Is my ortho too lax about my treatment? Missing attachments, aligners for 4 weeks

[Carolyn]

New to Invisalign and hoping someone has some advice/experience with this...sorry it's kind of long.

Some background: I'm a student attending college away from home, so it's a pain for me to get to ortho appointments. This basically means I can only go to the ortho during school breaks or if I skip classes. I have 10 sets of aligners (U&L) so I guess I'm on Invisalign Express...

Over my spring break I got my first set of aligners (I've been in them a week today) and I was first told to wear them for 3 weeks each (or 2 if they felt loose). Fine. I was supposed to get 6 attachments, (4U and 2L) but only the lower ones stuck. He tried 3 times to get the upper attachments on but couldn't so he told me he would try the next time he saw me--which will be at the end of May when school ends since I have no more breaks. I also need IPR before my 3rd set of aligners, so he told me not to switch to that set before he saw me.

This leads me to my questions... I will have to wear my first and second sets for 4 weeks each, without ANY of the 4 attachments on the top. First, that seems like a very long amount of time for each aligner, especially considering he had originally said 2-3 weeks, and they're already starting to feel looser. Second, I'm concerned about my tooth movement without the attachments for not just one, but two sets.

I just feel like he's being too lax about my aligners. Am I just overthinking this?

Thanks so much to anyone that can help me with this.

[kezzakattami]

If the trays have become loose I would say they have probably moved to their desired position, with or without the attachments. Wearing them for an extra week or two without the attachments isnt too bad an idea I would guess. Its giving the teeth more chance to move into position for the next tray - which if it were within two weeks, may have needed the help of the attachments even more so. Im no ortho but its just my uneducated guess!!

I would wait until your next appointment, if he still cant fit the attachments I would have a good chat to him about your concerns.

Could you call him, it may set your mind a little more at rest?

[Sunny]

Hi! Your aligners will be moving your teeth even without the attachments, so please don't stress about that. Due to the issues you have with being able to see your ortho, it sounds like your ortho is doing his best to accommodate your treatment to suit your limitations.

Talk to your ortho about how you're feeling ... but most importantly, follow his instructions.

Good luck with your treatment!

[PlasticMouth]

i have a similar ortho who dismisses all my questions and concerns even though i needed a replacement set of trays due to poor impressions, constant cracking in the same spot of each tray, and atttachment that fell off, and now i discovered 1 tooth is not moving with the trays since the attachment does not fit in the tray no more. God i hate my ortho office and wish i never went to them. I wouldnt recommend them to my worst enemy. Ok done venting.

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

Hi! Your aligners will be moving your teeth even without the attachments, so please don't stress about that.

This is not necessarily true. The attachments are often required to move specific teeth. Attachments can be on teeth to help them rotate, extrude, etc. They may also be there to help other teeth move, as in when they are present to act as an anchor. There are some attachments that may not need to be replaced, but only if the movements that they were expected to aid have already occurred.

Keep in mind that as with traditional orthodontic treatment, it is important to be able to see your orthodontist regularly during Invisalign treatment. There isn't that much of a problem wearing your aligners for a longer period of time, but you still need to keep up with the recommended amount of wear. 4 weeks of half time wear does not work the same as 2 weeks of full time wear.

Good luck!