Tag Archives: damaged Invisalign aligners

What Happens if You Dry Your Invisalign Aligners?

I feel like a complete moron and I’m super worried this is going to throw my treatment off. I’ve been looking forward to finishing so I could whiten my teeth. After breakfast this morning I accidentally put my Invisalign aligners into the washer and dryer. I have no idea how they got there. I couldn’t find them after breakfast which worried me. I was about to call the dentists office when my dryer buzzed. I pulled out my clothes and there they were. I put them on but they’re tight. Did the dryer shrink them? Is it okay to still wear them? I feel too stupid to call the dentist’s office now.

Esther M.

Dear Esther,

A woman placing in her Invisalign aligners

First, you have no reason to be embarrassed. These type of things happen all the time. And believe me, your dentist has seen and heard it all. I would not continue to wear this set of Invisalign aligners. That would be more likely to throw your treatment off. If you were close to the end of this two-week cycle, you can just ask your dental office for the next set of aligners. Then, you’ll actually be a smidge ahead of schedule instead of behind.

It’s okay to do that this once, but if you skip to the next pair early much more than that you risk losing your teeth. Your teeth actually move into their new position just a few days after you place the aligners. The remainder of the time is there to allow the bone to reform around the tooth root in its new position. Without that, the teeth will become loose.

If you’d recently started the new set, don’t move forward. That would be too much movement at once. However, your dentist can provide you with a new pair and you’ll be right back on track.

Invisalign and Teeth Whitening

You wouldn’t necessarily have to wait until your Invisalign treatment is over to start your teeth whitening. Tell your dentist of your interest. If you’re a current candidate for teeth whitening, your aligners can double as teeth whitening trays.

Just be aware if you have any fillings or other dental work somewhere, it won’t whiten with your teeth. You’ll have to have your fillings redone to match after the whitening procedure is done.

The key is always open communication with your cosmetic dentist. If he knows what all your goals are, even long-term, he can give you the most efficient way to get there.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.