How Long Will I Need Invisalign?

Dr. Brett P. Lent and his team at First Impression Dental in Fresno, California, are committed to keeping your teeth and gums healthy as well as boosting your confidence with a beautiful smile.

No matter your age, you’ll find a full suite of services at First Impression Dental that utilize the most up-to-date technology available to ensure your oral health care needs are met. You’ll also appreciate the warm and welcoming environment that calms anxiety and makes you feel like part of the family.  

Read why the Invisalign® system meets Dr. Lent’s rigorous standards for patient comfort, safety, and satisfaction when it comes to straightening teeth.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a popular alternative to traditional braces that uses a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually straighten teeth.

Fashioned from an FDA-approved thermoplastic material called SmartTrack®, the aligners are created to fit snugly over your teeth and become nearly invisible once in place. They must be worn for 20-22 hours a day but can be easily removed for eating and cleaning.

Available for teens and adults, the Invisalign system offers an effective solution for straightening your smile without the bulky wires and brackets used with traditional braces. Because Invisalign aligners are removable, you won’t have to follow the eating restrictions common with metal braces.

Will Invisalign work for everyone?

Certain irregularities in your tooth and jaw structure might require extensive treatment that’s better suited to traditional braces. However, the Invisalign system is generally effective for most bite issues.  

Notably, a comprehensive review of research studies comparing the effectiveness of traditional braces to clear aligners, published through the National Institutes of Health in 2019, indicated that in all but the most severe cases, both were effective in treating malocclusion (crooked teeth).

To ensure the system is right for your needs, Dr. Lent always performs a complete evaluation before recommending Invisalign.

How long will it take for Invisalign to straighten my teeth?

The length of time you need to wear the aligners depends on the level of misalignment as well as your adherence to the treatment plan. Wearing them for fewer hours than recommended each day, for instance, may prolong your course.

During your initial evaluation, Dr. Lent uses a digital mapping system to create a template for the custom aligners and may be able to estimate at that time how long your treatment might take. Generally, however, you can expect it to take 12 to 18 months, sometimes less.  

In the 2019 NIH study review, depending on the bite issues, clear aligners were noted to work faster than traditional braces in many cases.

For an Invisalign evaluation and more details about the treatment, schedule a visit at First Impression Dental today.