Why can’t I take all my Invisalign aligners home?

We often get the question, I already paid for my aligners, why can’t I have all my aligners at once? This makes sense in theory however the missing link is this: your Invisalign treatment is more than a stack of plastic aligner trays. You are paying for your dentist’s training, experience, and expertise in moving your teeth using these aligners. Each aligner moves teeth to specified locations and this movement needs to be closely tracked by your provider. What happens during these aligner visits? It allows your dentist to check the following:

• rotation of teeth

• appropriate spacing between teeth to allow for movement

• appropriate changes in occlusion (bite) that follow your treatment plan

• evaluate any changes in oral hygiene that can affect the outcome of your treatment

• perform interproximal polishing to allow for proper movement of teeth

Here are many of the negative outcomes that can occur when a patient proceeds with Invisalign, or any clear aligner system, unsupervised.

• 1-3 teeth or more do not track and the treatment outcome veers off course

• decay or periodontal disease occur due to improper oral hygiene

• occlusal (bite) issues occur due to interferences

There may be extenuating circumstances that prevent you from coming to your dental appointment for an aligner check. It is important to continue with the treatment plan and schedule that your provider has created for you and moving forward only under direct supervision. Should you try to keep to your schedule and wear your aligners without having aligner checks, you may inadvertently be extending your treatment plan by unknowingly continuing to wear ill-fitting aligners.

Virtual Invisalign Aligner Checks:

This can occur with specific treatment plan types and this will be communicated to you by your provider. If you require interproximal polishing or close monitoring of difficult to move teeth, this is not an option.

It is important to communicate to your provider the status of your current set of Invisalign aligners. Photos are the best method as Zoom, FaceTime, and Google Hangouts can appear pixelated.

Requirements of acceptable photos:

• Good lighting: a well lit room is necessary, try a bathroom

• Have someone assist you in taking the photo by using a high resolution camera phone (selfies tend to show up pixelated depending on the phone you have).

• Retract your lips to show your teeth and the aligners.

• Photos need to have the proper angle with an open bite.

EXAMPLE PHOTOS