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05
How Long Does Invisalign Take?
Once we find an answer to “Will Invisalign work for me?” the next question someone typically has is, “How long does Invisalign take?”
While each situation is different, there are some general estimates for treatment length out there that will give you a good idea of what to expect.
How Long Does Invisalign Take? It Will Vary From Person to Person
Just like each person is different, so is every mouth. The treatment length for Invisalign will vary widely based on where a patient starts.
Let’s look at a few examples below to help answer this every-important question: “How long does Invisalign take?”
Patient 1
This patient…
- Had braces as a teenager
- Didn’t wear a retainer as a young adult
- Experienced shifting of his lower teeth
…and now he wants them straight again.
His bite was good and the upper teeth were already pretty straight. This patient had Invisalign for just 3 months and his teeth were completely corrected.
Because we didn’t have to change his bite or worry much about his upper teeth, the length of treatment was very short.
Now let’s take a look at an extreme example…
Patient 2
This patient had…
- Severe crowding
- A missing tooth
- Complicated bite problems
…plus several other tooth alignment issues.
This patient was treated with Invisalign in just under 2.5 years at Premier Orthodontics and finished with a fabulous result that looked like this.
Based on these two very different examples, you can see that the answer to “How Long Does Invisalign Take?”…
…really – depends.
The Invisalign process could take as few as 5 weeks or as much as 2 years . . . It can safely be assumed that most people will fall somewhere in between.
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What is Invisalign Express?
You may have heard about Invisalign Express but are curious what it actually is.
Invisalign Express is a product offered by Invisalign especially for patients only needing minor correction.
Many adults had braces as teenagers, didn’t wear their retainers, and then experienced some minor crowding or spacing….
…Invisalign Express was designed with these patients in mind. (Patient 1 shown above is a good example of this).
Invisalign Express, however, is not for everybody.
Invisalign Express is designed for patients whose treatment will take just 10 weeks or less. The main objective of Invisalign Express is to straighten your teeth or close spaces… it is not designed to fix bites.
With Invisalign Express your orthodontist has 2 options…
- Invisalign Express 5: With this option the patient receives just 5 Invisalign Aligners. This is reserved for very minor tooth correction, and the treatment time is just 5 weeks.
- Invisalign Express 10: This option is similar to Invisalign Express 5, but it allows for 10 aligners to correct any crowding or spacing.
Will Invisalign Express 5 or Invisalign Express 10 work for me?
This will be determined by your orthodontist at your free initial evaluation. If the orthodontist determines that just 5 or 10 aligners will be sufficient to get the desired result, this option will be presented to you.
If it is determined that your tooth or bite correction requires more than just 5 or 10 aligners then a standard Invisalign package will likely be recommended.
Does Invisalign Take Longer For Adults?
Kids and teenagers’ teeth usually move faster than adults. The age of the patient, however, isn’t the only factor that determines treatment length.
In some special circumstances adult treatment can take less time than children or teenagers. The length of Invisalign treatment may be extended for children or teenagers if…
- A child or teenager still has teeth that are growing in
- A child or teen is still waiting for growth to be completed
- If a child or teenager does not wear their Invisalign aligners as recommended
On average adult Invisalign treatment will take about the same amount of time as Invisalign treatment for younger patients.
How Long Does Invisalign Take Compared to Braces?
Certain tooth or bite problems will take less time when treated with Invisalign…
…particularly if a patient has just a few teeth that need to be corrected. In these cases Invisalign treatment will be quicker than braces.
(That patient below has minor crowding and would likely be treated more quickly with Invisalign)
Because Invisalign allows an orthodontist to digitally plan out your treatment on a computer with a digital model of your teeth, we can be highly accurate, more efficient and move only the teeth that need correction.
You don’t necessarily get the same advantages with traditional braces.
Some tooth and bites problems may be treated more quickly with traditional braces. The type of patients in which this would be the case, include those with:
- Impacted teeth that won’t grow in on their own
- Missing teeth that require closing large amounts of space
- Teeth that are really high up and need to be brought down
(The patient below has high canines and would likely be treated more quickly with braces.)
If a patient would still prefer Invisalign treatment, we can usually offer a short period of treatment using braces to get the big problems out of the way, followed by Invisalign treatment.
This two-pronged approach usually helps us fix the initial problem in a short amount of time with the braces, and then continue the long-term treatment by using Invisalign.
As you have probably noticed,“How long will Invisalign take?” is a difficult and complex question to answer.
It is typically only when a patient is seen for a consultation that one can know for sure what the timeline will be. That’s why we offer free consultations at Premier Orthodontics…
…you can get your questions answered and make the best choices for you or your child!
Now that you better understand how long Invisalign will take, let’s talk about how much it costs.
Click below to read Chapter 6: How Much Does Invisalign Cost.
Schedule a Free Invisalign Consultation For You or Your Child
You can schedule a 100% free consultation for Invisalign you or your child with Premier Orthodontics to find out if Invisalign is the best choice for you.
An initial exam and Invisalign consultation is 95% about getting your major questions and concerns answered directly from a professional, like:
Will Invisalign work for me? What costs should I expect? How long will the treatment take? And any other questions you may have. 
