Top 6 Reasons Your Invisalign Treatment Isn’t Working

Long Beach, CA – Patients of all ages love using Invisalign treatment to get the smiles they’ve always wanted. Invisalign is clear, removable, comfortable, and efficient. But occasionally, patients may find that their teeth are not tracking as they should. That can be frustrating, but there are some common reasons why this might be the case. Here are the top reasons why your Invisalign treatment may not be working as it should.

1. Your body isn’t responding how our models assumed it would. We use sophisticated computer modeling to plan your treatment. This accounts for common variables in treatment, but can’t account for how your body is going to react to treatment. Even the most high-tech software can’t predict how your mouth will respond, and unfortunately, some people just have stubborn teeth.
2. You aren’t wearing your aligners as directed. One of the biggest advantages of Invisalign treatment is that the aligners are removable. This means no dietary adjustments, and brushing and flossing are easy. But it also means you have to remember to wear the aligners. For best results, they should be worn a minimum of 20-22 hours a day.
3. You aren’t using your chewies. Invisalign specialists recommend chewing exercises to help apply the needed pressure evenly on your teeth. These chewing exercises can help deliver predictable results. Ask your orthodontist about special Invisalign chewies that are specially designed to use gentle pressure to ensure your Invisalign trays are properly seated in your mouth.
4. You changed your aligners before your teeth were ready. Every orthodontist will recommend switching out aligners at a certain time interval, which varies patient to patient. Dr. Desh always recommends evaluating how the aligners are fitting when changing to a new set of aligners. If you ever see a small gap between the edge of the tooth and the plastic, this is an indication that that particular tooth is not “tracking”. In other words, it is lagging behind on the expected tooth movement. Should this happen, we recommend that patients leave their existing aligners in a few extra days before moving forward to ensure that all teeth are tracking. If a patient just switches their aligners out at the recommended intervals, but does not monitor the tracking, it is very common for tracking errors to occur. 
5. You aren’t taking proper care of your aligners. Avoid using hot water to clean your aligners as this can warp and weaken the plastic, which will then alter how the trays fit in your mouth. Clean your aligners as recommended to avoid build-up and ensure your teeth stay healthy.
6. Your aligners were worn out of order. When you begin Invisalign treatment, you are given a series of aligners and each set is calibrated to achieve a certain tooth movement. These sets build upon the work of each other so that the final result is your ideal smile and bite. If you wear your aligners out of order, it will alter your treatment result. 

Invisalign provides reliable, efficient results, but just like anything else, sometimes life throws us a curveball. If you find that your teeth aren’t tracking they way they should, the most important thing to do is call your orthodontist right away. This will ensure that the source of the problem can be determined quickly so that your treatment can get back on track. 

Invisalign treatment can be an excellent treatment option for patients of all ages when under the care of a trained orthodontist. If you are interested in learning more about Invisalign treatment and how it may be able to transform your smile and your life, call HD Orthodontics today at 562-283-6590.