Attachment help :(

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#1 Post by **PaulInc** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:38 pm

Within 10 minutes of leaving the dentist i had lost 2 of the bottom attachments (9 total top+bottom). At first the attachments were too bulky and the aligner didn't sit right, (common problem?) so he had to file them down 3 times, but still the fit isnâ€™t as nice as it was without them (springy?). My dentist seemed quite surprised that i popped two off so soon, and had previously expressed confidence that they wouldnâ€™t come off at all. He was nice enough to fit me in again 30 minutes later and redid them. If that wasnâ€™t bad enough, once home trying to remove them to eat, i managed to crack the aligner!!! Luckily this is my old aligner and i am to change to no.2 tomorrow. The crack is very small near one of the attachment points on my lower K9, so i am continuing to wear it till tomorrow.

Is there some trick to remove them with attachments that prevents damage? I follow the instructions perfectly, start at the back and work forwards, but theyâ€™re so well clipped on to those attachments that the aligner must bend to come off. I removed them several times at the dentist under his supervision, so i donâ€™t imagine my technique is bad.

I find these attachments very frustrating, but not for any aesthetic reasons.

#2 Post by **swedishsmile** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:20 pm

I have had one attachment coming off during my treatment. The reason is probably that the tooth surface was not dry/clean enough when the attachment was bonded to it. Good that your dentist could fix it so soon!

I have cracked my aligners about five times. Most of them close to an attachment, which makes sense. But a small crack won't affect the treatment. I don't know if I can give you any tips how to remove the aligner, but as you say bending it too much will cause it to crack. I would also recommend not to be too agressive when putting a new aligner on to make it fit. Let it work for a day and on day 2 press it harder. Pressing it too hard directly may cause the aligner to crack, even though this was not the case in your post.

#3 Post by **John37** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:31 pm

I like to use a plastic hook to get the aligners off, especially a new set. I can carefully and precisely pop them off of individual teeth that have attachments. This way I don't bend the aligners too much when taking them off.

#4 Post by **Wobblydeb** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 4:32 am

I lost a couple of attachments within the first 2-3 days as well. My dentist replaced them asap, and I haven't lost another one in the 7 weeks since... I've got 6 total.

As for getting them off - that is really difficult at first, but does get easier after that first tray with attachments, honest!

Each tray definitely has its own way of coming off, which I guess must vary with the position of the attachments. Thinking about it, it seems easiest to get the side with fewest attachments off first, and then do the rest. I have to get my finger nails underneath the edges of the tray - generally next to an attachment so I can lift the tray out and over the attachment.

#5 Post by **PaulInc** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 5:18 am

@Swedishsmile
It's interesting you say that because the gaurd that held my lips off the teeth while they were applying the "stuff" to the lower teeth slipped out and touched them, so I expect this is what caused all the problems. They're still not as "snug" down on the teeth as they were before, but it's probably only a fraction of a MM out.

@ John
I also have a plastic hook but find the end of the hook a bit thick to fit under the edge of the alginer. It does work, but i can only get it down between certain teeth and i am rather clumsy with it. These are the ones i have http://www.orthostore.co.uk/aligner-ret ... n-69-p.asp Do they look like yours?

I try to get the hook between the teeth near attachments and then pull away from the side of the tooth and up off a bit, at a 45 deg angle. Does that seem like your technique? I still find myself being scared of how much force i use.

I think i've just put a crack in my upper aligner this morning

The crack is very tiny and hard to see, so i dont expect it'll cause a problem. Have you had to order a new aligner because it broke so bad?

Thankyou all for your help!

#6 Post by **PaulInc** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:43 pm

Just a quick update - I've just popped aligner no.2 in and it's fitting much snugger than aligner no.1 and it's sitting down on the teeth better, so i am much happier about that. This thing is so tight i doubt i'll be able to get it off at all.

I've also taken the advice that so many have given and swapped to the new set at night before i go to bed, so i expect to awaken to some sore teeth.

#7 Post by **John37** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 8:09 pm

@PaulInc
Yes, that is the kind of hook I use, but mine is white. On my uppers I first use the hook on the outer side of the molars on one side to pull the aligner off just a little. Then I use the hook on the inner side of the premolar that has an attachment. Then the aligner pops off over the attachment. Then I can pull it off over the front teeth and the other side by hand. So you may want to experiment with trying the hook on the inner side of some teeth until you find the right combination of places to use the hook.

I never had to get a new aligner because one cracked. Mine only ever cracked near the end of 2 weeks and it wasn't that bad.

I find that keeping the new aligners in for 12 hours the first time makes it bearable to take them off the first time.

#8 Post by **PaulInc** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 6:20 am

Something i was thinking about. If i lose an attachment in 3 months, they can presumably place it back on, so does that mean they must have an attachment template for every aligner? They obviously cant use a template from day 1 on teeth after 3 months of movement.

#9 Post by **swedishsmile** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 12:11 pm

@paulinc:

That has happened to me a couple of times. My orto simply uses a pair of scissors and cuts the "tooth" out of the template. No magic at all

#10 Post by **John37** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 11:50 pm

@PaulInc
When I had one fall off they just used the aligner I was currently on as the template. I would go in when I was done with that aligner, get the new attachment, then move to the next set of aligners.