How often do I change to a new Invisalign Aligner?

Invisalign is a series of clear, removable teeth aligners that both orthodontists and dentists use as an excellent alternative to traditional metal dental braces.

Once an aligner has been recommended and prescribed by the dentist, it is important to keep to the schedule given by your doctor as to how long an aligner should be worn, as well as when it should be replaced.

Therefore, how often does a patient need to change a new Invisalign aligner? Typically for an Invisalign patient, it is recommended that they change each Invisalign aligner every two weeks after they have worn the aligner for 20 to 22 hours per day for those two weeks. If for some reason, the patient is unable to follow the instructions and misses several hours or a day wearing the aligners (which is not recommended) then it is recommended that the patient add that time onto another two weeks before changing to the next set of aligners. The reason this time period is recommend for this many hours is that it has been shown to be the most effective in moving teeth into the position required. In following these hours, the teeth maintain the new desired position and will not relapse back to its original position. If a patient follows these instructions and keeps their regularly scheduled Invisalign check appointments with their doctor’s office, the ClinCheck “before” and “after” results will be achieved. Normally, the ClinCheck usually adheres quite closely to the real time clinical condition of the patient.

Once the patient has received the prescription and has been fitted with Invisalign aligners, it is important that they follow the doctor’s instructions as to how long to wear the aligner, as well as when to replace the aligner with a new one. Not following the instructions will mean that the patient will not achieve the outcome that he or she desired.