Invisalign continues to gain popularity as a clear alternative to traditional braces because many teens and adults consider it to be a more discreet and comfortable treatment. These transparent trays are customized to fit over your arches to shift them to their ideal places over a set period.
But if you’ve noticed your aligners don’t fit correctly, it’s natural to have questions about what to do next. Continue reading to learn 3 tips you can try that might help before reaching out to your orthodontist to check the fit!
Tip #1: Try a Chewie
These transparent trays are designed to fit over your teeth, so they are one-of-a-kind, but they must be tight enough to be effective. It can be challenging, especially when you first start wearing new trays, to press them into place sufficiently. If you’re struggling, a special Invisalign chewie might help.
These small cylinders are made of soft plastic that you can bite down on to help anchor your aligners more snugly over your arches. This helps close small air gaps between your enamel and the plastic, keeps the trays in place, and ensures your teeth keep moving forward rather than reverting to their original places.
Tip #2: Wear Aligners as Directed
Your clear aligners are all designed based on impressions your orthodontist takes and uploads to special technology. Then, the Invisalign system develops your trays based on your teeth’s current position to apply consistent but gentle pressure to move them. But if you don’t wear them for the allotted 20 to 22 hours daily, your pearly whites are prone to slipping back to their starting positions.
Then, you might find that your trays don’t fit as well because your teeth are no longer in the correct positions. If you’re struggling to meet your wear time, you might try downloading an app, such as TrayMinder, TrayJourney, or My Invisalign, to help monitor how long you wear them each day and upload “teethie” photos so you can see your smile’s progress throughout your treatment timeline.
Tip #3: Revert to a Previous Set
If your teeth have already begun drifting back out of place, or you have surprisingly stubborn ones that aren’t moving at the anticipated pace, then you might need to switch back to a previous set of trays. An earlier pair might fit your current dental alignment well enough to prevent further relapse while you contact your provider to let them know about the change and await further instructions.
For example, your orthodontist might need to reorder certain trays, or they may need to take new impressions and adjust your treatment plan accordingly.
If none of these tips help you insert your Invisalign, contact your orthodontist to check the fit and ensure your trays are functioning as intended!
About the Practice
Patients at Serenity Orthodontics benefit from two dental experts who are passionate about helping children and adults build the healthiest, most beautiful versions of their smiles. Dr. Lewis and Dr. Kim collaborate to offer a variety of orthodontic services, including Invisalign®, to meet the unique needs of their patients. Their attention to detail is paired with state-of-the-art technology, like iTero digital imaging, to deliver more comfortable, accurate treatment results meant to last. If you’re concerned about the fit of your aligners, you can request an appointment on the website or by calling one of their conveniently located offices near you!
