How Long It Takes To See Invisalign Results

Orthodontics enable people to achieve a perfect smile and beautiful teeth giving them self-confidence. But wearing braces for a year or two puts off people from getting the imperfections in their oral setup corrected.

Invisalign is a revolutionary way to straighten your teeth where you do not have to wear bulky metal braces and look and feel awkward till the treatment ends. They are clear aligners that come as trays and are custom-made to fit on your teeth and gently shift them to their desired position. 

Invisalign can treat crooked, gapped, or misaligned teeth in a convenient way where you do not require metal braces and bands. These flexible and clear aligners are almost invisible in your mouth (hence the name) and you could also remove them when you want to. Another advantage of these trays is that you do not need to give up any of your favorite foods since you would remove them when you want to eat.

So, how long would Invisliagn take to correct misaligned teeth? Let us read on to find out. 

How Does Invisalign Work?

It is important to understand the process of these aligners to know how much time it would take for the treatment.

• Each custom-made clear tray moves your teeth gradually and gently to their place.
• The aligners can move your teeth vertically, and horizontally, and even rotate them if needed.
• The way these trays are engineered puts the right amount of pressure, in the right place, at the right time.
• As and when you change the trays every week or two weeks (as recommended by your dentist), your teeth progressively become straighter.
• Each aligner tray moves the teeth minimally.
• As your teeth shift gradually, your gums reform around each tooth, and once your teeth have reached their desired position, your gums would snugly hold your teeth in place.
• The best thing about these aligners is that they are made using 3D models of your mouth. This way, you can see a time-lapse series of pictures showing you the exact movement of your teeth during the treatment.
• Mild to moderate misalignments are best treated with Invisalign. It could also treat some severe cases such as crowded teeth, underbites, overbites, crooked teeth, open bites, and gapped teeth.

When will Invisalign results be visible?

Since Invisalign is so subtle, people might have doubts about the efficacy and duration of the treatment period. But the treatment time for these clear aligners varies greatly, depending on the condition. Each day, as you keep wearing your aligners, your teeth are changing positions slightly into their desired place.

• In general, you should be able to notice the results in twelve to eighteen months.
• You need to wear the aligners for at least twenty-two hours a day to be on track with your treatment plan.
• Results in younger patients are observed sooner than in adults.
• If you have complex or more severely misaligned teeth then you would notice changes a little slower than those with minor imperfections.
• Invisalign works gradually so that you do not experience any discomfort but it is very precise in its movement. Do not expect changes in one or two weeks.
• Though the speed of results varies from patient to patient, most patients can see a subtle difference in ten to twelve weeks.
• To see visible results soon your trays must be well-fitted. If your tray is adequately tracked, you might experience slight pain in your teeth and jaw and feel tightening in that area. This is normal.
• You must determine that your trays are working properly. If there is any gap or your aligners move when you talk, it is indicative of an ill-fitted aligner. You must visit your dentist to get this fixed as soon as possible else it will delay your treatment.
• During the treatment, you would need to visit your dentist every four to six weeks to get your progress monitored.
• For crowded teeth, you would take around twelve months to straighten them, whether it is the upper or lower dental arch.
• For gapped teeth up to six millimeters, Invisalign would take close to twelve months. But if the gaps are small, they can be corrected in as little as six months.

What is the Best Way to Determine If Invisalign Works?

When you are wearing your aligners, have a look out for the following things to determine if your Invisalign is working or not:

• You will feel slight discomfort or pain if your aligners are working.
• If you have crowded teeth, you will start noticing a gap between your teeth which the clear aligners have created to push your teeth into their proper positions.
• If in the second or third week of your treatment, you feel that your aligners have become loose it means your teeth have moved and the aligners are not working anymore.

Invisalign is a painless and effective solution for treating misaligned, crooked, or crowded teeth. They are not conspicuous as metal braces, and their treatment time varies from patient to patient based on the condition of their teeth. Typically, you will finish your treatment within twelve to eighteen months but with more complicated cases the treatment time could go up to twenty-four months.