Troubleshooting

intermediate · 2 min

Aligner Edge Cutting the Cheek Mid-Tray

Sharp aligner edges mid-tray usually indicate a trim-line defect or a rotated tray. The 5-minute chairside fix vs a lab-side re-mill.

intermediate · 1 min

Aligner Lisp Persisting Past Week 4

Most aligner lisps resolve inside 14 days. If it persists past week 4, the differential is trim-line, tongue-space, or a functional adaptation issue.

intermediate · 1 min

Aligner Seating Force Not Improving After 3 Days

When chewies and 22-hour wear don't close the gap after 72 hours, the case is off-track. The escalation ladder before you order a refinement scan.

intermediate · 2 min

Attachment Debond Repair in Under 15 Minutes

A debonded attachment triggers a movement stall within one tray. The isolation, etch, and cure sequence that restores control same-day.

intermediate · 1 min

IPR Contact Reopens After Two Trays

Reopened contacts after IPR mean the movement staged past the contact closure. Reading the ClinCheck to spot the cause and staging the recovery.

intermediate · 1 min

Patient Reports Tray Fits Loose on Day 1

A loose day-1 tray is almost never an under-seating problem. The three real causes and the differential you work through before ordering a new tray.

intermediate · 5 min

Aligner Cutting Into Gums: A Chair-Side Fix Guide

Sharp aligner edges cause ulceration in 3, 5% of new starts. Trimming technique, wax use, and when the tray needs re-manufacturing.

intro · 6 min

Aligner Emergencies: What Counts and What Waits

Most aligner problems can wait until the next appointment. A handful cannot. Here is the triage.

intermediate · 5 min

Aligner Not Seating Fully: A Fix Flow

When a new tray doesn't seat, the fix flow runs, chewie protocol, extended wear on previous tray, in-clinic assessment. What to do in the first 48 hours.

intermediate · 5 min

Aligner Not Tracking: A Clinical Troubleshooting Ladder

Poor tracking usually means insufficient wear, missing attachments, or a movement past predictability. A stepwise ladder to fix it.

intermediate · 5 min

Aligner Smells or Tastes Bad: The Hygiene Diagnostic

Biofilm on aligner intaglio is the near-universal cause. A 72-hour hygiene reset resolves 90% of complaints without a new tray.

intermediate · 5 min

Attachment Fell Off: What to Do

Composite attachments occasionally debond. The interim protocol, the clinic visit checklist, and why the ClinCheck may need re-review.