3 Unexpected Side Effects of Invisible Aligners
This post on the side effects of invisible aligners is sponsored by Byte. All opinions are my own.
At the beginning of the year, I started a my invisible aligner journey. Although I had braces in my teenage years, my teeth shifted quite a bit during my pregnancies. When Byte reached out, it seemed like a great opportunity to try out the aligners. I’ve been wearing my invisible teeth aligners for just about a month now, so I wanted to tell you about my experience, so far.
When the kit arrived, I was pretty excited. I’ve been continually impressed with Byte for their packaging and clarity. It took a little longer to get my aligners than I was expecting. They never actually said how long it would take, so I was expecting it would be super quick and easy like everything else had been with them. But once they did arrive, I read through all of the instructions and found it all very clearly laid out.
The way they label and organize the packaging just makes everything so easy. I started the second day my package arrived, on a Friday. The first time I put in the aligners, it felt a little weird. I wouldn’t say uncomfortable, but there was a bit of pressure on some of my teeth.
Although right away, I figured the process was pretty easy, there were some unexpected things that I wanted to mention about wearing invisible teeth aligners.
To be clear, I am not a medical professional, so I can’t be sure the health issues are due to the aligners. But they are issues that have popped up at the same time I started using the aligners. After further research online, these symptoms are not regular for most people, but do apply in some cases.
3 Unexpected Side Effects of Invisible Aligners
You Might Have a Lisp
The very first odd thing I was not expecting to experience with invisible teeth aligners was that I had a very strong lisp, at first. For the first week, my lisp was so strong that I actually had to remove my aligner anytime I had a work call or went out in public to interact with people. Since I telecommute, it was difficult keeping them in the 22 hours a day they suggest, since I had to jump on work calls. I was very diligent about leaving them in all night, and always putting them in whenever I wasn’t on the phone.
You Might Get a Headache
So I’m not sure if it’s just me, but every time I start the new week, I get a headache. I assume this is because of the higher level of pressure put on my teeth with the new aligner. This hasn’t been a major issue for me, but it is an odd side effect that I do wonder is related to the aligners.
Luckily, the Byte team includes Hyperbyte vibration therapy tool . This vibration therapy device helps cut treatment time significantly, usually in half. It also helps to make the entire process more comfortable. The Byte team actually called me within days of receiving my kit. When I told them I was a bit uncomfortable, they suggested using the Hyperbyte tool a few extra times to help make the entire process more comfortable. And it does.
You Might Have Nausea
The most unusual and annoying side effect that I attribute to the invisible teeth aligners (and some basic internet research confirms) is that the aligners make me feel nauseas. This is such a strange side effect I was not expecting at all. Honestly, this has been a pretty annoying part of the process.
I actually went to the doctor to make sure I wasn’t 1) pregnant (negative) 2) suddenly diabetic (not possible to go from healthy to diabetic in a month) 3) acid reflux (never been an issue 4) etc. (dr. checked for every other reason I could suddenly be nauseous).
Four weeks in, I’ve actually gotten used to the nausea. The headaches aren’t that big of a deal, and the lisp has subsided. I do still sound funny with certain words, so I do take out the aligners when I have work calls. These side effects are not amazing, but it’s also something I’ve just learned to deal with. I want straight teeth more than I am bothered by these minor issues.
Overall, the process has been really easy so far. It is not hard at all to wear the aligners. They provide a little container to store them in, so it’s never difficult to take them out in public or on the go. I’ve already noticed some improvement in my teeth. I really can’t wait to see how they look at the end of 3 months. (Most treatment times are 3-6 months. Since I had braces, mine is pretty short, luckily). Stay tuned, and I’ll post my results in a couple months!
Update: My Results After Wearing Invisible Aligners for 3 Months
It took me just three months to see improvements in my teeth. It is not dramatic, because my teeth were pretty straight to begin with. But the subtle changes have helped me to feel more confident in my smile. It is pretty amazing how quickly the changes happened, and a lot of that is due to Byte’s Hyperbite technology that speeds up the entire treatment. Although my results are not dramatic (a photo can’t even really capture the changes), what is most important is that I feel more confident in my smile. If you’re considering invisible aligners, I definitely think it’s an easy decision to make. Feeling good about our smiles is so important to our self confidence, so I’d definitely be an advocate for investing in yourself. If you have any questions about my experience with Byte, please shoot me a DM or email and I’ll be happy to chat with you! Their customer service team is also very knowledgeable and will get back to you right away! Here’s to getting the smile we all love and deserve.
Very interesting symptoms.
I only have experienced the lisp which I was expecting. I am about 5 months pregnant and have not experienced headaches and nausea. I’ve had a positive and comfortable experience so far 2 weeks going into my 3rd week in. I finally used the hyperbyte for the first time today fearing the intensity of the vibration on my head, but it’s very gentle and goes by quickly.
