Invisalign: All the Numbers You Need to Know

Invisalign braces are a finely tuned orthodontic method. Your treatment is customized to you alone, but there are some characteristics and rules of Invisalign braces that are consistent across the board whether you’re being treated for an overbite, underbite, gapped teeth, or otherwise.

Here are all the numbers you need to know about Invisalign:

20 to 22 hours

Invisalign aligners must be worn 20 to 22 hours per day to get the greatest effectiveness from this cosmetic solution. This means you wear the aligners while sleeping and only remove them for meals, snacks, and brushing, which should ring in right around four to six times a day.

Do those 20+ hours sound taxing? Remember, you take your aligners out for eating – and that means you get to eat whatever you want throughout your entire treatment. No restrictions. Braces are a commitment, and Invisalign is no different. The perks of Invisalign, however, far outweigh any inconveniences.

12 to 15 months

Invisalign treatment, on average, takes about a year to complete. Depending on the severity of your misalignment, this number could be lower or it could be higher. Your adherence to the rules of Invisalign – like wearing your aligners for at least 20 hours a day – is critical, and the speed with which your teeth move are also a factor. The most important thing to keep in mind is that Invisalign braces usually take half the time of conventional metal braces to get the job done.

18 to 30 aligners

Throughout your entire Invisalign treatment, you will receive around 18 to 30 aligners to get your teeth into their proper positions. This number will vary for patients, depending on where your teeth are now, where they need to move, and the type of problem that’s being corrected.

Your Haymarket Invisalign provider will determine the ideal number of aligners before your treatment begins so you know what’s ahead and have an estimate of how long your unique treatment will take from start to finish.

2 weeks

Aligners are changed about every two weeks during treatment. Your dentist will give you instructions about when new aligners should be rotated in. Invisalign treatment is a process that moves a few teeth at a time, not all teeth all at once. The aligners are designed to provide a gentle but consistent adjustment.

Even though the aligners do get switched out, it’s still important to take good care of them, clean them properly every day, and do not eat or drink anything but water while wearing the aligners. These precautions keep the nearly invisible hardware free of stains and cloudiness and your treatment nearly impossible to detect.

6 weeks

You’ll see your Haymarket Invisalign provider about every six weeks, which adds up to far fewer visits than for a wearer of traditional braces. There won’t be any need for in-between visits to your dentist to adjust wires and brackets and correct for painful hardware either.

At each of your check-ups, your dentist will evaluate the progress of your treatment and provide you with the next several sets of aligners to take with you.

Are You a Good Candidate for Invisalign Braces?

Invisalign is a worthwhile commitment for people who want to get straight teeth without brace-face. Contact your Haymarket Invisalign provider Dr. Sina Reangber at LifeTime Smiles to find out whether you’re a good candidate for this treatment.

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