Noticing a small gap between your tray and your back teeth partway through a set can be unsettling, especially if the rest of the aligner feels fine. It’s a common thing to notice, and in most cases it has a straightforward explanation rather than being a sign something has gone seriously wrong. An aligner not tracking evenly is more often a pacing issue than a fault with the tray itself.
It Usually Comes Down to Tracking, Not a Faulty Tray
When teeth move more slowly than the tray anticipated, the plastic can sit slightly proud of the tooth it’s meant to be gripping, particularly further back in your mouth where movement is often more gradual.
- Back teeth generally take more force and time to move than front teeth, so they can lag behind the rest of the tray
- A gap at the back doesn’t necessarily mean the whole aligner isn’t working, just that one area is tracking more slowly
- This is a normal part of aligner treatment for a lot of patients, not a sign the tray itself is faulty
None of this means every gap should be ignored. It means a small, isolated gap is usually a tracking issue rather than a manufacturing problem, and the response is different depending on which one it is.
Why This Happens More at the Back
Molars have larger roots and more surface area for the aligner to move than front teeth do, which means more force and more time is generally needed to shift them into position. If your front teeth are tracking on schedule but your back teeth are a step behind, an aligner not tracking evenly across your whole arch is one of the more common reasons for a visible gap. This is exactly the kind of detail worth raising at a comprehensive examination if it’s your first time noticing it, so your dentist has the full picture from early on.
What Chewies Are For, and Why They Matter Here
Chewies are the small, spongy tools you may have been given alongside your aligners, and they exist specifically to help with situations like this.
- Biting down on a chewie over the back teeth for a few minutes helps seat the tray more fully against the tooth surface
- Doing this a few times a day, particularly in the first day or two of a new tray, can close a small gap before it becomes a bigger issue
- Chewies are reusable, so rinse and store them rather than replacing them with each new tray
If you weren’t given chewies or aren’t sure how to use them properly, this is worth asking about at your next visit rather than guessing. An aligner not tracking as expected doesn’t always need a clinical fix, sometimes it just needs a bit more help seating properly.
When Staying on a Tray Longer Helps
Sometimes the fix isn’t a chewie, it’s simply time. If a tray is asked to move a tooth further than it can manage in the usual one to two weeks, staying on that same tray a little longer gives the tooth a chance to catch up before moving to the next stage.
- This is different from skipping ahead, which can compound tracking problems rather than solve them
- Your dentist can advise whether staying on your current tray longer is appropriate, rather than assuming on your own
- Moving to the next tray too early with an existing gap tends to make it harder for the next tray to seat properly
When It’s Worth Getting Checked
A few situations are worth a proper look rather than trying to manage at home.
- The gap hasn’t improved after several days of consistent chewie use
- The gap is large enough that the tray feels loose or unstable rather than just slightly lifted
- You’re experiencing pain, rather than just pressure, around the area that isn’t tracking
- The same area has been slow to track across more than one set of trays in a row
Your dentist can check whether the movement is simply behind schedule or whether something else, such as an attachment needing adjustment, is affecting how the tray seats. This is a normal part of ongoing care during clear aligner treatment, and check-ins exist precisely to catch this kind of thing early.
Keeping Your Aligners in Good Shape While You Sort It Out
While you’re working through a tracking gap, a few habits help avoid making things harder for yourself.
- Keep up your usual homecare routine, cleaning your aligner and your teeth as normal
- Avoid forcing the tray down harder than usual, since this can stress the plastic rather than help it seat
- Bring your current tray to your next appointment so your dentist can see exactly what you’re describing
According to the Dental Council of New Zealand, aligner treatment should involve ongoing contact with a registered oral health practitioner, which is exactly the kind of check-in a tracking issue like this calls for.
When Attachments Are Part of the Picture
Some aligner plans use small tooth-coloured attachments bonded to specific teeth, giving the tray extra grip to move that tooth in a particular direction. If a gap keeps showing up around the same tooth, an attachment issue is one of the things your dentist will check.
- An attachment that’s come loose or worn down can reduce how well the tray grips that specific tooth
- This is different from a general tracking delay, since it’s tied to one tooth rather than a broader pattern
- Your dentist can check attachments during a routine review without needing a separate appointment in most cases
This is one of the reasons a persistent, localised gap is worth mentioning specifically rather than assuming it’s the same general tracking delay affecting your whole back arch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Small Gap at the Back Always a Sign of a Problem?
Not necessarily. A small gap where back teeth are tracking more slowly than front teeth is common and often resolves with consistent chewie use or extra time on the same tray. Your dentist can confirm what’s appropriate for your specific case.
How Long Should I Try Chewies Before Getting Checked?
This varies between individuals, though a few days of consistent use without improvement is generally a reasonable point to check in. Your dentist can advise based on your specific treatment stage.
Can I Just Skip to the Next Tray If This One Isn’t Fitting Well?
