Invisalign clear aligners are quickly becoming one of the most popular orthodontic treatments available, and it’s easy to see why! Not only are they practically invisible when worn, but they can be removed for eating, cleaning, and other daily activities for optimal convenience. Unfortunately, these unique freedoms also make it much easier to accidentally lose track of an aligner! If you want to keep your treatment on track, it’s important that you act right away. Here’s the steps you should take if you lose an Invisalign aligner.
Step 1: Look for Your Aligner
First and foremost, take some time to really search for your aligners. Remember, they’re clear and will blend in with their surroundings, so look carefully. Retrace your steps and search the places you’ve been recently, or start with where you last remember having your aligners. Were you brushing your teeth? Did you grab a snack at the counter? Try looking between couch cushions, under napkins, on the floor or in your pocket. You may even need to check the garbage or trash can to see if you accidentally threw them out!
Step 2: Call Your Orthodontist
If you still can’t find your aligners after a thorough search, it’s time to call your orthodontist. Don’t wait around hoping that you’ll happen upon them somewhere. The longer you go without wearing your aligners, the more likely your teeth are to gradually shift out of place and reverse your hard-earned progress. By then, even if you do find your aligner, it may no longer fit! Call your orthodontist if you haven’t found your missing aligner within the first day or two.
Step 3: Follow Your Orthodontist’s Instructions
When you call your orthodontist, they’ll give you specific instructions based on your unique situation. Depending on where you are in your treatment plan, they may tell you to wear a previous set of aligners until you can get replacements, or they may recommend that you simply move on to your next set of aligners. Even if you think you know what your orthodontist is going to say, don’t make this decision on your own! Only your orthodontist will know which is the safest choice for your smile. Plus, you may need to talk to them about ordering a replacement aligner.
Step 4: Learn How to Avoid Losing Your Aligners
Perhaps the most important step is to learn how to avoid this problem in the future. Hopefully, losing your aligners once will be enough to help you keep better track of them! A few key lessons to take away from this situation are:
- Only take your aligners out when you really need to.
- Whenever you take your aligners out, they should be stored in their case.
- Don’t leave your aligners on a lunch tray, countertop or wrapped in a napkin.
Don’t panic if you lose an Invisalign aligner! Just follow these simple steps to make sure you stay on track for a straighter smile.
About the Practice
At Simply Orthodontics Worcester, we want to make it easy for you to achieve a happy, healthy and beautiful smile. That’s why we offer a variety of state-of-the-art orthodontic services like Invisalign to give you a treatment that is as effective and personalized as possible. With the help of our experienced orthodontists, we’ll make sure that your journey towards a straighter smile is as smooth as possible. To learn more about Invisalign or if you’ve lost an aligner, don’t hesitate to contact us online or at (508) 757-3173.