Invisalign aligner trays are custom-made for each patient; they should fit snugly on your teeth, and they should be relatively easy to place in your mouth. But what if one of your aligners does not fit? Why does this issue sometimes occur, and what can you do about it? This blog post shares some helpful information.
Why Your Aligner Does Not Fit
There are a few possible explanations for why your aligner does not fit:
- Your aligner is new. When you first start wearing an aligner, it might be a bit challenging to slide it onto your teeth.
- You are not wearing your aligners enough. If you are not wearing your aligners for 20 – 22 hours each day, successive aligners in your series might not fit due to the fact that your teeth have not had adequate time to move.
- The aligner is damaged or defective. An aligner might get warped and lose its fit. Or, in rare cases, a defective tray slips through the manufacturing process.
What Can You Do?
Here are some suggestions that may help your trays to fit so you can get your treatment back on track:
- Use Invisalign chewies. These chewies are small pieces of foamy plastic. When you bite on them, they can help your aligner slide into place and aid in eliminating air bubbles. Try biting on them for a few minutes after inserting an aligner, especially when you are using a new tray.
- Make sure you wear your trays enough. Aim to wear Invisalign for at least 20 – 22 hours each day. Some people find that the TrayMinder app helps them with this. If a new aligner seems too tight, you might have to go back to wearing a previous one for a few days.
- Talk to your dentist. If one of your trays gets damaged or seems to be defective, contact your dentist. They can order a replacement for you. In the meantime, you may have to go back to wearing a previous aligner.
Do not let a poorly fitting Invisalign aligner derail your treatment! Take practical steps to get your journey to a straighter smile back on track.
Meet the Practice
Drs. Hamid Ranjbaran and Jesse Johnson are proud to provide Invisalign treatment for the Rio Rancho community. Our team has many years of combined experience, and we always strive to treat patients with the utmost skill and courtesy. If you have questions about Invisalign, or you would like to learn more about our practice, contact Southwest Dental at 505-896-9399.