Popular ‘aligner chewies’ are counterproductive to Invisalign treatment
WHAT ARE CHEWIES
Chewies, Munchies, Movemints, and other similar accessories are all different varieties of small, usually plastic, tools promoted to fix poorly fitting aligners by ‘chewing’ on them for several minutes. Despite their popularity on social media platforms, such as TikTok and internet forums, and continued advocacy from some professionals who have not kept up with technological advances, these accessories can be detrimental to your precision clear aligner treatment. Instead of helping, they actually cause distortion of your aligners, making it more difficult to achieve the desired results. We refer to them around the office as “weapons of mass distortion.”
WHY CHEWIES ARE A BAD IDEA
When using Invisalign clear aligners as your orthodontic treatment option, you want your aligners to fit properly around your teeth. This requires consistent, full-time wear (only taking them out to eat and brush) each day so that your teeth stay on track with your doctor’s prescribed movements. If your teeth fall behind due to inadequate wear, or a missing attachment, your clear aligners will become visibly ‘unseated’, i.e. not fitting snugly, and they can no longer push on the correct areas of your teeth. This mismatch between your current tooth position and your current aligner leads to discomfort, and incorrect movements, and will delay your treatment.
Prior to the advent of innovations such as SmartTrack Material and SmartForce Features used by Invisalign specifically, clear aligners used to be made of very stiff plastics that were very challenging to keep “seated” on the teeth. Aligner chewies and munchies arrived on the scene to “improve” fit issues. However, as clear aligner technology has advanced, less stiff aligner materials were developed to provide improved fit and comfort, and the shaping of aligners evolved to integrate specialized contouring features, proprietary to Invisalign, for more efficient and consistent tooth movements. Not only have Chewies become obsolete, but they are also counterproductive to modern clear aligner therapy. Smashing poorly fitting aligners down onto teeth only creates the illusion of improved ‘fit’ by distorting your precision-made clear aligners.
HOW INVISALIGN CLEAR ALIGNERS WORK TO ACHIEVE GREAT SMILES
During your Invisalign treatment journey, you will receive a series of clear aligners that you will switch out – usually every 1 to 2 weeks. Tooth movements and changes to your jaws happen gradually as the cells in your body remodel bone and tissue, so it is important that your aligners do not challenge your physiology or overwhelm it. Opting for lighter forces will actually speed up tooth movement, and your orthodontist will design your aligners to deliver gentle, yet consistent, forces in each successive tray of your aligner series.
To best achieve the prescribed movements, the Invisalign clear aligner system also alters the shape of each aligner through proprietary contouring features, guided by your doctor’s prescription. These SmartForce® features are a combination of targeted pressure areas for activation and aligner spaces to remove unwanted interferences allowing for greater precision. It is essential that these features are allowed to work as designed and are not disrupted by the misuse of Chewies.
HATCHER & FREY ORTHODONTICS WANTS THE BEST OUTCOME FOR YOU
When you distort the unique shaping of your Invisalign clear aligners, that undermines the force systems we have expertly prescribed into your clear aligners to achieve the best smile possible. We not only want you to have a great treatment experience but a great result, too. Just say no to Chewies.
Learn more about what makes our treatment approaches different at www.smile-365.com.
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"We recently moved to the Chesapeake area and needed an orthodontist that could continue treatment for our two kiddos. Hatcher & Frey Orthodontics made our transition seamless and even provided an Invisalign option. The staff is amazing and the facilities are top notch!"
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"This is an OUTSTANDING team of dental professionals. We are greeted with smiles every time and wait less than 5 minutes to be called back for our appointment. This is EXCEPTIONAL when compared to the usual, long waiting room wait in MANY practices. The changing seasonal themes is always surprising and enjoyable. THIS IS NOT THE USUAL MEDICAL FACILITY OFTEN VISITED. Doctors Frey and Hatcher are personable, very friendly and HAPPY to work with their patients. Theirs is the most pleasant office to visit and this team is competent and approachable all the time. I'd GIVE THEM A 10 if I could!"
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"We absolutely LOVE Hatcher & Frey Orthodontics. I have 3 daughters who went through braces for about ten years (2002-2012). Now, I am wearing Invisalign. They have been consistently professional and offer the very best care. I highly recommend them."
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"We love Dr. Hatcher and Dr. Frey! They are super thorough when you go in for an evaluation, and give you pricing up front. I visited a different local orthodontist, who wouldn’t give a price until after we started... they are detailed in the plan and the outcome is terrific! It is a wonderful practice with an amazing team! I highly recommend them!!"
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"I can't tell you how astonished I was with the customer service, everyone here is affectionate, and kind. I feel respected and important here. I am a current patient with crowding problems; Invisalign was what I went with because It doesn't seem too much of a chore to keep up with rather than braces. Thanks Dr. Hatcher for your stunning care; I know I'm in good hands and can't wait to see a different smile in the near future. I hope if you've read this far you choose to come here even if you live far away; it's definitely worth the drive. I would recommend this to anyone who is in need of an orthodontist."
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"Got my braces off today after 29 months of wearing them. When I came to Dr. Hatcher back in June 2017, my teeth looked like they were beat by Negan's bat, Lucille, from TWD. Today, I am a brand new person that has been cured of my zombie teeth apocalypse! Thank you Dr Hatcher, Shawna, and the rest of the staff! Your hard work has paid off and will not be forgotten. I will think of you every time I smile."
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"Five stars I scheduled a consult after seeing photos of Dr Frey’s cases with early development utilizing Invisalign. I also felt orthodontics should start early not late and I wanted the best for my 5yr old twins. I was blown away with Dr Frey’s clinical skills, understanding of sleep apnea in children, his updated technology and ability to do digital scans instead of impressions totally shows his education and expertise, but my biggest compliment was how well they treated my family. It’s care that is surpasses any practice I’ve seen. Thank you for educating us and giving us a sound treatment plan."
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"Dr. Hatcher is wonderful and the staff is exceptional! We have had a very positive experience here with both of our daughters. They go above and beyond and I recommend them to anyone who is looking for an orthodontist. They make you feel like family and the kids love going to their appointments. State of the art technology is used to transform smiles from good to great!"
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"Dr. Scott Frey is an amazing Orthodontist and very caring. The most important thing which many people don't understand is it's not just straightening your teeth but knowing your bite is right for the lifetime of functioning. It's well worth the investment and time to do it right, so it won't cost you even more down the road. I give him 5 stars!"
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"What a great experience! We were referred to Hatcher & Frey Orthodontics by our pediatric dentist’s office and they are very helpful and professional. Couldn't have had a better team to help my now 13-year-old achieve her perfect smile."
