Invisalign aligners work by gradually moving your teeth into their proper positions. Each set of aligners is meant to be worn for 1-2 weeks before switching to the next set in the series. If you skip wearing your aligners for a week, this can slow down your treatment progress and potentially compromise your end results.
What are the short-term effects of skipping Invisalign for a week?
If you skip wearing your aligners for a week, you may notice some short-term effects like:
- Your teeth will begin to shift back towards their original positions. The longer you go without wearing the aligners, the more your teeth will relapse.
- Your current aligners will feel tight when you put them back in. This is because your teeth have shifted and the aligners are trying to move them back.
- A gap may reopen between your teeth if it had previously been closed with that set of aligners.
- You may experience some discomfort or soreness as your teeth are moved back into position.
The good news is that if you only skip a week, the aligners should be able to get your teeth back on track relatively quickly. You’ll want to be extra diligent about wearing your aligners for 22+ hours per day after skipping to help your teeth catch back up.
What are the long-term effects of skipping Invisalign for a week?
While an occasional skip here or there won’t completely derail your treatment, repeatedly skipping aligners can have long-term consequences including:
- It will take longer overall to complete treatment. Each time you skip, you are delaying progress.
- You may not achieve the final results as projected. Frequent skipping allows teeth to relapse and can limit how much straightening is actually accomplished.
- You may need additional aligners or refinement at the end of treatment to fix issues caused by skipping.
- In severe cases of non-compliance, your provider may cut your treatment short or dismiss you from Invisalign.
How often can you skip Invisalign aligners?
Invisalign providers recommend wearing your aligners for the prescribed 22+ hours per day needed to progress properly. Most say skipping aligners should be very limited or avoided completely.
Each person’s treatment plan is unique, so there is no universally accepted number of times that aligners can be skipped. However, as a general guideline:
- Occasionally skipping 1 day each week is better than skipping a whole week at once.
- Skipping aligners for 2-3 consecutive days should be the maximum.
- Never skip aligners for a week or longer at any point.
Talk to your orthodontist if you are struggling to wear your aligners for the recommended time. They may be able to modify your treatment plan to accommodate shorter aligner wear time, if appropriate.
Can you skip the last Invisalign aligners?
You should not skip wearing your final Invisalign aligners. The last several trays in your treatment series are crucial for settling teeth in their final positions.
If you stop treatment early, your teeth are likely to shift and relapse. This could negate much of the progress made with Invisalign. You may lose correction that was achieved for issues like:
- Spacing or crowding between teeth
- Under or overbites
- Crooked or turned teeth
- Deep bites
Allow your last aligners to complete the straightening process for best results. Your provider will let you know when it’s time to transition to retainers.
What happens if you run out of aligners?
Your Invisalign treatment involves wearing a series of aligners over 12-24 months. Each set is meant to be worn for 1-2 weeks before changing to the next aligner in sequence.
Running out of aligners before treatment completion is a problem. If this occurs, speak to your orthodontist right away. They will order more aligners to finish your prescribed treatment.
If you attempt to re-wear an old aligner after running out, your teeth are likely to shift backwards and undo progress. New aligners are required to continue moving your teeth to the final desired positions.
Reasons you may run out of Invisalign trays before finishing include:
- Losing your aligners
- Discarding aligners you no longer need
- Progressing through trays faster than planned
- Being given the wrong number of trays by your provider
To avoid running out, keep track of all your aligners. Don’t throw any away even after you’ve moved on, as you may need them again. Alert your orthodontist if you are moving through trays quicker than expected.
What if Invisalign isn’t working?
