What to Do If You Lose Your Clear Aligners

It’s hard to believe there once was a time when orthodontic treatment meant one thing — dealing with traditional metal braces and headgear that were, literally, a pain. As if the stigma and embarrassment of sporting all that metal weren’t enough, treatment plans often lasted over two years.

Thankfully, those days are over. Today’s teens and adults enjoy many options for orthodontic treatment, including clear aligner systems. But like most things worth exploring, there can be unexpected issues that crop up. Say, for instance, you can’t seem to find your aligner tray after you get back from vacation.

First, don’t panic, says Dr. Jean Seibold McGill at McGill Orthodontics in Easton and Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. In this blog, Dr. McGill shares her insights on orthodontic treatment using clear aligners and what to do in those unexpected moments.

The clear aligner difference

Let’s unpack this discussion by first explaining what clear aligners are and how they differ from traditional orthodontic appliances like braces. While traditional braces and clear aligner systems are both viable orthodontic treatment options, the severity of the alignment issue, preference, and cost are usually the deciding factors.

Traditional braces come in a variety of materials and are attached to your teeth for treatment. At McGill Orthodontics, we offer a more streamlined metal braces system called Damon™ Ultima braces.

With clear aligners, your orthodontic treatment plan is executed through a series of custom-made, super clear aligner trays that fit over your teeth. You switch to a new series of aligner trays every two weeks or so as established by your treatment plan. 

In contrast to braces, you can remove your aligner trays when you eat or drink. The key to effective treatment is wearing your aligners about 22 hours a day.

At McGill Orthodontics, we offer two industry-leading clear aligner systems — Invisalign®, one of the most recognized names in the clear aligner market, and the Spark™ clear aligner system. Spark aligners are made with the proprietary TruGEN™ material, known for its clear appearance, resistance to staining, and targeted design for efficient and effective tooth movement.

If you’re looking to finally get that smile you’ve been dreaming of without announcing it to the world with a mouth full of braces, clear aligner systems fit the bill, since they’re virtually invisible. Most people won’t even know you’re wearing them unless you tell them. 

Quicker treatment plans

As if discretion weren’t enough, treatment time for clear aligners is generally shorter and requires fewer appointments than braces. 

During your initial consultation, Dr. McGill assesses your bite, reviews your oral health history, and may take X-rays, if needed. She also asks you about your treatment goals. If she deems you a good candidate for clear aligners, Dr. McGill concludes your appointment by taking digital impressions of your mouth.

Next, she uploads your impressions to a computer-aided design program, which develops your personalized treatment plan and plots out the step-by-step movements of your teeth. She sends all this data to a dental laboratory to fabricate your first set of clear aligners.

Once your aligners return from the dental lab, you come back to our office to check the fit and learn more about your treatment plan. Your plan specifies how many sets of aligners are needed to complete your treatment and the sequence for swapping to your next set of aligners. 

Throughout your treatment plan, you return regularly to McGill Orthodontics so we can monitor the progress of your teeth movement. 

Lost and damaged aligners can be replaced

If you damage or misplace an aligner tray, you won’t be the first patient to do so. Simply give us a call right away. Mistakes happen. We understand that. And we’ll do all we can to ensure your treatment plan stays on track.

Depending on the situation and where you are in your treatment, we may have you wear your previous set of aligners while you wait for a replacement set or move on to your next set in the interim. The important thing is to get your treatment back on track with the least interruption.

If you’re ready to capture your best smile and want to learn more about clear aligners, contact McGill Orthodontics to schedule a free orthodontic consultation. Call our office most convenient to you or request your appointment online today.