Aligner Attachments

Well, of course you’re attached to your aligners! Clear aligners are a wonderful, inconspicuous option for orthodontic treatment. But we’re talking about 3D attachments—those tiny tooth-colored pieces that are placed on your teeth to make your treatment even more effective.

What are attachments?
Attachments are small ridges made of orthodontic material that are bonded to your teeth. They are tooth-colored, so they blend in well with your enamel, and come in various shapes and sizes depending on their function. Your aligners will fit snugly and smoothly over them.

Why use attachments?
With the assistance of attachments, aligners can also treat more orthodontic conditions. Attachments act like little handles, and matching shapes in your aligner can click into place around them. This allows your aligners to provide gentle directed pressure, making more complex directional tooth movement possible.
Today’s aligners can help turn a rotated tooth, realign a tooth that hasn’t erupted correctly, address a bite problem, and move a tooth with an unusual size, shape, or angle, among other uses. Just as the shape of your aligners is specifically fabricated, the placement of the attachments is carefully planned as well. Computer modeling allows us to give you an attachment that has been customized for a perfect fit to each individual tooth, and perfectly placed to move the tooth where it needs to be.
Each attachment is temporarily bonded to the tooth, and removed after treatment. They can generally be placed even on restored teeth (teeth with fillings and crowns). How many attachments will you need? The number of attachments can vary widely, again always tailored to your individual needs.

Taking Care of Your Attachments
While your aligners will change frequently, your attachments probably will not. So it’s a good idea to make sure you treat them well! Attachments are made to be stain resistant, but if you are a regular coffee or tea drinker, you might notice some discoloration, especially on the enamel surrounding the attachment. Talk to us about the best way to keep your attachments their cleanest and most invisible.
And, remember to brush around them carefully. Food can stick around them after eating, so you want to be sure to brush thoroughly after every meal.
If one falls off, give us a call! One way to help keep your attachments secure is to remove your aligners gently. We’ll show you how.

If you are just now exploring your orthodontic options, and are interested in clear aligners, talk to us. We can let you know just what your orthodontic needs are, all of your options for treating them, and if aligners can work for you!

  You are probably aware that brushing your teeth is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your oral health. But have you ever considered whether you’re brushing your teeth correctly? Here are some tips to make your brushing routine as effective and safe as possible:

Aim to brush for two minutes (that’s 120 seconds), twice a day, with a soft-bristled, small-headed toothbrush. As an alternative, you can use a powered toothbrush for increased cleaning efficacy.

Brush the outside surfaces of your teeth using small, gentle, circular motions while positioning the head of the toothbrush at a 45° angle to the gum line. Concentrate on small areas at a time until you’ve cleaned your entire mouth.

Brush the inside surfaces of your teeth using the same motion, and chewing surfaces using short, gentle, back-and-forth motions.

Gently brush your tongue (or use a tongue scraper). This will remove bacteria and dead cells from your tongue and lead to fresher breath.

Pay particular attention to the gum line, hard-to-reach areas in the back of the mouth, around dental and orthodontic appliances, and near fillings, crowns, or any other restorative work.

Choosing a toothpaste depends on your individual needs and preferences. Many different types are available for oral health issues such as tartar, gingivitis, or sensitive teeth. But proper brushing technique is the most important tactic for removing tartar from your teeth.

We recommend that you replace your toothbrush every three months or when the bristles begin to wear, whichever comes first. It’s also advisable to replace your toothbrush after you’ve been sick, since the bristles of the toothbrush can trap bacteria and allow them to proliferate.

Along with flossing, proper brushing will keep your mouth healthy and beautiful. Please let anyone in our office know if you have questions about your brushing and/or flossing routine.