Everyone tells you that Invisalign is “easy” and it “doesn’t take a lot of time.” What does that really mean for a busy adult who doesn’t have much wiggle room in their schedule? You may be suspicious of just how demanding the treatment may be, but you don’t have to be. The true Invisalign time commitment is reasonable so you can go about your daily life without many interruptions or demands from Invisalign.

Wear Invisalign 20 to 22 Hours a Day

This rule may seem like the most daunting to the uninitiated Invisalign patient. Ask anyone who’s been wearing the aligners for a week or two and they’ll confirm that wearing the trays for 20 to 22 hours a day is an order that’s no big deal. You’re not missing out on anything by having your trays in your mouth for the majority of every day.

Think about wearers of metal braces – they wear their orthodontia 24/7, with no reprieve. With Invisalign you get a little break every time you have a meal or take your trays out to clean them and your teeth. Plus, if you’re sleeping a decent amount every night, that’s a major chunk of daily wear time you don’t even have to think about. Twenty to 22 hours may seem intimidating, but it’s manageable, especially when you have the freedom to remove your trays when needed.

Visit Your Dentist Every 6 to 8 Weeks

You will have to visit your Hampton Invisalign provider regularly. At these appointments, you will have a checkup to ensure that your teeth are moving as expected and that your aligners are doing the job they’re supposed to do. Your dentist will confirm that you comply with the instructions you were given – and they’ll be able to tell this by how your treatment has progressed. At these visits, you will also be given your next several sets of trays to take home and switch out as instructed.

You only need to see your dentist every six to eight weeks. That’s not too demanding in the grand scheme of things, and each appointment is far enough out that schedules should be flexible and easy to adjust. Think about the wearers of conventional metal braces – they need to see their orthodontist about every four weeks.

Expect About a One-Year Treatment

Every Invisalign patient is different but, on average, treatment time takes about one year. Seem lengthy? It’s actually half the time of conventional braces treatment, so you’re already winning. Once your dentist examines your teeth, bite, and oral health, you may discover that you need even less than one year in aligners.

The complexity of each patient’s case will impact just how long your Invisalign treatment will be, whether several months, one year, or a little longer.

  • Minor gaps or a braces relapse may only require six months or so of Invisalign.
  • Teens may have shorter timelines because their teeth move faster than an adult’s.
  • Severe crowding may demand longer and more intensive treatment.
  • Noncompliance with wearing the trays will make treatment take much longer than anticipated.

Is Invisalign Right for You?

Schedule an appointment with the team at Smiles by the Sea in Hampton, NH, to find out if you’re a good candidate for Invisalign.