I am a bit reluctant to spend more on the aligned cleanser/whitener since it seems like as drugged as I have been with it, the bottle it comes with will only last another 2-3 weeks. So about a bottle a month I’d have to additionally purchase.
Correction: As drugged = as frugal
I was curious about the comfort of the Byte aligner? I read some reviews where people felt they needed to file down the aligner because it was cutting the inside of their mouths. I was initially going to go to an orthodontist but it sounds like I’m paying for a middleman when I can go directly to the source. I had braces 30 years ago so this is such a new world of at home orthodontics! It sounds like you were pleased with the results. Now that you are finished was it worth it?
I didn’t have an issue with comfort at all – they were just fine and I didn’t have to file them down. I think it depends on how much you need to do to improve your smile. My teeth were only mildly crooked. I had a couple of teeth slightly out of line on the top and bottom, as I did have braces in my teens. If you’re looking for drastic improvements, I think you’re better off with an orthodontist. If you only need mild to moderate improvements, I think a system like Byte works great!
Its useful and thoughtful to get into use of wearing invisible aligners to straighten my teeth. Thanks STACEY for valuable article.
I have been using byte for about a year and a half now. My first set of treatment was supposed to only take about 6 months but the aligners weren’t fitting correctly so I had to get new impressions. If you don’t do them correctly, then they have to send them back and the process takes a very long time between the time you send them out and they get back to you with new aligners or they get back to you with the results that you need another kit to redo the impressions. I do have to file the edges off some of the aligners because they cut the inside of my mouth. My mouth is always sore for the first few days of using a new set of aligners and then it gets better after that. Two advantages of wearing aligners instead of regular braces is that you can eat whatever you want and nobody can see them. One issue and concern I do have that I haven’t seen anyone else right about is with the hyperbite I get a little bit dizzy and nauseous when I use it. I saw someone post about the whitening foam cleaner. One suggestion I have is that I spray just a little bit of the foam in the aligner and then spread it out with a toothbrush. That way I don’t use as much of the foam and it lasts longer.
I just started Byte this week. I had braces when I was younger also, but never wore my retainer. I did some research and this seemed to be the right option for me. If you have major alignment issues I agree that you should visit an orthodontist 1st to see if aligners are the right choice. The first time I had braces they corrected an underbite (2nd grade) and I was told they had to come off and I would have to get them again when I was older. My second braces were cosmetic for teeth alignment: I had 4 wisdom teeth pulled and 2 more teeth pulled on my top and 2 teeth pulled on my bottom due to large teeth and small jaw. I had braces again at 30 when I could afford them. Aligners 3rd time: Over time I’ve notice that my teeth seem to be closer together on my bottom jaw and a couple teeth on the bottom have rotated slightly; I also noticed the arch has narrowed slightly on my bottom teeth. My byte kit is for 13 weeks. My problem was not resolved by filing down the aligners–they still rubbed on the top set around my front teeth. I went to the pharmacy and got orthodonic wax (located where the floss and toothbrushes are). Immediate relief. I am not sure why they don’t include it in the kit. It might be too old school but it stops the friction with the inside of your mouth.
I really like your story. I was reading to learn more about patient experiences with clear aligners, my company manufactures seaters for clear aligners, called Clenchy. The title “3 Unexpected Side Effect of Clear Aligners” caught my attention, of course, since I am in this industry. I have heard of the 3 side effects you mention, and with others commenting, wanted to offer and introduce our Clenchy seaters because feedback has been that they not only help “seat” the aligners snugly/properly on the teeth, especially during the first week of transitions, but also help to relieve some pain when chewed on or bitten down on. The pressure seems to subside somewhat with the clenching/chewing when there is pain. If interested in trying our seaters, check out our website. If you use Clenchy at some point, I would like to get any feedback on your experience with them! Thank you
http://www.clenchyortho.com
Thanks for your article. A few more questions:
1. Did you have nausea the entire 3 months?
2. Did the nausea cause vomiting?
3. Did the nausea stop when you ended treatment and used the retainers?
I found this post super informative! I had no idea that invisible aligners could cause headaches or even affect my speech. It’s great to know what to expect and how to manage these side effects. Thanks for sharing your insights!
So glad it was helpful to you!
Great post! I had no idea about some of these side effects. It’s definitely made me reconsider my options for teeth straightening. Thanks for sharing your insights!
I found this post super insightful! I had no idea that invisible aligners could cause discomfort and changes in speech. It’s good to be aware of these potential side effects before starting treatment. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Great post! I never considered some of these side effects with invisible aligners. It’s so important to be aware of what might happen beyond just the straightening process. Thanks for sharing these insights!
Great insights! I never considered how invisible aligners could impact my speech and teeth sensitivity. Thanks for shedding light on these unexpected effects!
I found this post really insightful! I had no idea that invisible aligners could cause such unexpected side effects. It’s a great reminder to stay vigilant and communicate any discomfort to my orthodontist. Thanks for sharing these important tips!