Invisalign Issues

These are possible issues you may encounter during your Invisalign journey. Let’s tackle them one by one!

Aligners don’t fit.

Possible reasons why aligners do not fit:

• Check the Invisalign pack that you just opened. Is it the correct one? You may have accidentally opened a set of aligners meant for a later date.
• Check the edges of the Invisalign. Sometimes, part of the aligner edge has folded inwards, preventing the aligners from sitting in properly.
• Check that there is no food particles stuck in the aligner causing an obstruction.
• If the aligners were recently dipped in warm/hot water or placed near a hot surface, heat may have deformed its shape. Please proceed to Lost Aligner section for solutions.
• If you had any dental fillings done recently, the shape of your teeth may not be the same as before. This can prevent the aligners from fitting.
• Newly erupting teeth may prevent aligners from fully sitting.

Off-tracking in Invisalign treatment refers to a situation when teeth positions do not match the corresponding aligner stage.

Off-tracking prevents aligners from fully fitting. You might notice a small air space between your teeth and the bottom of the aligner.

Common causes for off-tracking are:

• The aligners may not have finished expressing tooth movement but it was changed.
• Not wearing the aligners for enough hours.
• Not sitting the aligners all the way down with chewies.

What to do:

Do notify the Team@MyBracesClinic by dropping us a Facebook Message, calling us at (65)6737 9797 or email us at smilematters@mybracesclinic.com. We would like to schedule an earlier appointment to get you back on track.

Please BRING about 5-6 sets of old aligners if you have them.

Aligners are too loose

Aligners are too loose if they feel ‘flappy’ and just can’t stay on the teeth. On top of being annoying, ‘flappy’ aligners are inefficient at moving teeth. Possible reasons for loose aligners are:

• Missing attachments.
• Newly erupted teeth.
• Short teeth, where there is not enough tooth structure for aligners to wrap over.
• Altered shape of teeth from new dental restorations or dental trauma.
• Deformed aligners from heat contact.
• Off tracking of teeth due to teeth not moving as fast as the aligner gets changed.

What to do:

Do notify the Team@MyBracesClinic by dropping us a Facebook Message, calling us at (65)6737 9797 or email us at smilematters@mybracesclinic.com. We would like to schedule an earlier appointment to address the cause of loose aligners ASAP.

Aligners too tight

Aligners gripping too tightly and you are having trouble taking them out? Take a deep breath and stop. Take a few minutes timeout from tugging at the aligners.

Let’s recap the correct way to remove aligners.

• Start from the inner ‘roof’ side of the mouth for the upper aligners and the tongue side for the lower.
• Go to the last tooth and place your fingernail, just under the edge of the aligner.
• Imagine the aligners moving in a letter ‘C’ shape over the biting surface of the teeth, towards the cheek.
• The idea is to lift the aligners AWAY and OFF the attachments.
• Loosen the one side first, THEN loosen the Other side, BEFORE removing the aligner from the front teeth.

OK. Try again. Still difficult?

What to do:

Here are some useful tips to deal with aligners that are too tight:

• With the aligners on, gargle with warm water to soften the aligners for a few minutes before trying again.
• Use the OrthoKey that is available at MyBracesClinic. It’s a thin, extension rod of your finger and gives you more leverage to remove aligners. Also, a great idea if you have manicured nails or very short nails.
• Considering sleeping overnight with the aligner on! This gives your teeth some time to move into the new aligner position Before trying again in the morning. If you are feeling a little grossed out because you have not brushed your teeth before bed? Gargle vigorously with mouthwash for 2 minutes with the aligners on and remember to brush your tongue too. Try again in the morning.

Please notify the Team@MyBracesClinic by dropping us a Facebook Message, calling us at (65)6737 9797 or email us at smilematters@mybracesclinic.com. We would like to schedule an earlier appointment to address this issue. Spend some time training with us till you’re comfortable and confident of removing aligners on your own.

Broken Aligners

Broken or torn aligners reduce the efficiency of tooth movements and must be addressed. Some common causes of broken/torn retainers are:

1. Severely crooked teeth or large gaps between teeth that make it difficult to remove aligners. Excessive twisting and tugging of aligners during removal increases the risk of tearing.
2. Patients who grind their teeth at night often wear out the biting surfaces of aligners.
3. Removing aligners in one big yank from left to right or vice versa, often causes tears in the aligners at the canine tooth region. Do remove aligners by loosening one side first, then the other side, before sliding them off your front teeth.
4. Aligners can crack when they are not stored in a box or case. ‘Naked’ aligners placed in school bags often get crushed by heavy textbooks or gym gear.  ‘Naked’ aligners buried in pockets may get squashed or cracked when you sit down on them.

What to do:

Kindly notify the Team@MyBracesClinic by dropping us a Facebook Message, calling us at (65)6737 9797 or email us at smilematters@mybracesclinic.com. We will be able to walk you through some solutions over the phone or via email.

Lost Aligners

How to avoid losing Invisalign aligners?

• Avoid wrapping aligners in tissue paper as they are easily (and frequently) thrown away.
• Avoid storing aligners in the Macdonald/ Burger box during mealtime as you may accidentally throw them away!
• Minimize taking them in and out repeatedly over the course of the day. Wearing the aligners as often as possible reduces your risk of losing aligners and makes for effective tooth movement!

What to do:

If you lose the aligners just before the end of your aligner cycle, change up to the next set. The new set of aligners will feel tighter than usual and will need extra chewie time to fully seat it. Please inform us ASAP for an earlier appointment and bring ALL the aligners you currently have. Our Team@MyBracesClinic will evaluate the fit of the aligners.

If you lost the aligners right at the start of your aligner cycle and the next set of aligners are too tight or doesn’t fit well (even with lots of chewie time), go back to the last aligner set to hold your teeth position and let us know ASAP. Alert the Team@MyBracesClinic by dropping us a Facebook Message, calling us at (65)6737 9797 or email us at smilematters@mybracesclinic.com.