Holiday Travel with Aligners: How to Keep Your Treatment on Track

If you’re wondering whether you can enjoy your holiday away while keeping your aligner treatment on track, the answer is usually yes.  Travelling with aligners or braces just takes a properly packed travel kit and a bit of discipline with your wear schedule, even while you’re away from home.

A lot of patients worry about how a holiday with clear aligners or braces might affect their results. It’s a fair concern, but the good news is that clear aligners are removable, which makes them one of the easiest types of orthodontic treatment to take while travelling. There’s no wire to snap and no bracket to come loose on a long-haul flight, for instance.

This guide walks through what to pack, the daily habits that keep treatment on track at altitude or by the pool, and what to do if a tray goes missing. Rest assured that a little preparation now means your treatment carries on exactly as planned, wherever you’re headed.

Can you go on holiday during Invisalign treatment?

Most patients can absolutely go on holiday during treatment, provided they commit to wearing their clear aligner trays for the required 20 to 22 hours a day.

Invisalign treatment depends on consistency from the first stage of wear. Missing a few days here and there might not sound like much, but it slows the gentle pressure that’s moving your teeth, and that usually means extending the overall length of your treatment. Research published in the BDJ Open journal in 2024 found that longer treatment durations are linked to lower patient adherence, so the habits you build early on tend to matter more the longer your plan runs. If you’d like more on why that consistency matters so much for your results, our piece on orthodontic treatment commitment goes into it in more depth.

It helps to build in some backup. A 2022 study published in Scientific Reports on electronic reminders found that digital monitoring tools cut poor compliance rates from 24.47% to 9.32%. So setting a daily alarm, or using a tracking app, is a simple way to keep your wear time honest while you’re distracted by sightseeing and enjoying your time off.

What to pack when travelling with Invisalign

Your essential on-the-go kit should include your current, previous and next set of trays, an aligner case, a travel toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and some orthodontic wax.

Your travel aligner kit

Pack these together in one bag, so you’re never digging through your case for them:

• Current, previous and next set of trays
• A sturdy aligner case, not a napkin or tissue
• Travel toothbrush and toothpaste
• Dental floss
• Orthodontic wax, for any rough edges
• A small bottle of mouthwash, if you use one

Keep this whole kit, and any backup trays, in your carry-on rather than checked luggage. Lost suitcases happen, and your treatment shouldn’t depend on an airline finding yours.

A refillable water bottle is worth packing, too. It means you can always rinse your mouth and your trays after eating, which matters most somewhere the tap water isn’t safe to drink.

If your trip falls near a tray change, see your orthodontist around two weeks before you fly. They’ll sort out any extra dental supplies or trays you might need, so you’re never caught short while you’re away.

Invisalign travel tips: daily routine on holiday

On flights and long journeys

Leave your aligners in for the flight itself and only take them out to eat. Long-haul cabins are dehydrating, so drink more water than you think you need. It’s good for you and keeps the trays comfortable.

Crossing time zones

Don’t force your tray-change schedule to match the new time zone overnight. Track the total hours worn across each rolling 24-hour window instead of the clock on the wall. A few extra minutes here and there evens out over a week away.

Eating out

Holiday meals tend to run longer, and snacking creeps in between them. Plan for proper sit-down meals rather than grazing all day, and always take your trays out before you eat or drink anything other than water. Fewer removals means less chance of leaving a tray behind on a restaurant table. These holiday tips matter most in the evenings, when you’re tired and not really thinking about wear time.

Swimming and chlorine

Take your aligners out if you’re swimming in a pool for any length of time. Chlorine can dull the clarity of the plastic, and while it won’t harm your teeth, it’s not doing your trays any favours. Pop them straight back in their case until you’re out of the water, and you’ll stay on track without any extra hassle.

How to store and clean your aligners on holiday

Always store your trays in their case the moment they’re out of your mouth, and keep up your oral hygiene by cleaning them daily with a soft toothbrush and cool water.

Knowing how to store Invisalign aligners on holiday really comes down to one rule: the case goes everywhere your trays do. Never wrap your aligners in a napkin or tissue at a restaurant table. They look like rubbish to anyone clearing plates, so plenty of trays meet their end in a bin this way. Keep the case in your bag rather than your pocket. Also, keep it away from direct sunlight or a hot car dashboard, as warm plastic warps.

Aligner cleaning on the go doesn’t need anything fancy. Rinse your trays in cool water as soon as you take them out, before anything has a chance to dry on. Once a day, brush them gently with a soft toothbrush, the same way you’d brush your teeth. Skip the toothpaste, though. Most toothpastes are mildly abrasive, which is enough to scratch clear plastic and leave it looking cloudy over time. The same goes for some coloured mouthwash (which can stain the trays) and hot water (which can warp them). Cool water and a soft brush are really all you need. For the full step-by-step routine, see our guide on how to clean invisible aligners.

Emergency plan: lost or broken aligners abroad

If an aligner goes missing or breaks, switch straight to your previous set or move on to your next tray. Then get in touch with your orthodontist for guidance.

Accidents like this are one of the realities of travel with Invisalign, or any other removable brace. What you do next depends on timing:

1. If you’re only a few days into wearing the tray you’ve lost, go back to the previous set until you can get a replacement.
2. If you were close to your scheduled change anyway, moving on to the next tray is often the better call.

Either way, get in touch with your orthodontist as soon as you can. They can talk you through the right option for your stage of treatment and, in many cases, can arrange a replacement to be sent or collected once you’re home.

Returning home with a perfect smile

Keeping your treatment on track while you’re away really comes down to a bit of extra preparation. And most of what keeps your aligners working on holiday is the same routine you already follow at home, just fitted around a different time zone or a sightseeing day. 

Booking a check-up once you’re home is the simplest way to make sure your smile is exactly where it should be after your trip. Get in touch with Hampstead Orthodontic Practice, and we’ll check your aligner tracking and get you straight back on course.

FAQs

Can you go on holiday during Invisalign treatment?

Yes, most patients can travel during treatment without any issues, as long as they keep wearing their aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day. Skipping wear time on holiday is what slows progress, not the travel itself.

What should you pack when travelling with Invisalign?

Pack your current, previous and next set of trays, an aligner case, a travel toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and some orthodontic wax. Keep it all in your carry-on rather than checked luggage, just in case your bag goes missing.

How do you store Invisalign aligners on holiday?

Keep your trays in their case whenever they’re out of your mouth, and never wrap them in a napkin or tissue at a restaurant table. Avoid direct sunlight, hot cars and anywhere they could end up in the bin by mistake.

What should you do if you lose an aligner on holiday?

Switch back to your previous set, or move on to your next tray if you were close to a scheduled change, then get in touch with your orthodontist for advice. They can talk you through the best option and arrange a replacement if needed.

Are holidays harder with braces than with clear aligners?

Fixed braces need a bit more care on holiday, since you can’t take them out to eat or clean your teeth properly. Clear aligners are removable, which makes daily eating, brushing and flossing far more straightforward while you’re away.