I wasn't provided nor explained that this even existed!! My orthodontist said I wasn't wearing my aligners enough even though 22 hours a day they were on... they redid my aligners and told me to 'wear them more' and I still had the same issues come up and I have that halo even at the end of the week so I wore them for 10. Thank you so much for the info I hope this helps my front teeth to track more efficiently!
Great information ! This was very helpful in understanding the importance of using chewies, or performing chewing exercises. I don’t think orthodontists stress how important this is.
I just went in for my final appointment only to find out I need to keep my final tray in for 3 more weeks doing chewing exercises 30 minutes per day. If only that was part of my original training, I'd be done today. I also like her advice to make sure there are no halos, and not switch trays until the halos are done. The tooth in question is the lateral incisor. Glad I found this video since this is all the orthodontist should have explained to me. Now I feel like I know why I'm doing the chewing exercised and how.
Thank you for this video! My orthodontist didn’t really explain the importance of chewies when I started Invisalign. I don’t usually see halos with my aligners, but I noticed that there is a bit of space at the top of most of my teeth. Like the aligners aren’t long enough
OK so I just got my panoramic x-rays on Friday and full mouth impressions I will not get my trays for a while but I feel like I’ve studied so much through these videos. I have already purchased everything from ulcer mouthwash to dental wax Efferdent dental cleaners, pull tool, extra denture trays, extra retainer trays and so much more. it will be an experience, I believe for everybody will be different for sure with all the preparation I still won’t be prepared for everything, however, I’m so excited for what the results will be. My only issue well, not an issue, but I’ve had long nails for over 20 years I guess it’s time for change. 🤗🤗🤗
My orthodontist gave me chewies and told me to use them to seat my aligners when I put them back in but I never knew you had to use them for so long, my top central teeth haven't been tracking from the beginning, now I'm on tray 7 and are defiantly going to start doing chewing exercises
I can confirm that a baby teething straw does in fact work as a chewies alternative (special thanks to my 11 months old son who let his mommy borrow his teething straw). However an adult sized chewie is more convenient because it can fit inside your mouth.
Thank you so much 😊 I’m getting my aligners next month and I’ve been doing research on it and I just recently heard about chewies and I’ve wanted to learn more about them and this video really helped! :D
Really useful thank you - realise haven't been using chewies for long enough each time. Hope your teeth didn't feel too exhausted after making this video inserting and extracting the tray many times and biting down!
THIS IS HUGE! Im on my second round of trays because the first set stopped fitting at 11 of 14. I got rescanned and was given 9 new top trays. Ive been wearing 5 of 9 for 3 weeks now and my teeth just still wont fill the "halo" as you call it. I was about ready to give up until I saw this video. Im hoping these chewing exercises help to get me back on track.
Can I ask your advice on drinking alcohol during a night out (when we are allowed). If drinking for several hours is it best to take the trays out due to the risk of damage to teeth from the sugar or keep them in and use a straw / rinse out every hour or so?
Have fun. I would leave my trays at home and enjoy myself for the evening. Then add an extra day of wear time to that tray. Of course, seek the advice of your dental provider, as that may not be what they recommend.
Great question. Grinding does help to seat your aligners, but mostly in the back teeth. Most tracking issues occur on the front teeth so chewing exercises are still helpful.
Thank u it’s very helpful- I just had my aligners 4 days ago- I’m struggling taking it out and putting back in is painful, also using chewies kinda hurt a lil bit especially on my lowest incisors
Very helpful! Everything is pretty much good with my treatment except I have two halos under my front teeth also my front right tooth is not as straight as the left one. I'm worried my teeth did not track completely. this is my last tray and I have a visit with my orthodontist next week. I guess we might have to take New impressions and Invisalign might have to revise the treatment. Let's see what they say. Thanks again for posting this awesome video!
You're very welcome. It's not uncommon to have to do a refinement, especially if it results in a better finish. Have you seen the newest video on refinements?
You’re so beautiful,sweet and very skillful. Your advice is helping me a lot. I always come back to this video to make sure I am doing everything right as I am seeing some air gap in my lateral incision left tooth. Thank you so much for the info. God bless you Doctor,
I'm so glad to hear that the videos have been helpful for you. Thanks for the nice words and for taking the time to share your comment - it really helps other people to find this channel.
