Patients undergoing Invisalign® treatment often want to know how long they will need to wear their aligners. Read on to learn how long the aligners need to be worn. Several variables determine the length of Invisalign treatment, and one of the most important is how long you wear your aligners each day.
Invisalign treatment can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months, depending on the patient's situation.
How long do you wear Invisalign aligners every day?
Those committing to Invisalign orthodontic treatment need to wear their aligners for the recommended 22 hours per day. Since it is impossible to brush your teeth or eat with the aligners on, it is not feasible to wear them continuously. Dentists usually recommend that patients keep the aligners off the teeth for no more than two hours per day. To put it another way, patients should wear their clear aligners for around 22 hours each day. Failure to do this will potentially prolong the treatment duration.
Why 22-hour daily use is important
The custom aligners are created to induce continuous pressure onto the teeth, gradually shifting them into position. The teeth will not shift as much if patients do not wear the aligners for the recommended time each day. Therefore, they may have to wear the aligners for longer than the dentist predicted.
The teeth will move to their correct positions if the Invisalign aligners are used as recommended. Invisalign has certain advantages over traditional metal braces. While braces cannot be taken out during treatment, Invisalign trays can. This means the patient is responsible for wearing the aligners for at least 22 hours per day. The teeth must be trained in a specific manner, and failure to maintain good Invisalign habits means it may take longer to achieve the desired results.
The most difficult aspect of wearing Invisalign aligners is developing good oral habits. Only taking them out to eat and brush takes some getting used to. These routines may have long-term consequences. One may be tempted to take the aligners out when heading out to a social event. However, if patients do not wear their aligners for a few hours in a row, it may cause long-term problems and delays.
Treatment with Invisalign varies from person to person. It takes longer to correct more serious alignment issues. Even if the teeth only need minor adjustments, patients still need to wear the aligners for the minimum number of hours.
The bottom line
Everyone is unique; whereas one person's teeth may move with ease, another's may be more difficult. It is impossible to know how readily the mouth will change until you begin your Invisalign treatment. As a result, the time it takes for the therapy to function varies from person to person.
If you are contemplating Invisalign treatment as a way to improve your smile, it may be the right choice for you. However, you must be ready to commit to wearing your aligners for a total of 22 hours each day.
Request an appointment or call Gables Exceptional Dentistry at 305-203-4132 for an appointment in our Coral Gables office.
Recent Posts
A dentist will recommend Invisalign® if your dental alignment is mild to moderate. This system needs responsible patients because the care and changing of the aligners will depend on them. Knowing how this system works can help prepare you for your treatment period. Here are the details about how Invisalign aligns teeth.Assessing the teeth with…
You may be interested in using Invisalign® to correct only your top or lower teeth. Continue reading to learn more about how Invisalign treatment is used. While Invisalign may be used to straighten either the lower or upper teeth, most situations require correcting the two dental arches. The purpose is to ensure patients have a…
If you plan to get Invisalign®, you should know that oral hygiene is important. Read on to learn about the importance of oral hygiene during Invisalign teeth straightening treatment. This highly successful therapy straightens your teeth using custom-made transparent aligners in roughly the same length of time as conventional braces. The aligners are discreet, making…