It seems straightforward enough in theory.

You have an aligner fitted, wear it for 2 weeks, change it to the next in the series when needed and then boom. After around 3 to 6 months, your teeth will be straight. Easy!

But, there are rare occasions when there may be an underlying issue with an aligner; it may be due to poor fitting, poor usage or other dental health issues. So, if you have started wearing an aligner, it is best to know what to look out for.

When you come to Clapham South Dental Centre, our team will be able to assess your suitability for aligners like Invisalign Clapham, and we will also help you through the realignment process and the treatment of any potential issues that may occur.

So, with that in mind, what are some of the key signs that there may be an issue with your Invisalign Clapham?

Excessive discomfort

OK, so when it comes to moving teeth, there is going to be some discomfort.

But, if when wearing Invisalign Clapham, you notice that there is an excessive level of discomfort in the jaw, in the teeth or the gums, then you should book an appointment with our team. This could be a part of the realignment process, or it could indicate an underlying issue with your mouth or the fit of the aligner. A good way to assess this is to look at whether or not the discomfort is keeping you awake at night or whether it is causing you to be distracted during the day. So, if it hurts to keep your aligners in, please call us for an urgent consultation.

Loose aligners

As mentioned before, when you start wearing the aligners, you will notice that when they are first put in your mouth, they will feel tight.

And, as the teeth move over the next couple of weeks, they will become looser.

But if your aligners are consistently loose, even when you first put them in, you will need to see our team for an assessment, as there may be an issue with the aligners being too large. If they are too large, they can’t move your teeth!

Unusual movement

When you have your aligners made, our team will show you how you can expect your teeth to move, so there will be no unpleasant surprises during the process.

So, if you notice that your teeth are moving in a way that was not planned, then you should come in and see our team as soon as you can to have the aligner’s shape reassessed.

Poor tracking

With aligners, tracking refers to how well your aligners are pressed against the teeth.

So, if there are persistent air bubbles or your teeth are not moving as planned, then this can point to an issue with tracking. Our team will usually be able to spot this using photos that you will have taken of your teeth and sent to us via the associated app, so this will not be an issue for very long!