Hi Dr Bailey, thank you for explaining so well! i just started my aligner and they seems to sit pretty well without much gaps, but i'm still using the chewy. Each time i chew it has this achy pain/soreness that's a little unbearable, was wondering if this is normal?
Thanks for the comment. Using chewies past the first three days of starting a new aligner is more comfortable for most patients. Good luck with your treatment. Reminder: My content is not intended to diagnose, treat, or provide dental advice. It is for information and educational purposes only and not meant to replace the advice or care of your treating provider. This is general advice and does not establish doctor patient relationship.
I thought they were used for just to help seat the aligners if you’re having trouble. Didn’t know they should be used every day. Time to start. Only on day 3 so I’m not behind.
What a helpful video . Off to order some chewies ! I have a halo on that darn lateral incisor . I’m going to do chewing exercises and leave this tray in longer.
There is 2mm gap in my 10th set. My orthodontist advised to put back on number 8th and chew exercise🙁. Always go to ur orthodontist when u realize some space between aligner and teeth. Thnks fr the video😊
I am not to worried about eating, but can I use straws if I want a soda or something that way I can leave in the aligner and rinse them when done with a soda?
Not gonna lie I'm really addicted to my chewy...I use to chew gum all the time before my invisalign and the chewy basically replaced that feeling of chewing so now I chew the chewy for like 3 hours straight...Which I'm realizing now is probably isn't good💀💀
Thank you so much for this info! My orthodontist made me feel bad about my lateral incisors having halos (just started my 3rd tray and i didn’t know that was a thing to steer away from), anyway thanks for all this genuine information 🙏🏼
I just got my Clearcorrect aligners and your app is saving my butt! Haha. I would never be able to keep up with time on my own. Thank you soooo much for creating it! My question - since we aren’t supposed to eat or drink anything with our aligners in, are the Movemints okay? If so, why? I just bought them on Amazon but now I’m a little nervous. I asked my ortho but she’d never heard of them before.
I am on my first tray (#1 of 23!). I need a tool to get my aligner out..I noticed you can remove your tray so easily with just your fingers. Can you give me any tips? Thank you for this video.. ..lots of helpful ndormation.
I just began this week too! And have been struggling with getting it off of my front teeth (+with ten attachments across the top teeth) 😫 Not sure if you've already seen but there are two videos about taking them out on the channel--a basic one and a longer one with other tips that also discussed the tools. I just ordered a remover tool; hoping it helps! Good luck!
@@vatechie21 hi…I did watch those two videos and I have a tool. Today (day 12 of the first tray) was easier although I still had to use the tool. My attachments are 6 on top and 4 on bottom. Good luck with your journey…let me know how you’re doing
@Donna, the more attachments and the more crooked your teeth are, the harder it is to remove your aligners. With practice and patience, it will get easier. Hang in there.
My aligners had a huge gap, especially on the third one, so I actually bit down the chewie parallel to my teeth and held the bite for as long as possible. In the beginning, it was very painful, and my jaw would get tired after 5 min. Now I can hold it for like an hour and it helps to close the gap for as long as I am biting down. All the guides online say that you use the chewie and magically the gap closes. For me, it did not. As soon as I stopped biting, the aligners were pushed down by my crooked teeth so I had to continue biting for as long as possible. Granted, I do not have the hooks or the stabilisers or however you call them so it was a bit uncomfortable.
If you’re wearing your aligners 22 hours a day and doing chewing exercises and still see the halo/gap after wearing your aligners for 1-2 weeks, definitely contact your provider to seek advice. Sometimes teeth have trouble tracking due to lack of space, inadequate attachments, etc.
Am I supposed to just hold and bite on the chewie? Or actually put it in my mouth and chew like gum? I was told to focus chewies on the front so I’ve been doing both- biting on them at the front, then putting them in my mouth to chew at the back. Thanks!
Hello Dr. Bailey, my bottom clear aligner front inside, does not fit snug to my gum line as per my upper front inside. It actually sit up away from my inside teeth. Must mention my bottom teeth are crowded, as per my front upper are gaped. Is this common? And can you do a video on the way it should fit all the way around your gum line.
Hi, the fit of your aligners vary depending on the manufacturer (and even then there are variations), alignment of teeth, whether there are power ridges (those are notorious for sticking out away from the gums), etc. Doctors can specify whether aligners stop at the gum line or short of the gum line. Your treating doctor is the best person to inquire about the specific details in terms of fit.
