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Uh-oh! What Do I Do if I Lose an Aligner?

November 19, 2020

Filed under: Uncategorized — orthoholliston @ 3:06 pm
Closeup of nervous woman

With Invisalign in Holliston, you can straighten your teeth hassle-free. After all, the only real “rule” is wearing the clear aligners for at least 22 hours a day to stay on track with your treatment plan. But what happens if you do accidentally lose yours? Read on for the answer!

The Importance of Wearing Your Aligners

Despite your best efforts, accidents can happen. However, once your aligners are misplaced, the clock begins to tick since your teeth can quickly shift back into their previous position. Unfortunately, this can result in more time and money spent on your treatment, so make sure to contact your dental team right away. Unless specifically instructed to, don’t attempt to handle the situation on your own by using your previous aligners or moving on to the next set since that can significantly hinder your hard-earned results.

What to Do If You Lose Your Aligners

Once you notice that your aligners are missing, do your best not to panic. Instead, calmly retrace your steps. Check your couch cushions, the garbage can, and other small crevices that they could’ve fallen into. Once you’ve confirmed that they are indeed lost, contact your dental team right away. From there, they can determine the next best steps and if another aligner needs to be made to keep your treatment plan on track.

How to Avoid Losing Your Aligners

Whether you recently lost one of your aligners or are doing your best to prevent it from happening to you, following the below best practices can be helpful:

  • Don’t take the trays out of your mouth unless absolutely necessary, like when you eat or brush your teeth.
  • Have a dedicated case to put them in when you aren’t wearing them.
  • Don’t place them on a lunch tray or wrap them in a tissue, which increases their likelihood of accidentally being thrown away.
  • Keep the aligners from your previous phase of treatment just in case.

Once you realize your trays are missing, it can be tempting to let panic take over. However, it is important to remember that a frazzled mind won’t help you locate them any faster. Instead, do your best to calmly retrace your steps and call your dental team as soon as you confirm they are missing.

About the Practice

Whether you’ve had braces before or are interested in straightening your teeth for the first time, Simply Orthodontics is the team to trust with your smile! Both Dr. Alan Carlotto and Dr. Sam Alkhoury have extensive experience in addressing each patient’s unique dental needs to create the straight, flawless smile they deserve. If you are interested in perfecting your smile with Invisalign, visit their website or give them a call at 508-429-7800.