How Long Will My Invisalign Treatment Take?

Since Invisalign can realign a smile without the clearly visible metal parts and dietary restrictions that come with traditional braces, its popularity has exploded in recent decades. While Invisalign is a sophisticated method for straightening out smiles, it still requires a significant commitment of time and effort on the part of the patient. While Invisalign can be a convenient way for many individuals to realign their grins, many people might wonder how long they can expect their treatment to last. Here’s what you should know about how long Invisalign takes and what can lengthen or shorten that timeframe.

What Is Invisalign?

Invisalign is an orthodontic method that uses a sequence of customized clear aligners to push teeth into more optimal positions. The process begins with the orthodontist taking a 3D map of the patient’s mouth, and this data is used to manufacture their aligners. Each set of aligners must be worn for at least twenty hours every day for two weeks before the patient switches to the next set in the sequence. While changes will seem minimal at first, they can be expected to be quite noticeable by the fourth or sixth week. While these clear aligners are removable, they require proper hygiene to keep the teeth healthy.

How Long Does Invisalign Take?

A variety of factors play into how long it takes Invisalign to straighten out a smile, but the most significant one is the complexity of the treatment. Simpler cases may take as little as six months to treat, but patients with more complicated orthodontic needs may need as much as two years of treatment. On average, Invisalign treatment takes about twelve months.

What Can Make My Invisalign Treatment Take Longer?

While sometimes unforeseen complications arise during orthodontic treatments, the most common reason for delays with Invisalign is patients not wearing their aligners for long enough every day. Not wearing your aligners sufficiently has two unfortunate effects:

• Without your aligners in place to apply pressure, nothing will be pushing the teeth into better positions.
• Without your aligners holding the teeth in place, the teeth will begin to shift out of their new positions, undoing much of the orthodontic work.

Teeth that have not moved sufficiently or have shifted out of place may require adjustments to the treatment schedule or even the manufacture of additional trays. This can cause significant delays in the patient’s treatment.

Invisalign is a great way to realign the smiles of many patients. With proper care, you can keep your treatment as speedy and complication-free as possible.

About the Practice

Dr. Durga Devarakonda earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 2011 and has worked in both pediatric dental clinics and general dental offices. She is a member of the American Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, and the Massachusetts Dental Society. Her office in Carrollton, TX offers preventive, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry in addition to Invisalign treatments. For more information on keeping your Invisalign treatment on track, contact the office online or dial (972) 236-7906.