If you’re looking for a more comfortable, discreet alternative to traditional braces to straighten your smile, you might be a good candidate for Candid clear aligners. Instead of bulky metal brackets and wires, these transparent trays are customized to fit snugly over your arches and shift your teeth into their ideal positions.
But one disadvantage of ‘invisible’ orthodontics is that they can be easy to lose track of. If you’ve realized one of your trays has gone missing, you might panic or feel unsure what to do next. Continue reading to learn about 3 steps you can take to get help quickly so you can stay on track with your treatment timeline!
Step #1: Try Your Best to Find the Tray
Many patients choose clear aligners because the smooth, transparent material doesn’t attract unwanted attention like bulky metal orthodontics tend to do. Plus, the trays are removable, meaning it’s easier to maintain a consistent twice-daily at-home dental hygiene routine, and there are no dietary restrictions to follow.
But if you don’t pay attention to where you place your aligners once you take them out of your mouth, you might lose them. For example, you wouldn’t be the first person to accidentally toss them out with the trash if you left them on your plate during a meal. Or you might drop them underneath the sink or behind a counter when brushing or flossing your teeth. You might find your aligners if you take the time to retrace your steps and check in any hidden areas they could have ended up.
Step #2: Wear a Previous Aligner
You must wear clear aligners for 20 to 22 hours daily to prevent your teeth from reverting to their starting positions. If you’ve lost one or both trays from your current set, you might be tempted to switch to the next pair in your series earlier than expected to avoid falling off track.
But depending on how long you wore the missing aligner(s), your teeth might not yet be in the right position, and the new trays might not fit correctly. You can switch back to a previous set for now to help keep your teeth in their current positions until you receive instructions from your provider on how to proceed.
Step #3: Contact Your Dentist
If you haven’t already, take a few moments to contact your dentist and let them know what happened so they can provide appropriate direction. For example, they may need to reorder the missing trays and adjust your treatment timeline, or they may direct you to start wearing the next set in your series instead of replacing the lost aligners.
Losing an aligner usually isn’t a dental emergency, but your dentist may want to see you sooner rather than later to assess your condition and determine the best next steps!
About the Practice
Patients at Rocky River Dental benefit from three dentists who are passionate about helping individuals and families build and maintain their happiest, healthiest smiles. Each is accomplished and has years of experience, and together they provide a complete menu of services, including Candid clear aligners, to meet your unique needs under one roof. Their caring approach, combined with advanced technology, delivers comfortable, accurate treatment results meant to last. If you’ve lost your clear aligner and need help, contact the office through the website or call (440) 331-3211.