When to change aligners – after 7, 10 or 14 days?

The way clear aligner systems akin to Invisalign® and ClearCorrect® have revolutionized the world of orthodontics allows us to believe that with the ever-evolving set of technologies, we can continue making the orthodontic experience worthwhile for our patients. Even excluding the superior aesthetics and elevated comfort associated with clear aligner therapy, this computer-generated technology has several other benefits.

One such benefit is that clear aligner systems can improve your smile faster than traditional braces – sometimes even in half the time! A study published in BMC Oral Health confirmed this speculation by claiming that through their research clear aligners had a statistically significant shorter treatment duration than braces.

If you’d think that shorter treatment durations would be enough to persuade the patient pool to switch sides, it may not be as easy. Patients continue to ask what they can do to speed up their orthodontic progress. Word on the street is that aligners can be changed as early as seven days and still provide optimal tooth engagement. How much of this hearsay should we believe?

When should you change aligners?

First things first, the aligner system is a delicately-pieced-together treatment process. The amount of movement prescribed to each aligner to sufficiently shift teeth into their new positions will largely be responsible for determining in frequency at which the aligners need to be changed.

Clear aligners are supposed to be worn 20 to 22 hours per day and changed sequentially (with good patient compliance) every 7 days as per current protocols from various manufacturers. However, the recommended wear schedule was 14 days previously.

What happens if aligners are not changed at the right time?

It is easy to assume that the larger the force applied to the teeth, the faster they move and the quicker you change through the aligners. However, this is not usually the case. Aligners can only shift your teeth so much, thus applying a large amount of force will only further damage your teeth’ alignment.

Furthermore, if you are to change aligners faster than the velocity of tooth movement, it would negate the whole purpose of the aligner treatment. The rate of aligner change is a limiting factor in the overall case completion time. Contrarily, if the aligners are not changed fast enough to coincide with the velocity of tooth movement, it would slow the overall progress of the movement.

In severe cases, the number of aligners may even reach as many as 40 to 60 aligners over the course of the treatment. But most people can expect to use around 20 to 30 aligners until the desired alignment is achieved.

Should you change aligners at 7, 10, or 14 days?

So, how do we ultimately answer this curious question? A team from Dubai and Virginia conducted a study to evaluate and compare the efficacy of orthodontic movement with different aligner wear protocols. The study involved 80 individuals with similar orthodontic conditions who were then allotted into three distinct groups with a varying number of days required to achieve efficient orthodontic movements – 7, 10, and 14 days.

After rigorous evaluation, the authors of the study concluded that there were no clinical or statistically significant differences between the wear protocols. Their final verdict said, “Achieving a clinically similar accuracy between the 7 and 14-day protocol in half the treatment time suggests a 7-day protocol is an acceptable treatment protocol.”

So, there you have it. It is best to change aligner trays out every 7 days for a new set, although 10 and 14-day changing rituals will not significantly hamper the progress of your treatment.