Invisalign Is Not Moving My Teeth — Why?

Many patients love Invisalign because it is convenient, discreet, and effective. However, you might reach a point in your treatment where it seems like your aligners are not working! If that happens to you, what might explain why your teeth are not moving, and what can you do to get things back on track? This blog post offers some helpful information.

Some of Your Teeth Are Stubborn

When your orthodontist first planned your Invisalign treatment, they used advanced software to help them account for the many factors that can influence how teeth move. However, it is important to remember that everyone’s mouth is different, and certain teeth may be a bit more stubborn than originally expected! For example, the lateral incisors (the two teeth that surround your big front teeth) tend to move more slowly than others.

If your orthodontist sees that some of your teeth are not progressing like they should, you might need to wear special attachments to get your smile moving in the right direction.

Your Teeth Are Colliding

In some instances, the teeth are packed so tightly in the mouth that they do not have enough room to move when Invisalign aligners are applying pressure to them. If your orthodontist anticipates that such a problem might occur in your case, they may recommend that you undergo interproximal reduction (IPR).

IPR is a relatively simple procedure during which a tiny bit of tooth enamel is removed from the sides of the teeth. This creates a bit more space in the mouth so your teeth can properly respond to your Invisalign aligners.

You Are Not Wearing Your Aligners Enough

In order for Invisalign to properly do its job, you should wear your aligners for 20 – 22 hours each day. If you sometimes fall short of that target, your teeth may move more slowly than predicted. You might even find that when you try to switch to a new aligner, it does not fit!

If you are struggling to meet your daily Invisalign wear time, you might consider using an app on your phone to help you track how long you wear your aligners. You should also be sure to only remove them when you are eating, drinking anything besides plain water, or taking care of your oral hygiene.

Does your Invisalign treatment seem to be stalled? Talk to your orthodontist so they can help you figure out the problem and get your smile’s progress back on track!

Meet the Practice

Our team is proud to work under the leadership of Dr. Patricia A. Simon, an experienced orthodontist. Invisalign is just one of the many services we offer. We want your treatment to succeed, so you can always come to us with questions or concerns. To learn more about how we may be able to serve you, contact our office in Dallas, TX, at 214-826-9000.