How Long Does Invisalign Take?

Teeth straightening has always had a reputation for being a long business, and it makes sense. After all, moving an entire mouth of misaligned teeth is quite an undertaking.

Today, patients are increasingly turning to metal-free brace options like Invisalign. But is Invisalign a quicker route to a straighter smile than traditional braces? And is it worth it?

How long does Invisalign take?

The removable Invisalign clear aligner system can span anything from 4 weeks to 3 years. However, the average treatment time is approximately 6-12 months.

Some of the factors affecting the Invisalign treatment time are:

• How severely your teeth are misaligned or crowded.

• How well you follow the Invisalign protocol each day.

• Which teeth you are moving into a new position.            

• Your age – teeth tend to be a little more stubborn once you reach an older age!

• If you are addressing jaw problems. You may need mutifaceted treatment (of which Invisalign is one element) if your jaw and teeth are out of alignment.

If you are having treatment to address a few teeth that have relapsed, this will take less time than your initial treatment period.  

Is there anything I can do to speed up the treatment process?

Carefully following the Invisalign plan your dentist has set out is your best way of making sure treatment is completed on time. This means:

• Wearing your aligners for 20-22 hours a day.

• Cleaning your Invisalign aligners effectively to make sure you don’t suffer with decay (which may slow down your treatment).

• Making sure you do not lose your aligners.

• Making sure you wear your aligners in the correct sequence.

If you’re someone who thinks they might struggle with the compliance aspect of Invisalign, you might be better suited to fixed braces.

This protocol doesn’t place responsibility on the patient to remember to wear their aligners, or to ensure the sequence is being followed.

However, fixed metal braces do involve more frequent appointments than Invisalign (6 weeks versus every 4 weeks), as your brace will need to be tightened.

Are there different types of Invisalign and how long does each take?

Invisalign has more than one system, depending on which teeth require straightening, and the starting position of those teeth. These are as follows:

Is Invisalign faster than traditional metal braces?

There is very little difference between metal braces and Invisalign when it comes to treatment times. Ultimately, you can expect the table above to apply to the fixed brace equivalents of the Invisalign systems.

Factors you may wish to consider alongside timeframes include:

• How much you are prepared for teeth straightening to affect your daily activities.

• Cost.

• How discreet or conspicuous you are happy for your teeth straightening appliance to be.

• How often you are prepared to attend the dentist for progress check-ups/brace tightening.

Invisalign Treatment Times: Receive Free Dentist Advice Online

At Nova Smiles, we understand how hard it can be to access the dental advice you need, especially over the past few years.

We set up Nova Smiles to provide you with the opportunity to contact a dentist online, to receive swift and accurate answers to the questions you have about Invisalign, and more.

Jump on an online consultation with one of our dentists here.  

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