Patients often ask us how long it will take for Invisalign to straighten their teeth. Despite the treatment being less noticeable than traditional braces, our patients still want to know when they can expect to have beautifully straight teeth. For most people, a course of treatment with Invisalign averages twelve months although the exact length of time varies from person to person.

It varies as more severe alignment issues will take longer to rectify, while small changes can happen quite quickly.

A mild case of crowding or small gaps may take six months to fix.

Because every person’s mouth is different, determining how long Invisalign will take is an estimate. One person’s teeth might move quickly and easily into place, while another’s may be a bit more stubborn and take longer. Additionally, even if you only need small corrections, it will take longer if you don’t wear the aligner trays for the recommended amount of time (usually 22 hours per day)

There is no way to know exactly how the process will work for you until you begin your course of treatment. However, once we start planning a case, we can give you a fairly accurate guide. We will work with you to make the treatment time as short as possible, while still aiming for the best possible results.

How long until I notice a difference?

Many people notice a difference in their teeth within the first two to three months of Invisalign. This can depend on if we need to move some back teeth first to make room for front teeth to move. Once the front teeth are moving, generally you and your friends will start to notice the changes.

If I have severe overcrowding can I use Invisalign?

These days, Invisalign is capable of tackling most complex orthodontic issues, as long as the dentist or orthodontist involved is highly knowledgeable in it’s use. Invisalign isn’t magic, it is simply a tool in the dentist’s arsenal to achieve a result.

There are still some things that braces may be able to do more efficiently, though most things can be tackled with aligners. Sometimes we might utilise some “extra” tools, like buttons, elastics or some “partial” braces for particularly complex movements that aligners alone don’t deal well with. Sometimes significant orthodontic issues may require adjunctive treatment, such as removal of teeth or surgery, if the most ideal result is being aimed for.

Is Invisalign quicker for adults or children?

This depends on the severity of the issue being treated and how well the patient wears their aligners.

Invisalign works well in both adults and children, as long as you wear your aligners well! Anecdotally we tend to find some teens aren’t the best at doing this, in which case traditional braces might be a better option.

Does Invisalign work quicker than traditional braces to straighten teeth?

As long as aligner wear is good, their time frames are fairly even. The limiting factor is how fast we can safely and comfortably biologically move teeth through bone, not really the method in which that is done.