Thanks so much for the great video and the app which is so useful! I have started Invisalign to try and treat a very painful TMJ condition - I am on my second aligners now and am due to change over to the next ones however my current aligners are still showing some gapping on the bottom teeth. I just wanted to ask since I am in so much pain with my jaw, are chewies still recommended? I always feel a bit worried when I use them as I feel how much force I'm putting on the joints when biting into the chewies (I otherwise only eat very soft food and don't apply pressure on the painful joints). But I'm not sure how else to ensure that correct tracking ensues. I feel like it's a bit of a dilemma between the chewing putting force on my joints or the Invisalign not tracking as accurately as I would like them to. Any advice would be great thank you very much!
You’re welcome. We are glad to hear that TrayMinder has been helpful for you. That’s a good question. Chewing exercises are helpful but if they are causing pain or discomfort on your jaw joints, it’s best not to do them. Of course, this is general information and you should always consult your dental provider.
While using the munchies, it hurts when I bite down using my front teeth (a lot). Doesn't that mean I shouldn't bother my teeth too much at that time when it is that tender? Or should I still force myself and bite down on the munchies? Currently , biting down once is all I am able to do due to the soreness on my anterior teeth. Secondly, is this soreness normal ? (Very tender on biting). I am just three days in to my treatment
Just got my aligners yesterday and I was told to use chewies but they never explained why. I'm realizing that sadly the assistant did not explain why I needed to do a number of things :(
Thank you! Chewies are so helpful at the beginning of the tray. Is it possible to use chewies too much? Sometimes I’ll just mindlessly chew on them while I’m watching tv or what not
Yes, it can become too much of a good thing. It can cause intrusion of teeth, which may not be what you want for specific cases (and helpful for others).
Any tips for someone who's top front teeth and right incisor hurt too much to use the chewie in that area? I have an overbite (overjet?) And the right incisor has a huge gap all around. It also kills me to even just put it back on.... I'm nearly on day 3.
Sorry to hear that. When one or a few teeth are tipped forward more than the others, it will feel more tender and sore. Perhaps avoid the chewies for the first few days. Eat big meals and avoid taking trays in and out more than necessary. If pain persists, be sure to consult with your doctor. Usually the tenderness goes away after 3-7 days.
@@user-hp5zi2lo7j same for my two front teeth. A lot of trouble getting them off of those teeth-- then more soreness and i don't want to bite with them. I feel like I am eating differently and less often. Hoping this goes away as things start moving
What about when your teeth hurt too bad to even chew?? My teeth are so painful! Like shooting pain into my chin and jaw and certain teeth feel like they are made of glass. Is this normal? Even my tongue lightly tapping feels like a sledgehammer. Help! lol
My bottom teeth are more crowded than the top. And I’ve seen halos all the time from the beggining not huge but they are there. Is it ok if they are small?
I’ve been told when doing the chewing exercise, to bite down and hold for 2 to 5 minutes, is this right? its killing my jaw 😅 reason is my 2nd tray isn’t fitting right.
It's best to use the tools and methods recommended by your orthodontist for seating your aligners. Saliva ejectors are used by some people, off label of course.
@@TrayMinder thank you! I've been using cotton roll since it ease my teeth when I do my chewie sessions. And I have a follow up question regarding the fitting of the aligner with power ridge. Is it normal to have a little gap (halo) on the incisal edge when you bite edge to edge there's a little bounce on the aligner? It seems I can't get it fit (snug) on my anterior teeth,esp #9, even I do more than the time and days you recommend for chewing exercise.
Yikes, I am on tray 12 and I have yet to use my Chewies. They seem to be fitting properly each time, but thanks for the video - I will probably jump on the Chewie train moving forward :)
Chewies are a helpful adjunct but not 100% essential. You may have been fine because you have a good habit of seating your trays well with your fingers and you wear your trays full time. Good job!
@@TrayMinder - Thank you for the response, I appreciate it. For the life of me, I can't comprehend how someone would spend so much $$$ to just NOT wear their trays for 22 hours daily. It's insane! :)
Hi, Dr. Bailey. I'm on tray #1 and I'm on my 4th day. It hurts to use the chewies, especially over my central incisors (I have an over bite and bottom teeth are crowded). Will this get better with time? Thanks for the app and all your videos! They are so helpful
Hi, thanks for the nice comment. Yes, it does get better with time, hang in there. It’s okay to skip the chewies at the beginning if it hurts too much. Chewies are helpful but not mandatory. As always, check with your dental provider for their recommendation.
