Treatment with Invisalign will take a different amount of time for each person depending upon the amount of tooth movement and the severity of any malocclusion prior to treatment. Treatment times are usually in the region of 1 -2 years.
What things impact the treatment time with Invisalign?
The following factors can impact Invisalign treatment time:
- If you just need the cosmetic six front teeth moved treatment is quicker, if you need more tooth movement then treatment take longer.
- The complexity of tooth movement. Rotating or tipping teeth can be done quite quickly, but if teeth need to be moved bodily then this can take longer.
- Your dental health. If your dental health is not in good enough condition before treatment then this would need to be looked at prior to beginning orthodontics. This is because orthodontic treatments should only be undertaken on healthy teeth and gums.
- The length of time you wear your aligner for each day. You should ideally wear your aligner for 20 hours each day, taking it out only to clean and eat. If you’re retainer remained out of your mouth for much longer than this each day then it will take longer to achieve the desired result.
How will I know how long treatment will take with Invisalign?
Before each Invisalign treatment begins your Invisalign dentist will plan treatment in detail. Your overall treatment plan will be modelled on a computer program, this computer program will calculate the number of aligners required.
Each aligner is worn for about 2 weeks, so it’s quite easy to calculate the length of treatment prior to beginning.
This calculation will be shown in a video simulation of your tooth movement known as a Clincheck®.
Does treatment ever take longer than expected?
Yes, sometimes treatment can take a little longer than initially planned. Your dentist will review the treatment with you regularly. Normally only 4 sets of aligners are made at the beginning, you will then have a review which will determine how many additional aligner is need to be made. Any adjustments to the treatment plan can then be factored in.
This doesn’t happen very often but it is worth knowing that treatment can sometimes take longer than initially planned for a variety of unforeseen reasons.