It’s easy to see why so many people prefer clear, removable Invisalign aligners over traditional braces. However, sometimes the process doesn’t always go exactly as planned. In certain cases, you may find that one of your aligners doesn’t fit the way it should. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to address this issue! Below is a brief look at what can cause an ill-fitting aligner and some of the solutions available.
What Does It Mean If an Invisalign Aligner Doesn’t Fit?
A seemingly ill-fitting aligner isn’t always a serious problem. Remember that each aligner represents the positions that your teeth will be in once you finish wearing it. Naturally, if you just started wearing the aligner, your teeth will not yet be in those positions – hence the less-than-perfect fit.
Another possible explanation is that you didn’t wear your previous aligners as often as you should have. As effective as Invisalign is for straightening teeth, it only works if you keep your aligners in your mouth for the requisite 20 to 22 hours a day. If you don’t, your teeth won’t be where they need to be by the time you move on to the next set of aligners.
Finally, it could be that something is wrong with the aligner itself. Since Invisalign aligners are made out of plastic, they can become warped when exposed to hot water, which changes the way they fit on the teeth.
What Can You Do About an Ill-Fitting Invisalign Aligner?
If it seems like your Invisalign aligner doesn’t fit correctly, you can try the following solutions:
- Use Invisalign Chewies: Invisalign chewies are small cylinders you can bite down on to help the aligners go over the teeth as they should. You will typically need to use the chewies for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Be Diligent About Wearing Your Aligners: Do whatever’s necessary to ensure that you’re wearing your aligners for a full 22 hours every day so that your teeth move to where they need to be.
- Go Back to Wearing Your Previous Aligners: If your teeth simply aren’t in the right positions for your new aligners, it may be necessary to return to wearing a previous set for a while. (This should only be done if your dentist says it’s okay.)
- Call Your Dentist: Sometimes you may not be able to resolve the problem on your own. It may therefore be necessary to schedule an appointment with your dentist so that they can figure out what to do next.
Having an ill-fitting aligner can be frustrating, but the sooner you find a solution, the sooner you can get back on track toward a straighter, healthier smile.
About the Author
Dr. Darren Koch has more than 20 years of dental experience. He has helped many patients achieve straighter smiles thanks to Invisalign; he even had one of his cases featured as Case of the Month by the American Academy of Clear Aligners. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Koch at his practice in Cary, visit his website or call (919) 859-6633.
