Help! I think I just made a big mistake. I have been using Invisalign for at least a couple months now. I just received my next set of aligners and have had them in for two days. I am supposed to keep this set for another four weeks. I didn’t like the way they were looking because they had this yellow color and therefore didn’t look invisible at all. I’m not sure why? So I decided to clean them by boiling them. But now the trays don’t fit. What do I need to to?

– Ben in New York

Ben,

Well, now isn’t the time to tell you not to boil your Invisalign aligners. But thank you for your question. Hopefully it will deter others from attempting something similar. It is not safe to place the aligners into the dishwasher or boiling water. Warm water should be fine for rinsing them. But the best way to clean your aligners is with a clean toothbrush and water. Some toothpastes can be quite abrasive and may cause damage to the aligners as well.

To be optimistic, at least the aligners will be replaced in a few weeks. But you need to contact your dentist to see if your most recent set can be used. It is likely that the damaged set will need to be reordered. But you may be able to move onto the next set, depending on the progress and the position of your teeth. Get in touch with your cosmetic dentist to find out his or her specific recommendations. And it goes without saying, don’t do it again. Also, discuss other cleaning alternatives for future use.