Starting clear aligner treatment is incredibly exciting, but it can also feel a little intimidating. Unlike braces, clear aligners are removable, which introduces a few additional factors.
Making sure your aligners are properly seated whenever you’re wearing them is an important factor when it comes to guaranteeing safe, effective treatment. But how can you be sure they’re seated properly? In this guide, we’ll provide 5 tips for seating your aligners correctly, and explain how to tell the difference between properly and improperly seated aligners.
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Properly vs. Improperly Seated Aligners: How to Tell the Difference
Before we guide you through the process of seating your aligners, let’s make sure you know how to recognize when an aligner is properly seated.
A well-fitting aligner sits evenly across all of your teeth. It’s okay if there’s a little space between the tip of the aligner and the top of your teeth, as long as the space is the same across every tooth. This extra space will gradually decrease as your teeth move into their new positions. If only one tooth has extra space on top, then it’s likely your aligner isn’t quite seated correctly.
Another way to tell if your aligners are properly seated, is to check the fit on your molars (or back teeth). If your aligners are loose on your molars, they’re probably not seated correctly. If you have visible wisdom teeth, your aligners won’t be designed to include them in your treatment, so don’t worry if your aligners don’t reach these teeth.
How to Seat Your Aligners Correctly
Now that we know how to recognize a properly seated aligner, let’s learn how to actually do the seating.
1. Make Sure Your Teeth and Aligners are Clean
Before seating your aligners, be sure you’ve brushed your teeth and that your aligners are clean. If your aligners and teeth aren’t clean before you seat your aligners, the bacteria and plaque on your teeth will have hours and hours of time to wear through your enamel.
2. Start in the Front
Begin placing your aligners by lining your front two teeth up with the front two teeth of your aligners. Using your index finger, gently press the aligners into place, gradually moving back towards your molars evenly on both sides. Once each tooth is lightly placed into your aligners, use your thumbs and press more firmly to seat the aligners into place.
3. Use Chewies
Chewies are small, plastic devices that you can bite on to get your aligners into place, without air bubbles or uneven spacing. Simply bite down on your chewies for 5-10 minutes a day. Move the chewies throughout your mouth, making sure to reach each tooth. This will help each tooth get snugly seated into your clear aligner.
Chewies were created by Invisalign, but there are plenty of other aligner providers that have their own in-house version of these chewable tools. You may not need them for every day of treatment, but these are helpful devices when you’re first getting comfortable with a new set of aligners.
4. Resist the Urge to Bite
We know it’s tempting, but don’t bite your aligners on. There is a great deal of force behind a human bite. If your aligner isn’t yet in the correct position, a forceful bite can damage your aligner, or fold a portion of it in on itself. If you’re feeling the temptation to chomp down, stick to your chewies.
5. Stick With Your Treatment Schedule
Aligners fit best when you’re wearing them for the appropriate amount of time. Your aligner treatment plan is created in advance, it isn’t always tweaked appointment to appointment like a braces tightening. Your aligners are all made in advance, so meeting your daily wear goals is an important part of keeping your treatment on track.
Not wearing your aligners for the allotted 22 hours/day (or 10 hours/night for nighttime-only treatment) can create a domino effect on your treatment. Less aligner wear will mean your teeth won’t move at the pace that your dentist originally outlined in your treatment plan. This means that when you switch to a new set of aligners, your teeth may not be where your dentist envisioned they would be, which can affect the fit of your new aligners.
What About Properly Removing My Aligners?
Removing your aligners requires just as much care as seating them. The process of seating them will essentially be reversed for clear aligner removal.
The Drier, the Better
It can be hard to get a firm grip on your aligners when they’ve spent most of the day in your mouth. Drying out your mouth a bit before removing aligners can help with this process. You can start by keeping your mouth open for a little while prior to aligner removal, to let in some air. You can also use a paper towel to grip your aligners, to avoid slipping.
Start With the Molars
You’ll have the best luck removing your aligners by starting in the back with each of your molars. For your upper row of teeth, it’s easiest to remove the aligners from the inside (the side closest to your tongue). Use your index finger or thumb to gently pull your aligner off of your back teeth. Alternating sides, gradually make your way to the front teeth, where you’ll gently pull down to remove the aligner.
For your bottom row of teeth, you’ll also need to start with the molars — but this time, access them from the outside (the side that touches your cheek). Once the molars are free, continue to work gradually through both sides, evenly removing the aligners and ending with a lift from the bottom front teeth.
Pull Tool
These inexpensive tools can help remove your aligners in a hassle free way. There are many different designs for these plastic tools, but generally there is a small hook on one side and a place for your hand to grip on the other. You’ll simply hook your device in the back of your aligner and gently pull down.
Even with the help of this tool, it’s important to be gradual and gentle when removing your aligner. Resist the temptation to remove your aligner with one strong pull on a back molar. Though this may seem convenient, it may actually do damage to your aligners that can decrease their effectiveness. These tools aren’t always necessary, but can help clear aligner treatment feel more seamless — particularly when you’re first starting out.
Final Thoughts
Seating your aligners may seem a little complicated at first, but with a little practice and the help of the tips we’ve outlined in this guide, we are confident you will be able to seat your aligners with precision and ease.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there anything at home I can use to remove my aligners instead of buying a pull tool?
Anything dry that can help you get a good grip on your aligners. Something as simple as a paper towel may be helpful in removing your aligners. This won’t be as precise as a pull tool, but will help keep the surface drier so you can get a better grip on your aligner.
How often do I change my aligners?
Usually clear aligner treatment plans will have you changing to a new set of aligners every one to two weeks.
What time of day should I change to my new set of aligners?
It’s often recommended to switch to your new set of aligners at night, so you can sleep through any initial discomforts that can occur with a new set of aligners.
When will seating my aligners be the most challenging?
When you switch to a new set of aligners every one to two weeks, the fit will be tighter. This will be the time when using your chewies (or similar product) will be the most necessary. After a few days, it’s likely you’ll be fine without these tools.
Do aftercare retainers need to be seated the same way as aligners?
With aftercare retainers you should still start with the front of your aligners and gradually work your way around. However, aftercare retainers are meant to keep your teeth in the positions they are already in. Since these trays won’t be moving your teeth, the fit will be much more natural and should get seated far more quickly than aligners.
Should I talk to my dentist about an ill fitting aligner?
If you’ve tried the steps we’ve outlined here, and you still feel like your aligners aren’t properly seated, then absolutely reach out to your dentist. Though rare, it is possible that there could be some sort of flaw in your aligners themselves, making it harder (or impossible) for your aligners to be seated correctly.
Should I chew food to seat my aligners?
It’s important to remove your aligners before consuming anything that isn’t water. Chewing food while wearing aligners will trap food and bacteria inside of your aligners, allowing plaque to wear through your enamel. It can also stain your aligners.
Do Invisalign attachments make seating my aligners more difficult?
Invisalign attachments mostly complicate the removal of your clear aligners. Invisalign attachments are placed on the outside of your teeth, so if you’re removing an aligner from a row of teeth with an attachment, be sure to remove that aligner from the inside. This can help you avoid any additional wear and tear on your attachments.
Should aligners cover my wisdom teeth?
Your aligners should not cover your wisdom teeth, just your back molars.
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