The key to successful treatment with Invisalign clear aligners is consistency, but with that being said, slip-ups do happen occasionally. Today, our Vancouver dentists discuss what happens when you get off track with your Invisalign treatment and how you can get back on schedule.
Invisalign Treatment
Invisalign clear aligners are an orthodontic treatment commonly used to alter the appearance of the teeth of teens and young adults. The major appeal of Invisalign is how they can fit into your lifestyle—this is because they are discreet and can be removed for eating, drinking, and playing sports. However, it's important that you wear your Invisalign clear aligners for no less than 22 hours a day during treatment so that you can get the desired results.
What occurs when you don't follow your Invisalign treatment schedule?
If you aren't wearing your Invisalign clear aligners for the required amount of time, you may notice that your aligners aren't fitting as well as they should or that there are gaps between your teeth and the aligners.
Each set of Invisalign trays is typically intended to be worn for 22 hours per day for two weeks at a time. If you do not wear your aligners often enough, your teeth will not move as quickly and you will be less likely to keep up with the progression of your treatment.
How can you help get back to your Invisalign treatment schedule?
Life happens and sometimes you can get off track with your Invisalign treatment, here are some of the easy ways that you can help get yourself back on schedule:
Inform your dentist of where you are with treatment and what your issues have been
If you notice that you are not on track with your treatment, contact your dentist and schedule an appointment to discuss your treatment options. Your dentist should be able to assess your situation and tell you how to get back on track with your treatment.
You can ask about going back to your old set of aligners
It might be a good idea for you to return to a previous set of clear aligners before proceeding with the treatment as planned. This can help make sure that when you switch to your new set, your teeth are in the proper position and treatment can proceed unimpeded. Your dentist should advise you on which set to use and for how long.
Adjust your treatment plan to better suit your lifestyle
Your dentist may need to modify your treatment and make a new set of aligners to get you back on track if your previous sets are not fitting properly. However, the earlier you can schedule an appointment with your dentist, the less likely your treatment plan will need to be revised.
In order to make the most of your treatment and help it succeed you should keep your dentists up to date and continue working with them throughout treatment.