One of the biggest concerns patients have about starting Invisalign treatment is the time commitment. No matter what kind of orthodontic treatment you undergo, your time is required – months and sometimes years of your time. The Invisalign time commitment, however, is far more palatable than most teeth-straightening options.

The Overall Invisalign Time Commitment

Invisalign is not one-size-fits-all. The treatment is customized from the start to match your mouth, your misalignment, your oral health needs. That means the length of your treatment will vary from other patients.

In general, Invisalign is worn for about one year. Because the trays move both tooth roots and crowns simultaneously, it shaves off a year of time that wearers of conventional metal braces must endure. However, if you have a more complex case, you should expect your treatment to take a little longer than 12 months. And, if you only have a handful of gaps to correct or teeth to turn, the process may only require several months of time.

Your Hampton Invisalign provider will let you know what to expect from start to finish before anything even begins. There are unlikely to be any surprises along the way.

The Daily Invisalign Time Commitment

The day-to-day obligations seem often to be a major concern for most patients. Here’s the reality: Braces of any sort are a big responsibility and they demand your ongoing time, energy, and attention. Invisalign, though, is relatively low maintenance:

  • Wear the trays 20 to 22 hours a day.
  • Only remove the aligners three to four times a day for meals and cleanings.
  • Clean your trays morning and night.
  • Clean your teeth and the trays after every meal.
  • Change the trays every two weeks.

Overall, you just need to brush your teeth more often and take care of your trays and remove them when you eat. That’s pretty easy and the rules are simple. Don’t eat or drink anything but water with the aligners in place – otherwise, you have the freedom to enjoy your favorite foods all the way through.

Dental Visits and Life After Invisalign

There are two other elements of the Invisalign time commitment that needs to be taken into consideration. You will have to visit your Hampton dentist every six to eight weeks for a checkup and to pick up your next several sets of trays. These visits can’t be skipped and they really aren’t that frequent when compared with patients who need their brackets and wires checked every four weeks.

Then there is that last small matter – your retainer. You will have a commitment to this appliance once Invisalign treatment is complete. It’s essential to keep your newly shifted teeth in place and the retainer gets that job done. Most patients must wear their retainer around the clock for several months to a year and are then allowed to wear it only while sleeping.

Schedule a consultation with the certified Invisalign provider at Smiles by the Sea in Hampton, NH, to find out if you’re a good candidate for this alignment method.