Munchies® EPS seating protocol 2022

Ideal Seating Protocol

In an ideal world, fully compliant clear aligner patients wear their devices 22 hours a day. 

This protocol is thus designed for patients who wear aligners for 22 hours per day. The 2 hours where patients are not in the mouth generally is spread over meal and snack periods ( eg: 3 meals, 2 snacks and 2 hot beverages).

Cumulatively, this would mean around 7 aligner inserts and removals.

The key is to ensure that every time the aligners are re-inserted, they are fully seated and the force systems that have been programmed into the aligners are delivered accurately.

1. Insert aligners manually ( with finger pressure only in premolar region)
2. Patient or doctor will know if aligners aren’t seated correctly because “s” sound in particular is disrupted. A lisp is often produced when words with “s” are attempted.
3. Munchies should be used at every reinsertion for around 2 minutes in total each time. The upper and lower premolars are seated at the same time.

Right Premolar Region (right side)— 30 seconds

Left Premolar Region (right side)— 30 seconds

Upper Anterior— 30 seconds

Lower Anterior— 30 seconds

Total Time - 2 minutes

Furthermore, 

1. Generally speaking, the patient will feel or hear a Munchies “Click”, where the aligner has snapped into its’ ideal position and the correct speech pattern has been re-established
2. For patients who only take out their aligners 2 or 3 times per day, using the Munchies at another 3-4 intervals ( spread throughout the day) is a considerable advantage.
3. The ideal removal tool is the BART system, which is a medical grade stainless steel device which removes aligners from the lingual and palatal aspect. This minimises aligner warpage from excessive forces from finger nail pressure or other devices. This device also minimises attachments being pulled off inadvertently.

This protocol is recommended by the Postgraduate School of Dentistry, Sydney, Australia

Dr David Penn