Invisalign Chewies (How to Use, Where to Buy & Do They Work?)

What are Invisalign Chewies?

Invisalign chewies are soft plastic cylinders that act as aligner seaters, setting your aligners in place over your teeth. By gently biting down on a chewie, you eliminate small pockets of air that might remain between your aligners and your teeth.

Seating your aligners is important for ensuring accurate tooth movement. For your aligners to work correctly, they need a snug fit.

Chewies should be a small but regular part of your daily routine with Invisalign. Use them a few times a day for 5 minutes at a time, especially when starting with a new set of aligners.

You can use the same chewie more than once. To reuse chewies, wash them with soap or toothpaste and rinse thoroughly afterward. Once a chewie begins to lose its shape, you should switch to a fresh one.

How to Use Invisalign Chewies

You’ll need to use aligner seaters when you:

• Begin a new aligner set
• Replace an aligner after eating food or cleaning your teeth
• Notice an area in your mouth where the aligners don’t fit well (you may see a clear air bubble at the top of the aligner near one or more teeth)

For chewies to work well, you don’t have to use them for longer than a few minutes at a time. However, it’s essential to use them correctly. 

Follow these steps for effective chewie use:

1. Position your aligner in your mouth as instructed by your orthodontist
2. Put a chewie between the teeth in your upper and lower jaw
3. Bite down repeatedly on the chewie for several seconds
4. Move the chewie to a different part of your mouth and repeat step 3 
5. To ensure all teeth are set, begin on one side of your mouth and gradually move to the other side

Your dentist might also provide specific instructions for when and how long to use chewies. For example, if a certain area doesn’t seem to fit well, you may need to use the chewie more in that spot.

You can tell when an aligner isn’t fitting well if there’s an obvious gap or air pocket between your teeth and the aligner. The aligner may also feel tight or uncomfortable in that area. 

Do Chewies Speed Up Aligner Treatment? 

Yes, chewies help make your Invisalign treatment as fast and efficient as possible. The proper fit of aligners is essential for successful treatment.

By contrast, aligners that don’t fit properly can delay your treatment results and lead to a need for refinements. These are additional aligners that correct discrepancies from the original treatment plan.

Because chewies allow you to get an optimal fit for your aligners, they can help reduce treatment time.

Side Effects of Chewies

Aligners accomplish tooth movement by applying constant pressure. This can cause some pain or discomfort, especially if you’ve just started treatment or put in a new aligner set.

While this temporary discomfort is normal, chewies can contribute to it as well. This is because aligner seaters require a repeated chewing motion, which could make your jaw slightly sore.

As your mouth gets used to aligners and chewies, any soreness you feel will gradually subside. In the meantime, you can take over-the-counter pain medication to provide relief.

If you experience serious pain or aligner-related discomfort lasting more than a few days, talk to your dentist or orthodontist.

Where to Buy Invisalign Chewies

Your dentist or orthodontist will likely give you a supply of chewies when you begin Invisalign treatment. If so, you can ask them for more when you run out.

Alternatively, you can find chewies or similar products in the dental section of a grocery or drug store. A vast selection of chewies are also available on Amazon.

There are also a variety of alternatives to tube-shaped plastic chewies (see below).

Chewie Alternatives

Chewies are only one type of aligner seater. Others include:

• Movemints — These are edible mints you can chew to seat your Invisalign aligners. They’re specially shaped to fit between your teeth when wearing aligners. They also keep your breath fresh.
• Munchies — These are Y-shaped aligner seaters. They come in various hardness options, ranging from gentle to firm. They’re made of silicone and return to their initial shape after you bite them.

These products are available online, along with many other aligner seaters of different shapes, sizes, and textures.

Another simple alternative is a clean paper towel. Simply roll the paper towel to the thickness of your pinky finger and chew it for several minutes. This should improve your aligner fit. Throw away the paper towel after use.

Invisalign Overview

Invisalign is a widely available brand of clear aligners. It offers an alternative to traditional braces, using the durable plastic of the aligners to gradually straighten your teeth.

Only licensed dentists and orthodontists can provide Invisalign. This means your orthodontic treatment will be supervised just like braces would be.

Every 1 to 2 weeks, you’ll replace one set of aligners with the next. Over a period of months to over a year, your teeth will move into their new intended positions.

Each set of aligners should have a close fit, putting accurate and consistent pressure on your teeth. To help with this, you can use chewies to set your aligners.

Summary

To be most effective, Invisalign clear aligners must fit well over your teeth. Any air pockets or gaps could make your treatment less efficient.

Invisalign chewies are soft plastic tubes that work as aligner seaters. By biting down on them for 5 minutes twice a day, you can give your aligners an optimal snug fit.

Your dentist or orthodontist will provide care instructions for your Invisalign, including how to use chewies. They may also provide you with a set of chewies.