In most cases, Invisalign works well to improve mild to moderate alignment issues. But it is not effective for every patient. Signs that Invisalign treatment may not be working include:
- No noticeable tooth movement after several aligner sets
- Aligners fitting loosely, indicating teeth are not being moved
- Ongoing issues with certain teeth not tracking or straightening as predicted
- Pain, extreme discomfort, or other dental problems
There are several reasons why your Invisalign treatment may get off track or not produce the expected results:
- Not wearing aligners for the recommended 22+ hours per day
- Missing appointments for aligner check-ins or progress scans
- Certain teeth having difficulty moving due to their position or shape
- Natural resistance or slower response to orthodontic treatment
If Invisalign is not working as planned, talk to your orthodontist promptly. They may recommend awaiting more time for progress, troubleshooting your aligner wear habits, using auxiliary tools to aid alignment, doing mid-course corrections, or switching to an alternative treatment if necessary.
Can Invisalign be restarted after you stop?
If you halt Invisalign treatment before completing it, the aligners can be restarted in most cases. Reasons you may stop treatment include:
- Difficulty wearing aligners for the prescribed time
- Dissatisfaction with the progress or results
- Dental or orthodontic problems or emergencies
- Financial reasons or insurance changes
To resume treatment, talk to your orthodontist. They will evaluate your teeth’s current position and determine the best way to get back on track, which may involve:
- Ordering new aligners to continue from the last one you wore
- Prescribing additional aligners beyond your original set to account for regression
- Recommending new scans or x-rays to reassess your teeth
- Making adjustments to the remaining treatment plan timeline or process
As long as your aligners still fit reasonably well, restarting Invisalign soon after stopping often gets teeth moving again without too much backsliding. Leaving it months or years between may require more work to get your teeth realigned.
Is it bad to drink coffee with Invisalign in?
You can drink coffee while wearing Invisalign aligners, but some precautions should be taken to avoid staining:
- Opt for lighter roasted coffee as it causes less staining than dark roasts. Cold brew coffee stains less too.
- Don’t sip slowly over long periods. Drink your coffee faster rather than nursing it.
- Rinse your mouth and brush after drinking coffee, especially before reinserting aligners.
- Remove aligners when drinking coffee with milk, sugar, flavored creamers or other additives that increase staining risk.
- Clean aligners regularly with recommended aligner cleaning products.
- Don’t soak aligners in coffee or other beverages. Only water should touch the plastic.
Discoloration and staining of the teeth and aligners can occur if coffee intake isn’t carefully managed. But drinking coffee in moderation doesn’t have to impede your Invisalign progress when precautions are taken.
What are the pros and cons of Invisalign?
Invisalign aligners offer benefits compared to traditional braces, but also have some drawbacks and limitations.
Pros of Invisalign:
- Clear and removable – Less noticeable than braces
- Allows normal brushing and flossing
- Doesn’t affect speech or eating
- Comfortable fit custom-made for your teeth
- Uses technology for more precise, efficient treatment
- Fewer food restrictions or lifestyle impacts
- Smooth surfaces don’t irritate mouth and gums like metal braces
- Can improve aesthetics beyond just teeth straightening
Cons of Invisalign:
- aligner wear discipline needed for 22+ hours a day
- Can be removed and lost
- May not work as well with complex cases as braces do
- Aligners can cause temporary speech changes
- Cleaning requirements to prevent stain buildup
- More expensive out of pocket cost, on average, than braces
- Doesn’t address bite alignment – that requires additional tools
The best candidates for Invisalign have mild to moderate alignment issues. Those with extreme malocclusions or other complicated orthodontic cases still require traditional braces or similar fixed appliances.
Conclusion
Skipping Invisalign aligners is generally not recommended, as it will slow your treatment progress and potentially compromise your results. Each aligner set is precision-engineered to incrementally move your teeth week by week. Skipping aligners allows teeth to drift backwards, offsetting the corrections achieved so far.
Occasional, limited skipping of 1-2 days may be unavoidable in some circumstances. But skipping for longer periods or on a regular basis makes treatment take longer, reduces effectiveness, and increases the chance you’ll need aligners beyond your originally scheduled sets.
Commit to the recommended 22+ hours of daily Invisalign wear time, attend all required appointments, and stick to the aligner progression schedule prescribed by your orthodontist. This gives you the greatest chance of completing treatment on time with the straightest, healthiest smile possible.