How Long Does Invisalign Treatment Take to Straighten Teeth?

There are several factors that can impact the length of your Invisalign treatment. One main difference in how long treatment takes is your specific condition.

There are different conditions that create different forms of misaligned teeth. Experienced orthodontists use Invisalign to treat each of these conditions, but depending on your specific diagnosis and the severity of your condition, your treatment length will vary.

Invisalign treatment lengths vary depending on the severity of your treatment, where you seek your professional care, and how compliant you are with the Invisalign course. For adults who follow the program properly, Invisalign treatment can take between 6 and 36 months. Talk to your Invisalign provider about your unique case for a specific estimate.

Remember, Invisalign aligners are a tool in the hands of your skilled doctor – the most important part of your treatment is that it works safely and effectively, not just as fast as possible! For mild cases, some orthodontists may offer expedited Invisalign treatment plans.

These Invisalign treatments can correct mild cases between 6-8 months. Your Invisalign treatment will stay on track for the quickest results by complying with the orthodontist’s instruction for your care: proper care and maintenance are key to swift and effective results.

Treatment lengths depend on your specific condition, but for some diagnoses – such as open bites or excessive overjet – Invisalign treatment may provide faster results, anywhere between 6 to 24 months.  Some conditions may be corrected faster with braces or may respond best to a combination of braces and Invisalign aligners. Talk to your doctor about which treatment will work fastest for your case. Learn more about braces vs. Invisalign aligners.

One of the most common reasons treatment takes longer is poor patient compliance. Invisalign aligners only work when they’re in your mouth. Wearing them 22 hours a day is critical to achieving effective, on-time results.

Likewise, keeping them clean and your mouth fresh is equally important to treatment. Some patients begin treatment by following the instructions, but over time relax their routine and stop wearing the aligners regularly or cleaning them daily. This will impact the effectiveness of the Invisalign aligners and require longer treatment times.

To avoid adding time and cost to your Invisalign treatment, follow your doctor’s instructions to keep your aligners fresh, clean, and working.

Choosing an experienced Invisalign doctor is important, too: look for a Diamond Plus or Diamond Invisalign Provider with the most experience treating patients with Invisalign clear aligners. You can use the Invisalign Find a Doctor tool to locate an experienced Invisalign doctor in your area. An inexperienced doctor will take longer to produce the proper results.

Seek treatment with the Invisalign system, rather than an off-brand clear aligner company, for the most effective, efficient results. Invisalign uses patented technology and state-of-the-art materials for maximum effectiveness and predictable results.

Compare Invisalign treatment to mail-order aligner brands.

While treatment lengths vary depending on your specific condition and your level of compliance with the Invisalign regimen, the basic timeline is the same. Each set of aligners is worn for one to two weeks, before switching to the next set in the series: longer treatments will thus contain more aligners.

How the treatment timeline works:

1. Consultation with orthodontist: x-rays and/or 3D images taken, dental history discussed, diagnosis established, treatment agreed upon.
2. 2 to 4 weeks: first set of aligners are designed by the orthodontist, printed from patented SmartTrack™ aligner material by Invisalign, and received by the office.  Your orthodontist will check fit and adjust if necessary. Your orthodontist will place attachments and send you home with several sets of aligners and instructions for wear.
3. 6-36 months: You will visit the office every 1 to 3 months, so your doctor can check your progress and provide you with the next series of aligners. At the completion of the aligner course, you may have several additional aligners for refinements to your smile.
4. Post-treatment: When treatment is completed, your orthodontist will provide you with a set of retainers and instructions to wear at night for as long as you can to protect the results.