Choosing the right bite ramps can seem tricky, but with the right information, you’ll be able to choose the right type of bite ramp quickly and easily! We’ve put together all the answers to your questions about choosing an invisalign bite ramp into one article!
What are they?
The term bite ramp is a bit of a misnomer; bite ramps are simply a means by which patients can achieve normal tooth position without oral surgery. A bite ramp, or night bite splint, is essentially a series of high-density plastic retainers that work with your custom Invisalign aligners. The retainers are designed to keep your mouth in alignment while you sleep.
Although they look scary and weird, they’re fairly easy to use: just wear them as directed and make sure that every time you remove an aligner from your mouth, you replace it with its corresponding night bite splint. It takes some getting used to, but it’s definitely not complicated.
Most people love using bite ramps because they don’t want their teeth straightened enough to need jaw surgery! They also prefer having a removable solution so they can take out their night bites at will—they won’t snap into place like standard clear aligners do.
As for selecting between over-the-counter and prescription versions, that comes down more to personal preference than anything else: both have the same efficacy rates (around 90 percent), but people who wear their retainers full time may find over-the-counter versions more comfortable since they aren’t constantly grinding against your teeth like prescription ones are likely to do.
What should I look for in them?
For starters, you’ll want a set of bite ramps that is suited for your aligner and provides enough coverage for all your teeth. Make sure to check out how it attaches and whether or not it can be removed or adjusted easily. Once you’ve picked a pair of Invisalign bite ramps, it’s time to wear them. If you have any questions about how they work, we encourage you to consult with an Invisalign orthodontist in your area.
Best of luck! It’s always great to see folks working hard on their smile. And if you know anyone else who could use some help straightening up, tell them we said hello!
Do I need bite guards? This will depend on what kind of overbite you have. A good rule of thumb is that if your upper front teeth touch when you close your mouth, then yes—you definitely need a set of Invisalign bite guards.
These aligners use minor pressure to keep your front teeth apart so you can smile comfortably and avoid chipping or damaging them. If they’re not biting correctly, it could indicate there’s an issue with your aligners or even more serious problems like TMJ (temporomandibular joint) syndrome. Consult with an orthodontist as soon as possible if any of these are happening. Wear them at night: Wearing them at night is fine; in fact, we recommend nance appliance it because sleeping (when you’re not opening or closing your mouth) provides maximum treatment time for keeping those alignment goals in sight! Make sure you remove them before eating or brushing your teeth though and don’t let anyone else wear them!
What should I avoid when using them?
You can also find a wide variety of models online. Make sure you choose from a brand that is certified by Invisalign; only these products have been proven safe for use with their aligners and will be covered under warranty if any problems arise from their use. Just be sure that you check that out before making your final purchase!
While using an Invisalign bite ramp might seem like a no-brainer, there are certain things you should avoid while doing so: Avoid holding hot drinks (or eating hot food) – these tend to get very hot and make it harder for you to place an Aligner properly on your teeth when using one of these devices. Avoid chewing gum – again, gum makes it harder to put the device on properly. Stay away from ice cream, hard candy and other foods that need lots of sucking power – same reason as above: too much force can damage your alignment tray when biting down on anything too hard; stay away from crunchy chips too! And finally… Don’t forget about water!
Does wearing these make eating difficult?
They might, depending on your bite. The primary goal of a bite ramp is to keep your lower teeth away from your upper teeth so you can clean beneath them. If you have a wide palate and widely spaced teeth, a bite ramp probably won’t be helpful for you.
In some cases, however, it can make it harder for patients to keep their mouth closed; if that’s something you struggle with already (or especially if you grind), then you’ll want to consider either choosing a model without a bite ramp or seeing an Invisalign-friendly dentist who can help determine whether using one is right for you. Also remember that extra food particles can build up under your lower jaw, which in turn could lead to even more gum disease issues. There are ways to clean around these areas easily; we’ve found that inserting toothpicks into certain spots works well. Ask us next time you visit our office!
Where can I buy them?
Many different brands of Invisalign have been created since it was first launched, so there are some variances between them. It’s important to choose a brand that uses bite ramps because they allow you an unobstructed view of your teeth while you’re wearing aligners. You can buy these at any orthodontist office or through a variety of online resources (just make sure you’re getting your product from a reputable source!).
If you don’t have dental insurance, your dentist may also offer a discount if you pay cash up front. But be careful – not all dentists sell Invisalign, and finding one who does can take some digging. So if it sounds too good to be true, proceed with caution. Once you get your bite ramps in hand, it’s time to put them on. How do you do that?
Glad you asked! Start by gathering your aligners in their open packaging; you should see a small oval-shaped ramp sitting behind each set of retainers (as shown below). Simply remove these and replace them with those included in any new pack of aligners that come in your mouth tray kit. Some users find even more success when they opt for custom-made plastic mouth trays for their two weeks on – two weeks off treatment cycle; however, we’ll get into that more later on down in post #2.