Clear aligners are a fantastic and efficient way to straighten your teeth—without the conspicuous look and inconvenience of metal braces. But like anything involving your teeth, hygiene is of paramount importance! That’s where Invisalign and other clear aligner cleaning products come in. Specifically, Invisalign makes its own brand of cleaner—Invisalign Cleaning Crystals—which is recommended for regular use to keep bacteria, plaque, and discoloration of your aligners at bay. In this article, we’ll explore everything there is to know about this cleaner—including what it is, how to use it, and how it stacks up against other clear aligner cleaning products.
What are Invisalign Cleaning Crystals?
In a nutshell, Invisalign Cleaning Crystals are designed to clean your clear aligners to prevent odor, discoloration, and plaque. According to the Invisalign website, this product cleans aligners and removes plaque in about 15 minutes.
Benefits of using Invisalign Cleaning Crystals
As mentioned, the benefits of using the product are three-fold: it removes plaque; it kills odor-causing and other harmful bacteria; it prevents discoloration of your aligners. The first two benefits are especially crucial for clear-aligner users. Because you’ll need to wear your aligners for at least 22 hours a day, it’s inevitable that bacteria can grow between the aligner and your teeth—even for those who brush religiously after eating. Plaque can also form. Both can cause tooth decay, gum health issues, and bad breath. Using a cleaner is a good way to combat these common issues.
Which Invisalign Cleaning Crystal product should I get?
As of the publication of this article, Invisalign offers two main types of Cleaning Crystals and several combo packages to suit a variety of needs:
Original Invisalign Cleaning Crystals
This product seems to be the original formulation of Invisalign Cleaning Crystals and comes in conveniently pre-measured packets for easy use. Users can purchase the packets alone (50 packets for $39.99, or the cleaning system, which includes 50 packets and a cleaning “tub” for $54.99. Ingredients include sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, and sodium lauryl sulfate.
Invisalign Cleaning Crystals+
According to the Invisalign website, this is the new version of the Cleaning Crystals product. The main difference is the packaging—this product comes in a larger bottle vs. packets—and the addition of “mint oil to freshen your aligners and retainers.” Finally, according to the website, this product “kills 99.9% of odor-causing bacteria”, while the original formulation doesn’t make this claim. Invisalign Cleaning Crystals+ uses a slightly different formulation, with sodium bicarbonate, sodium percarbonate, menthaarvenis (mint) oil, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium saccharin, and potassium iodide. Users can purchase a 50g bottle of the crystals for $7.99 or a 300mg bottle for $39.99.
How to use Invisalign Cleaning Crystals
The process of using Invisalign Cleaning Crystals depends on which formula you choose. For the original crystal packets, Invisalign instructs users to:
- Remove and rinse off their aligners
- Put the aligners in the cleaning tub (or another container) filled with warm water (enough to cover the aligners).
- Add the cleaning crystals (one packet) and shake, mix or otherwise agitate the mixture for 20 seconds.
- Allow your aligners to soak in the mixture for at least 15 minutes
- Remove the aligners, dump cleaning the solution, and rinse both the aligners and the cleaning tub in warm water.
For Invisalign™ Cleaning Crystals+ the process is slightly different:
- Remove and rinse off their aligners
- Fill the cleaning tub or another container with 100ml of water and add one capful of the crystals to the tub of water
- Fully submerge the aligners in the solution and mix for 20 seconds
- Allow your aligners to soak in the mixture for at least 15 minutes
- Remove the aligners, dump cleaning the solution, and rinse both the aligners and the cleaning tub in warm water.
How often should you clean your aligners with Cleaning Crystals?
According to the Invisalign website, Cleaning Crystals are recommended for “daily use.” Like brushing and flossing, consistency and regular use matters! Failing to clean your aligners could result in discoloration, bad breath, and even decay.
Where to buy Invisalign Cleaning Crystals
Like many products these days, Invisalign Cleaning Crystals are available on Amazon. But the best guarantee that you’ll get the official product and the latest/freshest formulation is to buy the aligner cleaning product directly from the Invisalign Store.
