Invisalign attachments are small, tooth-colored bumps bonded directly onto specific teeth to give the aligner tray extra grip for more precise movements, while chewies are small foam cylinders you bite down on to help seat each new tray fully against your teeth. Neither one is optional decoration — both play a real, functional role in how well your aligners actually work.
What Attachments Do
Clear aligners move teeth by fitting snugly over them and applying gentle pressure as each new tray in the series shifts slightly from the last. That works well for simple movements, but more complex ones — rotating a tooth, tipping it a specific direction, or moving it vertically — need extra leverage that a smooth aligner alone can’t provide. Attachments give the aligner something to actually grip and push against, similar to how a bracket gives a wire something to work with in traditional braces.
Your orthodontist decides exactly which teeth need attachments and where to place them based on your specific treatment plan — not every tooth gets one, and not every treatment plan needs them at all.
Are Attachments Noticeable?
They’re small and tooth-colored, designed to blend in, so most people don’t notice them unless they’re looking closely. They’re visible through the clear aligner material, which is simply part of how the system is designed to work.
What Chewies Do
Every time you switch to a new aligner in your series, that tray needs to seat completely against your teeth for it to apply the correct pressure — and a tray that’s only partially seated isn’t doing its job as effectively. Chewies are soft foam cylinders you bite down on for a few minutes after inserting a new tray, and the repeated light biting pressure helps push the aligner fully into place around each tooth, including around attachments.
- Use a chewie for a few minutes each time you put in a new aligner, especially in the first day or two
- Bite down along different sections of your mouth, not just one spot, to seat the whole tray evenly
- Replace chewies periodically, since they wear down with regular use
- They’re a small, inexpensive habit that meaningfully improves how well your treatment tracks to plan
What Happens If You Skip Them?
Skipping attachments isn’t really an option — they’re bonded on as part of your treatment plan and stay until your orthodontist removes them. Skipping chewies, though, is a choice some patients make, and it’s not a great one: aligners that don’t fully seat can mean the tray isn’t applying the intended pressure, which can slow progress or create a mismatch between how your teeth actually look and where the current tray expects them to be.
At Davis & Goldberg Orthodontics, we go over both attachments and chewies at the start of treatment so you know exactly what to expect and how to get the most predictable results from each tray in your series.
Types of Attachments
Not all attachments look or function the same way. Some are simple rectangular or round bumps that give the aligner a broad, general grip point. Others are shaped more specifically — angled ridges that help with rotation, or optimized shapes designed for tipping or vertical movement. Your orthodontist selects the shape and placement of each attachment based on the exact type of movement that specific tooth needs at that stage of your treatment plan, which is why attachments can change in number and position as you move through different trays in your series.
Caring for Attachments and Chewies
Attachments need the same careful brushing as the rest of your teeth — plaque can build up around them just as it would around a natural tooth surface, so a bit of extra attention there during brushing helps keep both your teeth and the attachment itself in good shape. Chewies, meanwhile, should be rinsed after use and replaced periodically once they start to look worn or compressed, since a chewie that’s lost its shape won’t seat your aligners as effectively as a fresh one.
How Attachments Are Planned Digitally
Before your first aligner tray is even made, your entire treatment — including where every attachment will go and when — is mapped out digitally from a 3D scan of your teeth. At Davis & Goldberg Orthodontics, we use this digital plan to show patients a simulation of how their smile is expected to change tray by tray, which also shows roughly when specific attachments will be added or removed along the way. Seeing that full picture upfront tends to make the attachment and chewie routine feel like an expected part of a clear plan, rather than an unexplained extra step.
Building the Habit Early
The patients who get the smoothest results with Invisalign tend to be the ones who build the chewie habit in from their very first tray, rather than skipping it early on and trying to add it in later. Setting a simple routine — new tray in, chewie for a few minutes while watching a show or scrolling your phone — makes it easy to stay consistent for the full length of treatment, and it’s a small habit that meaningfully supports how predictably your treatment tracks to plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do attachments stay on for the whole treatment?
Some do, while others are removed and replaced with new ones in different positions as your treatment plan progresses through different types of tooth movement. Your orthodontist manages this as part of your regular visits.
Can I use a chewie with every single tray, even if the fit already feels good?
Yes — using a chewie with each new tray is a good habit regardless of how the fit feels, since it helps ensure full seating even when you can’t tell the difference by feel alone.
Do attachments hurt to have removed at the end of treatment?
No, removing attachments is quick and painless, similar to removing a small dental bonding spot.
Where can I get replacement chewies?
Ask our team — we can provide replacements or point you to where to find them if you’ve run through your original supply.
Why do some trays in my series have more attachments than others?
The number and placement of attachments changes based on what movements that specific tray is accomplishing — a tray responsible for a more complex rotation or vertical shift often needs more attachment support than one making a simpler adjustment.
Can I chew regular gum instead of using a chewie?
Regular gum isn’t a good substitute — it’s softer and doesn’t apply the same firm, even seating pressure a chewie is specifically designed to provide across your aligner tray.
What if an attachment falls off between office visits?
Call our office — a missing attachment can affect how well your current tray is tracking, and we’ll let you know whether it should be rebonded before your next scheduled appointment.
Are attachments visible when I smile?
They’re tooth-colored and generally subtle, though they can be slightly noticeable up close depending on placement and lighting; most patients find they blend in well enough not to be a concern day to day.
Disclaimer: The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.