{"id":1547,"date":"2024-04-05T17:45:44","date_gmt":"2024-04-05T17:45:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/?p=1547"},"modified":"2024-05-24T17:48:07","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T17:48:07","slug":"clear-chaos-what-to-do-if-you-lose-an-aligner-tray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/05\/clear-chaos-what-to-do-if-you-lose-an-aligner-tray\/","title":{"rendered":"Clear Chaos: What to Do If You Lose an Aligner Tray"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Clear aligners<\/a> continue to gain popularity as an alternative to traditional braces because they\u2019re much more visually appealing. Patients love that they can straighten their smiles without having bulky metal brackets bonded to their teeth. Instead, this orthodontic method relies on transparent plastic trays customized to fit snuggly over your pearly whites to gently shift them into their ideal placements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, because clear aligners are intended to be less visibly intrusive, it\u2019s not uncommon to lose or misplace them. If you\u2019ve found yourself in this unfortunate circumstance and aren\u2019t sure what to do, keep reading to learn about 3 steps you can take!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Step #1: Be Sure It\u2019s Lost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before panicking, take a few deep breaths to calm your heart rate and double-check to see if you\u2019ve simply misplaced your aligners. It can be helpful to retrace your steps and look in places it may have ended up, like between couch cushions or seats or in the garbage can or other small spaces. If you can\u2019t find it then it\u2019s time to call your dentist to let them know what happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #2: Don\u2019t Advance Early<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your dentist gives you a new set of trays every one to two weeks to account for the ongoing movement of your teeth. Typically, a predesignated schedule determines when you switch to a new set. If you\u2019ve lost your aligners, you may feel tempted to jump to the next aligners right away, but this generally isn\u2019t recommended until you\u2019ve spoken with your provider. They\u2019ll let you know what to do when you reach out. In some cases, they\u2019ll ask you to wear previous trays until they can replace the one that was lost. That said, if you were nearly done wearing that set anyway then they may instruct you to wear your new ones early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #3: Be Proactive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The sooner you schedule an appointment with your dentist, the better. They\u2019ll let you know whether your treatment schedule will need to be adjusted, based on your circumstances. If you replace the missing set as quickly as possible, you might only be set back a couple of weeks but if you wait then you could potentially be adding months to your timeline.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, make a plan to ensure that you don\u2019t lose aligners in the future. Some helpful tips include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n