Alternatives to Invisalign Cleaning Crystals
In addition to their Cleaning Crystals, Invisalign offers several other aligner cleaners that work in different ways:
- Invisalign Aligner Cleaning Spray is an easy and convenient way to keep aligners clean on the go with no need to rinse or soak
- Invisalign Aligner Cleaning Foam is another on-the-go alternative (no rinsing required)
- The Invisalign UV Sanitizing Case uses UV light (no water or chemicals) to sanitize and kill 99.9% of bacteria in just 5 minutes. It is portable and rechargeable.
- The Invisalign™ Ultrasonic Cleaning Station uses regular tap water and ultrasonic technology to clean and sanitize aligners in 5 minutes
Now for the real question: as an Invisalign user, is it necessary to purchase the Invisalign-brand cleaning product? Or will generic cleaners or other brands do the trick? Let’s compare.
Invisalign Cleaning Crystals vs. Retainer Brite
Amazon and Reddit users love Retainer Brite as a cleaning solution for their clear aligners. This product works very similarly to Invisalign Cleaning Crystals. Retainer Brite tablets come individually wrapped, to be dropped into a container with water and aligners. Similar to Invisalign Cleaning Crystals, the Retainer Brite cleaning process takes about 15 minutes. Also similarly, both products claim to kill 99.9% of odor-causing bacteria. Retainer Brite is significantly cheaper than Invisalign Cleaning Crystals—just around $21 for 120 packets.
Invisalign Cleaning Crystals vs. Polident Cleaning Tablets
At just around $14 for 140 tabs on Amazon, Polident may be the cheapest alternative to Invisalign Cleaning Crystals, and several online sources say it is a suitable alternative. This denture-cleaning product also kills 99.99% of odor-causing bacteria and can be used mixed with water (for 15 minutes) to clean aligners. One online source found that Polident affected the flexibility of the plastic of clear aligners, which can affect overall results if used as a long-term solution and for longer cleaning intervals.
Invisalign Cleaning Crystals vs. Efferdent
Efferdent is a Polident alternative and so the above comparisons stand. Like Polident, it could potentially affect the integrity of the aligner plastic if used too often and for too long. Short-term use may be fine, but check with your orthodontist for their expert input!
Invisalign Cleaning Crystals vs. Steraligner
Steraligner is another Cleaning Crystal alternative designed specifically for clear aligners. It claims to offer the same benefits as the other cleaning products (including killing 99.9% odor-causing bacteria) but the cleaning formula and process are slightly different. Steraligner is a pre-mixed liquid in a bottle that you simply pour into a container (enough to cover your aligners). Steraligner solution comes with a free cleaning container with a lid, but users who travel or are on the go might prefer the single-use packets available with the above alternatives.
Things to keep in mind when choosing a cleaner for your clear aligners
A quick Google search will reveal that there are numerous methods for cleaning your clear aligners—including homemade solutions like vinegar, peroxide, etc. The important thing to note here, however, is that, when used incorrectly, certain cleaning solutions can damage your clear aligners or worse. Alternatively, other solutions might not provide the full effect of cleaning, sanitizing and preventing discoloration. For this reason, it is vital to talk to your orthodontist about their recommended cleaning product and process. Most importantly, don’t skip cleaning your aligners! This is a vital step in your teeth alignment journey—and one that will prevent painful dental issues (not to mention aesthetic concerns).
Overall, clear aligners are a great alternative to traditional metal braces, specifically for adults and older teens with aesthetic concerns. What’s more, clear aligners can align teeth faster, with less risk of discomfort and hygiene issues that can come with traditional metal braces. If you’re considering clear aligners but not sure they’re right for you, you can learn more about the difference between clear aligners and traditional braces here.
Smiley Dental is highly experienced in helping patients achieve their perfect smile with the use of Invisalign and SureSmile clear aligners. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
