We've had similar chaos here, too. Curious though, does popping in the old aligners regularly mess with the overall treatment timeline? Our ortho never mentioned it, but it seems like a handy trick for emergencies...
Yeah, I've done that a couple times when things got dicey—like when my dog decided aligners were chew toys 🙄. Didn't seem to mess things up much, but my ortho did say older trays lose their effectiveness over time. Probably fine for short emergencies, but I wouldn't rely on it regularly. Better than nothing though, especially if you're watching your wallet like me, lol.
Yeah, you're right—older trays can lose their shape and effectiveness, especially if they're worn down or warped. Short-term fix is usually okay, but definitely not ideal long-term. I've seen patients try it, and while it helps temporarily, new trays are always better.
I've actually been using my old trays on and off for a couple months now, and yeah, they're definitely not as snug as before. I notice they shift around a bit, especially at night. I'm wondering though—does anyone know if slightly warped trays can actually make your teeth shift in the wrong direction over time? I'd hate to be doing more harm than good here...
I've been through something similar actually. I had a set of trays I kept around after finishing my treatment, thinking they'd help keep things straight if I noticed any shifting. But after a while, they didn't fit quite right anymore—felt loose and kinda off. My dentist explained that trays can warp slightly over time, especially if they're older or haven't been stored properly. Apparently, even small changes in shape can nudge your teeth in directions you don't want them to go.
Honestly, if you're noticing they're shifting around at night, I'd probably stop using them until you can get a professional opinion. Better safe than sorry, right? Teeth are stubborn little things, and it doesn't take much to get them moving again. Maybe check in with your ortho or dentist just to be sure you're not accidentally undoing all your hard work.
