as best you can before you start using the chewie so there aren’t any big “pops” as the aligners snap into place. Your jaw is incredibly powerful so use your fingers to place them in first.
If you’re getting more pain than usual, you should consult your doctor to make sure you aren’t allergic, then use an over-the-counter pain relief medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol or paracetamol depending on where you live). You can also get soothing pain-relief gels for your mouth that could help.
If you have consistent, sharp, or throbbing pain – contact your doctor or dentist to discuss further.
