How do you get your Invisalign trays out?

Here's what works for me: To remove the top tray I curve my fingers and catch my fingernails along the top, outer edges of the tray, then gently pull straight down. Removing the top for me has always been easier than removing the bottom. To remove the bottom tray I insert my thumbs into my mouth on either side between the tray and my cheeks, and catch the lower, outer edges of the tray with my thumb nails. I then gently lift the back ends of the bottom tray up slightly off the back molars and then stabilize the uplifted back ends of the tray with the back edges of my tongue. I then catch my thumb nails under the lower, outer edges of the tray in front of the canines and push upward. This pops the tray out. For me, getting the lower tray in is harder than getting it out. Because there is so much crowding in my lower jaw, because the incisors are pointed backward (this is being corrected), and because there are pesky knobs on 6 of the lower teeth, the fit of the trays has been very tight. It's a bit of a "yowie" every time a new trayset goes in on the lowers because the tray resists and then suddenly snaps in with brute force. But it certainly does get easier every time, and there has been improvement in both uppers and lowers as the alignments approach normal. It has been well worth the effort--in fact, it has all become rather routine.

I feel so bad for this woman in the video!! Why are the assistants not helping her more instead of saying she will just get used to it? The first day I received my aligners, my assistant was great, giving me tips. She had me hold a mirror while she removed them the first couple of times, then it was my turn. She taught me to loosen up both back sides first, then work around the front. I've never torn my trays. I agree with the above statement, that when I get to the front, I reach for my canine and that pops them right off. It never takes me more than 10 seconds to pop them out. The other thing I noticed in the video is she was reaching across her mouth with the opposite hand. I would never be able to get them out that way. I use my right hand to work on the right side and vice versa on the left. The first two days on a new tray for me are the tightest by the middle to end of the week they just pop right out. My ortho gave me an outie tool (you can get them on Amazon) but I've never had to use it. Don't give up, the more you do it the easier it gets.

I feel really bad, lol, I got my attachments right before having my first set of trays put on, and I had no difficulty removing them at all that first time, or at all since (knock on wood).

I've had my Invisalign for 5 months now and I can tell you, just buy a size B metal crochet hook. I use this for the first few days of each new set, or, if I just don't want to stick my fingers in my mouth. It works great!
And here's a tip for cleaning: using a firm toothbrush, clean the trays with dishwashing liquid, rinsing thoroughly after of course!

Well, I'm on my 7th set of trays, it's easier now to get them in and out, I ordered to hook of off amizon which is brilliant when u 1st put a new set inn. (the hook is metal and small, best purchase ever) the only thing is I'm still splitting the trays, but my teeth are moving so I'm a happy chicken ;) x

I've had my Invisalign trays for three days and find them very hard to remove. The plastic tools that the ortho provided aren't strong enough; they just bend. The only thing that has really worked is a small crochet hook. I'm going to buy an even smaller one (size B). Can't wait until this is easier!

Sarah~ don't give up (or lose the will to live:)! I'm on my 16th set of trays and I only have 3 more to go. I'm so happy with the results!! Getting them off the attachments is a challenge. I still just loosen them with my finger nails. I have also split mine a few times. But the whole experience has been so worth it!!! As for cleaning, I am a fanatic when it comes to keeping my mouth clean!! I bought some retainer bright (just google it) and it does an amazing job of keeping my trays clean! I'm kind of addicted to having a clean mouth...haha!!:) Hang in there!!!

Managed better today, but has anyone else had a problem with the smell, i brush my teeth religiously, after food and rinse the tray, when taking them out, but they are making me feel sick! Any helpfull advise please

Went back to the dentist today, he did the same as me, split it at the front where the tension is, but he did reasure me, and there is still tension even with a split, only on my 3rd tray and I'm already loosing the will to live!! Thanks for your response
Cheers

Hi all, I am on my second set of aligners and i must say they are a nightmare!! The pain when taking them out, the smell, and some how i've managed to split them, my dentist almost pulled my head off when showing me how to change them, and my gums bleed everytime! I've paid for my treatment so no going back but, i never though it would feel like this. I dont have a problem with the bottom trays, but my top are terrible, i click them off at the back, which is fine but they get stuck at the front, and me pulling them off is spliting the front part of the aligner, i've managed to do it to two sets of aligners, and the pain is worse than child birth. any tips would be very much appreciated. thanks guys

One free, easy way I have found is to ask your ortho to give you a few of the medical gloves. The material they're made of makes it easy to grab the aligner.

I am almost 2 years into my treatment.I try to keep my nails fairly long and use 2 fingers on the same side to put the upper tray down and out slightly.Then its very easy to get the other side off.

I had a lot of trouble at first too. As time went by, I figured out that if I grab the tray by where my canine tooth (the pointy tooth) is, the tray came off easier. And as you wear your trays, they get looser and easier to take off. Also one of the buttons on my teeth was on the canine, so that's why I think it was easier to grab the tray from there. Yours may be on different teeth, so you may find that your pressure points are different.

I have just started my third set of invisalign trays. The first few days were a nightmare. I had a lot of trouble getting them out - found i was going hungry rather than go through the trauma of taking them out, as it was leaving me so frustrated and often in tears :( there is a tool available on amazon called an outie - it's a little plastic lever that fits between your teeth and the tray so you can pop them out. it made such a difference - highly recommend it. hope this helps!!!