Have you ever wondered about how to tackle breakage with Invisalign aligners or clear aligners? Broken aligners can be a real nuisance, but they’re not too difficult to address if you know how. So, without further ado, we’ve outlined some of the main things you need to know about what to do when an Invisalign or clear aligner breaks.
What to do When Invisalign or Clear Aligners Break?
When dealing with Invisalign and clear aligners, it’s well worth knowing what to do when things go wrong.
There are two main causes of clear aligner or Invisalign breakages. Before you tackle the break, you need to understand why the aligners broke. Common reasons include:
– The aligners did not fit / track properly (causing gaps between the teeth and the aligner)
– Patients wore the aligners for too long (ideally, no longer than seven days if it’s fully inserted, tracking, and it’s properly staged)
It’s always crucial to create a digital accountability loop for your cases to make sure the aligners are properly fitted.
Once you’ve worked out the cause, make sure the patients have another type of aligner to wear; ideally, encourage patients to keep at least the last five sets of aligners. If one breaks, they can then potentially revert back to the previous aligner until a new one comes through.
Some other options when an aligner breaks include:
– Using a suck-down machine temporarily
– Contacting a local lab for a 24-hour turnaround aligner
Never leave your patient wearing nothing, as their teeth will slowly shift while waiting. Allow the teeth to stabilize for a week before taking the next steps with the treatment plan.