Continuation Aligners

Beyond simple anterior alignment cases which we address with our Series 4 Aligners are what we term “mid-range” cases. These are patients that require additional aligners to complete the corrections. In general, the treatment issues are the same as with the Series 4 cases, but with more involved conditions.

We provide our Continuation service in a series of up to 4 aligners at one time. As the last aligner in the previous set is worn, the doctor assesses the treatment progress and makes a decision regarding the next series of aligners required. As a general rule, we request a new set of models to continue the aligners to ensure we have the latest IPR reflected in the patient’s mouth.

The above photos illustrate a continuation aligner example. The initial treatment consisted of 4 aligners. The left and middle images are the original malocclusion and the 4 stage laboratory set-up. The patient wore the 4 appliances in 3 week intervals to obtain the results shown on the right. Additional 3-4 aligners are now required to complete the treatment, including a possible over-correction appliance followed by a retention aligner. The total treatment therefore will require 7-8 aligners in our Continuation program.