This isn’t generally recommended, since moving ahead with an existing gap can make the next tray harder to seat properly. Staying on your current tray, or getting it checked, is usually the more appropriate step.
Does a Tracking Gap Mean My Treatment Will Take Longer Overall?
It might add some time to that specific stage, though this varies between individuals and doesn’t necessarily affect your whole treatment plan. Your dentist can give you a clearer picture based on what’s happening with your teeth.
Is General Information About Aligner Care Available Anywhere Else?
General information on accessing dental care in New Zealand is available through Health New Zealand, though your dentist remains the right source for anything specific to your own treatment.
Noticed a Gap in Your Tray?
If your aligner isn’t sitting flush at the back and chewies haven’t sorted it out after a few days, it’s worth having a proper look rather than waiting to see what happens. The team at Flash Dental in Mount Eden can check whether your treatment is simply behind schedule or needs a small adjustment. You can request an appointment online to get started.
Privacy Policy
This information was last updated on December 6th 2023
1. Your privacy: R JOE LTD (trading as Flash. The Dentists on Dominion Road) (“Flash Dental”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to ensuring the privacy of your information, and to meeting the requirements of the New Zealand Privacy Act 1993. We want to make sure that you understand how we collect and treat your personal information so please read this Privacy Policy carefully.
2. Application of this Privacy Policy: This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information that you submit on or through our website at flashdental.co.nz (the “Websites”), and any information that may be automatically retrieved through your use of the Websites.
3. Your consent: By accessing or using the Websites, you consent to the collection, use, disclosure, storage and processing of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
4. What information we collect about you: We collect personal information about you when you voluntarily provide it to us (e.g by contacting us with an inquiry or requesting an appointment via the Websites) and when you access and use the Websites. The kinds of information we collect may include:
(a) your name;
(b) your contact details;
(c) details you provide regarding the nature of any appointment you request via the Websites;
(d) any information you choose to disclose using the ‘Chat’ function on the Websites;
(e) information about how the Websites are used (for example, traffic volumes, time spent on pages);
(f) your IP address and/or other device identifying data; and
(g) other information required to provide a service you requested.
You are under no obligation to provide us with any such information. However, if you choose to withhold requested information, we may not be able to provide you with certain products or services.
5. Cookies: We use session-based cookies to collect information relating to usage of the Websites and analyse Website traffic. Cookies are small pieces of information that are stored in a browser-related file on your computer or device when you use the Websites. The cookies we use do not collect any personally identifiable information.
6. What we do with the information we collect: We will use the personal information we collect to:
(a) respond to requests or inquiries made through the Websites;
(b) provide you with a requested quotation for services;
(c) provide you with requested services;
(d) issue you with an invoice;
(e) carry out research and marketing analysis so we can better understand and serve you;
(f) communicate with you in relation to the Websites and any other services we provide from time to time;
(g) monitor and enforce compliance with the law and applicable terms and conditions;
(h) verify and carry out financial transactions in relation to services we provide; and
(i) co-operate with any government, industry or regulatory authorities.
7. Opting-out: You can unsubscribe from any marketing communications from us by following the instructions on any communications sent to you. You can also exercise this right at any time by contacting us using the details at the end of this Privacy Policy.
8. Disclosure: Unless you have authorised us to do so, we will not rent or sell your personal information and will not disclose it to any third party except:
(a) where disclosure is connected to the purposes for which the information was collected as listed in clause 6;
(b) to our third party call centre operator Atlantis Healthcare in connection with the purposes listed in clause 6;
(c) to relevant authorities, parties and/or applicable intellectual property rights holders (or their representatives) if we consider that you are in breach of the law or our rights; or
(d) where required, or permitted, by law.
9. Access and correction: You have the right under the Privacy Act 1993 to access and/or correct your personal information held by us at any time. You can do this by contacting us using the details at the end of this Privacy Policy.
10. Storage and security of information: You should be aware that information transmitted over the internet is inherently insecure. We will take all reasonable steps to securely store any personal information collected through the Websites. This information may (for the avoidance of doubt) be transferred and stored on servers outside of New Zealand.
11. Retention of your information: We will only retain your personal information for as long as is required for any of the purposes described in clause 5 above.
12. Changes to our Privacy Policy: We may amend or update this Privacy Policy from time to time, with or without notice to you. You agree to be bound by the Privacy Policy that is in effect at the time you use the Website. Revised versions will be effective immediately once posted on the Websites.
13. Contact us: If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or if you would like to request access to, or correction of, your personal information, you can get in touch by writing to us at Flash The Dentists on Dominion Road, Mt Eden, Auckland. 1024, by email on: [email protected] or via the “Contact Us” pages of the Websites.
14. More information about privacy: This Privacy Policy is governed by New Zealand law. For more information about privacy issues in New Zealand and protecting your privacy, visit the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner’s website: www.privacy.org.nz.
