DON’T SWITCH ALIGNERS IF YOUR TEETH ARE NOT TRACKING l Dr. Melissa Bailey Orthodontist

Check for teeth tracking before switching to a new set of aligners. Learn how to tell if your teeth are tracking or not with clear aligners. Also learn why power ridges may create halos or gaps when you wear your aligners.

It is normal to see some gaps at the beginning of a new set of aligners. However, if you consistently see gaps or halos, it may be because your teeth haven’t had a chance to move into the correct position yet (increase wear time and use chewies) or it’s a difficult/challenging tooth (lateral incisor). If that’s the case, your orthodontist may have you continue your aligners to the end of the series and then do a refinement to correct the tooth/teeth that are not tracking. Always seek the advice of your orthodontist for specific concerns because they know your specific case the best. This video is for general educational purposes only and may not apply to every case and is not intended to diagnose or treat.

👩🏻‍⚕️Dr. Bailey is a board certified orthodontist and co-founder of TrayMinder®.
TrayMinder® is an app that helps busy aligner users to remember to wear their trays so that they can achieve their best possible smile.
Links may contain affiliates. This is not a sponsored post.
Disclaimer: This video is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical/dental advice. Content provided on this YouTube channel is for informational purposes only. Please consult with an orthodontist or dentist regarding any dental related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this YouTube channel should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. The statements made about specific products throughout this video are not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

[tclark]

I’ve learnt more from you that my own orthodontist

[betsymichele]

Based on comments here and other sites, there seems to be an epidemic of bad Invisalign orthodontists* (including mine)...he never once mentioned chewing exercises, never once looked at the tray in my mouth to see tracking, etc. During my 12 month treatment, I've had to insist on things I wanted - like a wider smile. During my "final" evaluation, " he didn't even mention that my right molars weren't touching, he just seems to want to be done and get me out the door. I can't help but wonder if some orthos are using Invisalign to churn out patients for fast money.
*Dr Bailey, you seem like an exception to this - very patient and thorough

[laland]

This is exactly what my ortho told me. I just got them a few days ago.

[marci]

Everyone: Focusing on the video.
Me: Focusing on her hair because it's so smooth and healthy looking 😍✌️

[DDonnelly-wcng]

THANK YOU FOR THIS!! I also learned more from you than my own dentist. I was not aware of how important it was to make sure I had no air gaps. I was on Tray 5 and had to go back to Tray 2 to correct one tooth that was not tracking. I did not know about chewing exercises either 😢. So I almost back to square one unfortunately.

[vyrvidomb]

you are amazing. thank you for all your support and the fantastic app! :)

[GhanaianLove]

I have smile direct and I just put a new set in and actually have quite a large gap. This helps a lot. Thank you !I will do chewing exercises.

[sparklingrage]

This was so incredibly informative. The way you explain things really breaks it down so easily and concisely. Thank you!

[evrydayjo]

This is literally the only thing that is going to get me through Invisalign treatment! Thank you for the app :)

[ravengem]

Your videos are so helpful and full of great tips. Im in that limbo phase where I’m waiting on my liners to be delivered to my orthodontist so I’ve been watching a lot of videos on clear liners. Yours are by far the best! Thank you 😊

[aiqbal]

Thank you so much Dr. Bailey again. May god bless you!

[gabrield.h]

This video was very helpful, however left me with one question... what If one tooth specifically Is not tracking? Should I continue wearing my next aligners or not? Thanks Dr.

[brigittahoffmann]

This was such a helpful video, really really helped me understand that I need to take a close look before switching to another one😊❤...

[lunaflowers]

This is interesting. For most of my treatment I have had halos on my lateral incisors. They have never once looked at my trays in my mouth when I have come in to pick up my new set. My dentist has never encouraged me to use chewies - although I have used them on my own. I have a few other issues that I don't know will be addressed. I'm feeling some regret that I didn't go with a more seasoned Invisalign orthodontist because I have lost some faith in my dentist's knowledge of how my teeth are moving. I hope that the refinements actually complete the job and I'm not left unsatisfied with my expensive treatment. :-/

[AngelKitty]

Nice. So far so good and it seems early too!

[dhartipatel]

Thank you so so much my son will need this!

[jenniferocchicone]

I was on week 18 of 28 and I got backtracked to week 13. It is completely my fault for not giving them enough wear time...but please tell me I'm not the only one..I feel so discouraged and mad at myself.

[TekuilaM]

This information was so helpful! Thank you so much!

[chantalewizman]

So glad I found your video, I was hoping to find this. I started with 7 for my top but we are now on 21. I recently noticed that my teeth looked much better around 7 or 14. How do you fix a situation where let's say you liked your teeth better at 14 but now you are at step 20 and your mouth has now changed, therefore 14 doesn't fit? My teeth were more spacious, I never had a crowding problem. However now it is much tighter since the dentist I am guessing was trying to straighten up my bite. My mouth had a lot more room before so when I put on my older aligners they are big. How can I correct or fix this? What would your recommendation be

[Jessicaran]

If my teeth aren't tracking, so i wear a set longer. Once I notice my teeth have tracked, do I need to wear them a couple extra days? The TM app is amazing btw