Since Invisalign aligner trays are custom-made for each patient, they should fit snugly and securely on your teeth. They should be relatively easy to take in and out of your mouth. But what if one of your aligners does not seem to fit? What can cause this issue, and what can you do to get your treatment back on track? This blog post provides some helpful information.
Why Your Aligner Does Not Fit
There are at least three potential explanations for why your aligner does not fit:
- Your aligner is new. When you first start wearing an aligner, it might feel tight. It may resist when you are trying to slide it onto your teeth.
- You are not wearing your aligners enough. It should be your goal to wear Invisalign for 20 – 22 hours each day. Failing to do so can slow your tooth movements, meaning that successive aligners might not fit.
- The aligner is damaged or defective. Aligners can be damaged if they are mishandled or exposed to high temperatures. There is also a chance that a mishap during the manufacturing process occurred.
What Can You Do?
Here are a few suggestions that may help your Invisalign aligners to fit better:
- Use Invisalign chewies. Invisalign chewies are soft, foam-like pieces of plastic. When you bite on them with your aligners, they can help the trays slide into place and solidify their fit. Try biting on them for a few minutes after inserting your Invisalign, particularly when you are first starting to use a new set of aligners.
- Track your wear time. To make sure you are meeting the daily wear time requirement, you might try using an app like TrayMinder. Or, you can set a timer whenever you remove your aligners so you remember to reinsert them before too long has passed.
- Go back to a previous aligner. If a new aligner is too tight, try wearing the previous one for a few days. This can be especially helpful if you sometimes struggle to meet your daily wear time.
- Ask your dentist for help. If one of your trays is defective or damaged, talk to your dentist so they can order a replacement for you.
A poorly fitting Invisalign aligner is a major downer! Take steps to address the problem so your treatment can keep making progress.
Meet the Practice
At Northborough Dental Associates, we proudly offer both traditional braces and Invisalign. If you have questions about clear aligner treatment or how to make a success out of it, we would be pleased to consult with you. Contact our friendly and knowledgeable team at 508-571-0358.