Your In-House Aligners

Q: What are aligners?

Aligners are plastic trays that are worn in a sequential order. Each aligner guides the teeth into a slightly straighter position, just as the wires do with braces. Aligners must be worn full time, 22 hours a day. The 3D scan taken on the patient is used to align the teeth digitally, which then creates stages for the teeth aligning.

Q: How are In-House Aligners different from Invisalign?

We do offer Invisalign but thanks to our in house lab we are also able to use 3D printing to create aligners. With Invisalign cases a lab fee is paid to Invisalign in order to keep creating more aligners, so the fee is typically higher. These aligners are also shipped to us so turn around time is longer than with the In-House Aligners. Otherwise they work the same way.

Q: What are attachments?

In order for the teeth to track well with the aligners, clear composite attachments are bonded to the teeth. They are not visible when the trays are not on and help the trays snap on and fit better. In some cases attachments may not be needed.

Q: How often are my appointments?

Appointments will be scheduled depending on the amount of aligners you were given and how often you are changing them. Typically we have patients switch aligners every two to three weeks, and give multiple trays every visit.

Q: What happens when I am finished with my last aligner?

If you are wearing the last aligner in the current batch, your next appointment with us will be to scan your teeth for more aligners. This is called a refinement scan, and the following visit you will pick up new aligners. If you are completed with treatment, we schedule to remove your attachments and give you removable essix retainers.

Q: What happens if my aligners are not fitting?

Each new aligner will move teeth, so it will fit well after some wear. Using Chewies is helpful for getting the trays to fit better. If the aligners are not being worn full time as instructed, teeth may begin to lag and the aligners won’t fit well. If aligners cannot be made to fit better with longer wear, then a new scan would be taken for new aligners.

Q: What if I lose my aligners?

It’s important to always place them in the case to avoid losing them. If you do not have aligners you must let us know as soon as possible. Typically new aligners would be picked up, but if the patient could not come in quickly then we would recommend wearing the last aligner that was worn before the lost one. This would prevent the teeth from shifting unpredictably.

Q: Do you make aligners for children?

We do offer aligners as a form of both interceptive treatment and comprehensive treatment depending on whether the patient has all of their adult teeth.

Q: Do I still need to see my general dentist?

Yes! While we provide orthodontic treatment we do ask that you continue to see your general dentist every 6 months for checkups and cleanings.

Q: What are my rubber bands for?

Rubberbands, also known as elastics, are used to help correct the malocclusion of the bite. Some patients are class II with a large overjet, and some are class III with little to no overjet. Depending on the changes needed, rubber bands are worn in specific directions. With aligners, the rubber bands may be worn off of buttons bonded to the teeth, or from precision cuts made into the aligners. They do need to be worn all of the time, with the exception of when you eat or brush your teeth. Teeth require constant force to move, and if elastics are not worn well there may be limitations to the end result.