What Should I Do With All Of My Old Invisalign Trays?

During your Invisalign care, you will be constantly wearing a pair of transparent retainers that will eventually change the positioning of your teeth to straighten them out. As your teeth move, updated aligners are used to continue helping your teeth to shift in the right direction. Most patients receive new aligners every few weeks for the duration of their treatment.  This, in turn, results in a build-up of used clear aligners which may make you ask yourself, “What do I do with all of these?”  Read on to find out. 

Should I Hold On To The Worn Trays?

Yes, to put it succinctly. Keep all of your old aligners until you have completely finished with your orthodontic treatment. Old aligners may be helpful to your orthodontist if there is a dental movement that was not completed and they have to go back and make an adjustment. Keeping the old trays also makes it easier for your specialist to monitor your progress. 

Your orthodontist will instruct you on what to do with your aligners after your therapy is over. Many specialists would encourage you to hold on to the last few aligners in case something goes awry like losing or breaking your retainers.   If you have any issues with your new trays, or if your specialist wishes to review the results of your treatment to see whether it needs to be modified, your last tray aligner might be helpful.

What Do I Do With Old Trays?

Keeping your first and last aligners gives you tangible proof of the progress you’ve made in your orthodontic treatment, Some people like to hold on to them as a memento of their progress. It’s unlikely though that you’ll want to hold on to the massive number of Invisalign trays that you’ll accumulate over the duration of your treatment. In which case, you should ask your orthodontist what’s the best thing to do with them. They may be happy to take them off your hands for proper disposal.

Are Invisalign Trays Recyclable? 

Invisalign trays are made of plastic, so they ought to be recyclable, right? While yes, Invisalign trays are made of plastic, there are two factors,  that should keep them out of your recycling bin.

The first is that they are made up of a blend of different plastics, specifically a multilayer polymer, making them impossible to segregate. And the second is that they are officially classified as medical waste. 

While it’s noble to want to recycle and look out for the environment, recycling your Invisalign trays isn’t a way to do so. For more questions or concerns, or to get started on your journey to the best smile you can get, schedule a consultation with us here at Walnut Central Orthodontics.