Clear aligners continue to gain popularity as an alternative to traditional braces because they’re much more visually appealing. Patients love that they can straighten their smiles without having bulky metal brackets bonded to their teeth. Instead, this orthodontic method relies on transparent plastic trays customized to fit snuggly over your pearly whites to gently shift them into their ideal placements.
However, because clear aligners are intended to be less visibly intrusive, it’s not uncommon to lose or misplace them. If you’ve found yourself in this unfortunate circumstance and aren’t sure what to do, keep reading to learn about 3 steps you can take!
Step #1: Be Sure It’s Lost
Before panicking, take a few deep breaths to calm your heart rate and double-check to see if you’ve simply misplaced your aligners. It can be helpful to retrace your steps and look in places it may have ended up, like between couch cushions or seats or in the garbage can or other small spaces. If you can’t find it then it’s time to call your dentist to let them know what happened.
Step #2: Don’t Advance Early
Your dentist gives you a new set of trays every one to two weeks to account for the ongoing movement of your teeth. Typically, a predesignated schedule determines when you switch to a new set. If you’ve lost your aligners, you may feel tempted to jump to the next aligners right away, but this generally isn’t recommended until you’ve spoken with your provider. They’ll let you know what to do when you reach out. In some cases, they’ll ask you to wear previous trays until they can replace the one that was lost. That said, if you were nearly done wearing that set anyway then they may instruct you to wear your new ones early.
Step #3: Be Proactive
The sooner you schedule an appointment with your dentist, the better. They’ll let you know whether your treatment schedule will need to be adjusted, based on your circumstances. If you replace the missing set as quickly as possible, you might only be set back a couple of weeks but if you wait then you could potentially be adding months to your timeline.
Then, make a plan to ensure that you don’t lose aligners in the future. Some helpful tips include:
- Have a designated place where you can store them safely when you’re not wearing them.
- Keep them in your mouth except for meals and cleanings.
- Make it a rule not to leave them on lunch trays or tables, and don’t wrap them in tissues or napkins that are likely to be thrown away.
Although it’s not ideal to lose an aligner, it’s also not the end of the world. Letting your dentist know instead of trying to handle it on your own is the best way to ensure that your treatment moves forward smoothly!
About the Practice
At Amberly Dental, two dentists provide a full range of services under one roof to help people of all ages improve their oral health. Both are highly qualified individuals who work together to meet even the most complex dental needs. They combine state-of-the-art technology with a compassionate approach to offer fully individualized treatments, including clear aligners. If you’ve lost a tray and need help keeping your orthodontics on track, you’re welcome to request an appointment on the website or by calling (402) 786-2007.