Canal Side Family Dental is a 42 North Dental Care, PLLC practice and is owned and operated by dentists Dr. Samuel Shames, DDM. and Dr. Ronald Weissman, DDM. Gentle Dental is supported by 42 North Dental, LLC, a dental support organization that provides non-clinical administrative and business support services to the practice. 42 North Dental, LLC does not own or operate the dental practice or employ dentists to provide dental services. Find more information about 42 North Dental, LLC and the dental practices it supports at 42northdental.com.
Invisalign is one of the most convenient orthodontic treatment options; the removability of the aligners gives you the freedom to eat what you want and enjoy easy oral hygiene. However, the ability to remove your aligners also comes with a small drawback. You could accidentally end up misplacing one! If you have lost one of your Invisalign aligners, what should you do? This blog post provides some practical tips to help you get your treatment back on track.
Take a Good Look
Invisalign aligners are transparent and lightweight, so it is understandable that so many patients end up misplacing them. Before you determine that your aligner is lost forever, take a careful look in these places:
- Your purse/backpack/briefcase. If you tend to carry a lot of stuff with you, it can be easy for an aligner to disappear in the shuffle.
- Waste baskets. Some people put their aligner in a napkin while they eat, and they throw the napkin away without realizing that their aligner is still in it.
- Under furniture. A small child or curious pet might bump into a table where you placed your aligner. It could easily end up under the sofa or another piece of furniture.
Call Your Dentist
If you have not located your aligner within a reasonable period of time, give your dentist a call and let them know what happened. They might advise you to do one of the following:
- Return to wearing a previous aligner. A previous aligner can prevent your teeth from making too much backwards progress while your dental team orders a replacement for the one that got lost.
- Advance to your next aligner. If you were just a few days away from being able to move on to the next aligner in your series, it might be okay for you to progress a bit early. You should not move to the next aligner early without your dentist’s permission; advancing too soon could damage your teeth and cause significant discomfort.
Keeping Track of Your Aligners
You can reduce the risk that you will lose another aligner in the future by taking some simple precautions:
- Always put your aligners in their case when you are not wearing them or cleaning them.
- Never wrap your aligners in a napkin.
- Do not place your aligners too close to the edge of a table or countertop.
- Consider placing an AirTag or a similar device on your Invisalign case so you can use your phone to track its location.
Losing an Invisalign aligner can be an annoying situation, but with a few simple steps, you can get your treatment right back on track!
Meet the Practice
The friendly team at Canal Side Family Dental in Buzzards Bay is proud to provide top-quality care for our community. Invisalign is one of the many services available in our practice. If you have questions about this treatment and what to expect from it, we would be pleased to speak with you. Contact our office staff at 508-375-3149.