Wondering what to do with old Invisalign trays after each cycle? You are not alone. If you are in the middle of Invisalign treatment, you already know the routine: every one to two weeks you move to a new set of aligners, and the old ones get set aside. But set aside where, exactly? Most patients toss them in the trash without a second thought — and honestly, who could blame them? Nobody told them there was another option.
At Daly Orthodontics in Burlington, NC, we get asked what to do with old Invisalign trays all the time — and now we have a real answer.
The Problem With Throwing Aligners Away
Clear aligners are made from a medical-grade thermoplastic that does not break down easily in a landfill. Multiply one patient’s trays across an entire treatment — which can involve anywhere from 20 to 50 sets of aligners — and the plastic adds up fast. Across the orthodontic industry, aligners contribute significantly to plastic waste every single year.
Most patients finishing treatment have no idea what to do with the stack of trays they have accumulated. The default answer has always been the trash can. We decided to change that.
What to Do With Old Invisalign Trays: Our Tiny Changes Partnership
Daly Orthodontics is proud to partner with Tiny Changes Recycling, a program built specifically for orthodontic and dental practices that want to reduce their environmental footprint.
Tiny Changes works alongside TerraCycle — a company that specializes in turning hard-to-recycle materials into new, reusable products. Through this partnership, used aligners and other orthodontic materials that would normally end up in a landfill are instead collected, processed, and given a second life.
We have a dedicated Tiny Changes recycling box right here in our Burlington office. Once it is full, it gets shipped directly to TerraCycle for processing. Simple, effective, and something our whole team feels good about.
As Dr. Daly puts it: “We love having our Tiny Changes recycling box. So many patients ask what to do with their old trays, and now we have a real answer for them — bring them back and discard them with no worries.”
How It Works for You as a Patient
Participating could not be easier:
- Finish your tray cycle as normal — wear your aligners for the recommended time, then move to your next set.
- Bring your old trays back to our office at your next visit. You do not need to clean them in any special way or package them differently.
- Hand them to our team. After every appointment we collect used trays and place them directly into the recycling box.
That is it. No drop-off locations to find, no shipping labels to print, no extra steps on your end. You show up for your regular appointment, hand over your old trays, and we take care of the rest.
Why This Matters to Us
Sustainability is not a marketing buzzword for us — it is a reflection of how we think about our patients and our community. Burlington is home to us. The families we treat here are our neighbors. Making choices that are better for the environment is one small but meaningful way we show up for the community we care about.
We also know that many of our adult Invisalign patients are people who think carefully about their choices — what they buy, what they consume, and what they leave behind. Offering a recycling option is our way of aligning with those values.
Ready to Start Your Invisalign Journey in Burlington?
If you have been considering Invisalign and want to work with a practice that takes both your smile and your values seriously, we would love to meet you. Dr. Ivette Daly is a board-certified orthodontist serving Burlington, Graham, Mebane, Elon, and the surrounding Alamance County area.
Schedule your free consultation today — and know that when your treatment is done, your trays have somewhere better to go than the trash.