Tooth Not Lining Up with Invisalign Buttons

Question

I am currently on tray 12 out of around 26 for Invisalign on my upper teeth, and I am having a small problem. One tooth left of my front teeth is not lining up with the button on the tooth correctly. The pocket that the button is supposed to be inside is below the button, so about half of the top part of the pocket holds the lower half of the button. Is this normal, or is this tooth not moving correctly.

Jason K. Tam, DDS · Answer

The attachments are used to allow the aligner to get a better grip of a particular tooth, or to provide an anchor.  Therefore, they are meant to fit inside of the "pocket".
Attachments no longer fit properly with the aligner if the tooth hasn't moved as expected.  Generally, this is due to inadequate wear of the aligners, improper placement of the attachment, improper treatment planning, or if it is required to perform a very difficult movement such as rotation of canines or extrusion of teeth.
It is a good idea to go and see your orthodontist.  Not only will the tooth not move properly, it may actually have some adverse results.  Since the attachment is not contacting the aligner prematurely, it may actually push the tooth in towards the palate or tongue, causing malalignment and possible crowding issues.
Your options are to trim down the attachment to try to have it fit the aligner or "reboot" and begin mid-course correction.
Good luck!

Susan Goode Estep, DMD · Answer

If this just started happening with this tray, chances are, the button will line up by the end of this tray set. If it has been going on for several trays, you should see your dentist for a Mid-Course Correction or Refinement. If the button is off line for the rest of treatment, the treatment course will be altered.

Tooth Not Lining Up with Invisalign Buttons

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Tooth Not Lining Up with Invisalign Buttons

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Everything you need to know about Invisalign

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.