At Mistry Dental, patients who are considering Invisalign ask us how long the treatment will take. We get it. You want to know when you can see results and when your treatment will be done when you invest time and money in straightening your teeth. We have been doing Orthodontics in Mississauga for many years and have found that treatment time can vary for each person. But we can give you an idea.

Most of our patients finish their Invisalign treatment in 12 to 18 months. This is the range we see most often for patients with moderate crowding, spacing issues or bite concerns. But we want to make it clear that this is just an average. Some people get their perfect smile in half the time.
If you only have a few teeth that are slightly crowded or a few small gaps that need to be filled, your treatment could be done in as little as 6 months. Some of our patients were happy to be done even faster than they thought they would because their teeth responded well to treatment and their problems were easy to fix. If you have more complex issues like a big bite misalignment, a lot of crowding, or teeth that need to move longer distances, your treatment could take 18 to 24 months or more.

There are several factors that affect how long your Invisalign treatment will take. The biggest one is how complex your case is. The longer the treatment will take, the more your teeth need to move and the more changes we need to make. We also take into account your age, because teeth move slower in adults than in youth. Your gums and teeth also need to be healthy. If you have any dental problems that need to be fixed before we can start moving your teeth, it will add to the whole treatment time.

Following the rules is another important factor that affects your timeline. Invisalign only works if you wear your aligners. We tell our patients to wear their aligners for at least 20 to 22 hours a day. They can only take them off to eat, drink anything other than water and brush their teeth. Patients who follow the instructions for wearing their aligners usually finish treatment on time or even a little early. When patients forget to wear their aligners or leave them out for a long time, treatment takes longer because the teeth aren’t getting the constant pressure they need to move.

We know life can get in the way sometimes. You might want to take your aligners off for a night for a special event, or you might get sick and not wear them as often for a few days. These rare breaks don’t have a big impact on your treatment, but if they happen a lot, they will definitely change the timeframe for your treatment. We always tell our patients to be honest with us about how well they are following the rules so we can adjust our expectations and help them get back on track if they need to.

The type of Invisalign treatment you need also determines how long it will take. Invisalign Express is for very minor changes and usually takes 3 to 6 months. Invisalign Lite, which fixes mild to moderate problems, usually takes 6 to 12 months. Depending on your needs, Invisalign Full, the most comprehensive treatment option, can take 12 to 24 months. We can determine the best treatment level for you and give you a more exact timeline on your first visit to our Mississauga office.

You will get a new set of aligners every 1 to 2 weeks during your treatment. Each set gets your teeth a little closer to where they will be. Every 6 to 8 weeks you will also come to see us so we can check on your progress and make sure everything is on track. These appointments are quick and easy and give us a chance to talk about any concerns you may have and answer any questions.

You should know that you will probably start to see changes in your smile during the first few months of treatment even if it’s not fully finished yet. We hear from many of our patients that they feel more confident and smile more freely long before their treatment is over since they can already see good changes. You can see it’s working and that might make the last few months feel a lot easier.

You will need to wear a retainer to keep your teeth in their final positions once your active treatment is over. At the end of treatment we give you retainers and tell you how often you need to wear them. For the first few months most people wear their retainers all the time. After that they only wear them at night. This retention period is very important since your teeth will try to move back to their original positions if you don’t wear your retainer as prescribed. Porcelain veneers transform your smile by correcting chips, stains, and uneven teeth. Each veneer is custom-crafted to match your natural look. The result is a flawless, long-lasting smile enhancement.

If you’re thinking of getting Invisalign and want to know how long it will take for you, the best thing to do is come in for a consultation. We will look at your teeth, talk about your goals and make a treatment plan just for you that includes an estimated timeline. This gives you all the information you need to make an informed decision on what to do next. We at Mistry Dental are committed to helping you get the smile you’ve always wanted in the shortest and most effective way possible while still getting great results.