Our Langley dentists will determine how long your Invisalign treatment will take based on a thorough examination. If you're wondering how long your treatment will take, read on.
Your dentist have a series of clear plastic aligners made for you at the outset of treatment. These aligners will straighten your teeth over time, with each set making a specific adjustment to the position of your teeth. Your dentist will carefully map out this process before treatment begins.
How long will I wear each set of aligners?
You'll wear each set of aligners in the series for about two weeks.
How many sets of aligners will I receive as part of my treatment?
The number of aligners you need will depends on how severe your misalignment is. The more complex your misalignment, the more aligners you will need to correct it.
Most patients can expect to get a minimum of 10 trays, but this can vary considerably. Some patients may need 24 trays, and others may need over 40; there are also cases where up to 100 trays have been necessary.
How long will my Invisalign treatment take altogether?
The amount of time your Invisalign treatment will end up taking depends mainly on how many trays are needed to straighten your teeth. Invisalign treatment takes about 12 months, but this time frame can vary significantly depending on the complexity of your misalignment.
Invisalign treatment takes just about the same amount of time as traditional braces.
If your dentist has already determined the number of aligners you need, you can do some simple math to figure out how many months your Invisalign treatment will take. Since you'll wear each set of aligners for about two weeks, simply multiply your number of aligners by two, and then divide by four.
This will give you an approximate idea of how long your treatment will take, but there is another factor to keep in mind:
Your Commitment to Treatment
The fact that Invisalign aligners can be removed is very convenient when it comes to eating, brushing and flossing. But there is a potential downside. It can also make it very easy for patients to "take breaks" from treatment or to forget to put them back in. This can cause serious problems, setbacks and delays in your orthodontic treatment. It's important to consider Invisalign a full-time commitment.
You will need to wear your aligners for a minimum of 22 hours a day, everyday, throughout treatment, to make sure it goes according to plan. If you don't, the result may be treatment setback and even damage to your teeth and oral structures.