@trayminder My orthodontist has never mentioned anything about chewies/chewing excercises and I’m into week 17 of 34 now (10days =1week for my plan) 😐 I’m feeling so annoyed with my orthodontist now as I’ve not done any chewing exercises and I’ve spent 17 weeks (10days each) with just wearing each aligner for a minimum of 21-22hours a day!! Also all my aligners so far have fit well and not shown any gaps. I’ve only noticed a halo in the past 2 aligners on one tooth. Should I be concerned about my treatment?
Great question. Chewies are a helpful supplement to clear aligner therapy. It helps to seat the aligners fully. The crucial factor ensuring the treatment’s success is the aligner wear time.
Hello Dr.Bailey, my name is Briana. I believe I have a lateral incisor that needs to specifically be pushed up according to my Orthodonist. I see a small halo, it’s been like that for 5 months but even before there was one. And I have not been wearing my Invisalign faithfully (less than 20 hours each day). I’ve been chewing chewies for about 2 days , but do you think chewies would help improve my halos? Thank you so much for the videos, Dr.Bailey. I appreciate your time.
I'm glad you have found the videos to be helpful. Using Chewies help the aligner to seat better, creating a better and tighter fit. Lateral incisors are notorious for having halos and not tracking properly, even with great patient compliance. The best thing to do is to increase your wear time, do some chewing exercises and point out the halo to your doctor. He/she will let you know how to proceed.
Hey I’m only 3 days in on my first tray and it hurts and feels really sore for my front teeth when I use the chewies, do u have any tips on what I could do to not feel that pain when using the chewies
Purchase the oragel swish it helps with pain and you can swish with it right before you use your chewies. Also, take whatever you normally take for a headache.
@haydee: you can avoid chewies until your teeth are less sore. Chewing exercises are helpful but not essential. Of course, always follow the advice of your treating orthodontist.
My dentist told me to change my aligners every 10 days. I got engagers and IPR in my first set, I accidentally switched to my 2nd set 1 day before they were done. Should I be worried? I’ve been wearing my 2nd set for 5 days now.
I'm in week 19 of 66 and my aligners don't fit properly on the front 2/4 teeth, does that mean that all aligners after don't fit either, meaning that I have to do this with every aligner? Thank you in advance.
That’s a great comment. 20 minutes a day could be similar to five minutes, 3-4 times a day. It’s like exercise - each individual may have slightly different needs. The most important aspect of tooth movement is full time aligner wear.
I have a button on my bottom teeth but attach to the top aligner. And iys the top aligners I'm having problems with. Is there an attachment that be put onto the top teeth?
Attachments can help or potentially buttons can be glued onto the top teeth to avoid dislodging the aligner. Also lighter elastics can be used. Talk to your orthodontist about it.
Chewie use should not break attachments but it’s best to ask your treating orthodontist if they advise the use of chewing exercises. Good luck with your treatment.
My orthodontist didn’t explain anything at all,nothing about chewies,dry wax or anything else..it’s been 4 days I am suffering with pain,sores and braces pressure and it costed me nz$8500/- 😞😔
It can. The right treatment planning is the key. If there are severe rotations, braces may be faster, as Invisalign aligners are designed to correct two degrees of rotation per aligner.
I've been experiencing some tightness in my lower jaw and also my lower jaw kinda moves outwards when wearing my aligners. Is this normal? Not even a month with them but I started feeling this 2 weeks in :(
Some patients grind their teeth more while undergoing clear aligner therapy, contributing to muscle soreness. According to a research paper, "CAT (clear aligner therapy) is associated with a transient increase in masticatory muscle activity (bruxism/teeth grinding), possibly because of an increase in wake-time parafunctional tooth clenching. Healthy temporomandibular disorder-free subjects adapt well to CAT." www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889540620305783 It’s best to consult your treating orthodontist for specific questions pertaining to your treatment when in doubt.
@@TrayMinder thank you for replying, I actually don't clench my teeth the whole day (while wearing the aligners) because it feels more uncomfortable, I don't let the upper and lower aligners touch and I tend to sleep with my mouth slightly opened but I will definitely talk to my doctor about this
When you actively try not to let your trays touch, you are actually activating some muscles, which can lead to fatigue and tightness over time. The best thing to do is to rest your teeth together gently so you’re not over working your muscles. Good luck with your treatment :)
