If you’re interested in straightening your smile or making adjustments to your bite, you might be wondering about Invisalign.
The time commitment makes Invisalign a popular option, and the providers at Smiles Northwest can help you with the Invisalign process.
But first:
Let’s take a look at:
- What Invisalign can help you with
- What you need to consider
- How long Invisalign takes before you start seeing results
How Long Do You Have to Wear Invisalign?
The time you’ll need to wear Invisalign depends on several factors.
You might need to wear Invisalign for a few months for minor corrections, or you might need to wear them for up to 24 months for more significant adjustments.
Overcrowded teeth
Patients who choose Invisalign to create room in an overcrowded mouth might need six to twelve months to make corrections.
The more movement your teeth need increases the amount of time you’ll need Invisalign to create space. If your teeth are severely crowded, your dentist might suggest spacers or other treatments before Invisalign.
Gaps in your teeth
Mouths with gaps between teeth often need 18 months or more to close the gaps. Usually, the gaps are a result of small teeth or unusual tissue growth.
Invisalign can do a lot of work for people with gaps and crowding, but you may need other cosmetic dental treatments if your teeth are too small for your jaw.
Your age
Another factor that affects the length patients need to wear Invisalign is age. Younger mouths usually don’t need as much time as older mouths.
Teen mouths are growing, so their jaws and teeth are pliable and respond quicker to Invisalign than adult jaws and teeth.
However, some adults have teeth that respond to Invisalign faster than others. If your teeth react quickly to clear aligners, the time that our providers quote could change.
Following the plan
If you wonder how to speed up Invisalign, look no farther than complying with your provider’s instructions.
When you forget to wear your aligners, your teeth can’t move, and your time slows. Wearing your aligners is the only way to get your teeth to respond and move to the desired location.
How often should you wear your Invisalign trays?
Invisalign suggests wearing the aligners 22 hours per day.
You should remove them to brush your teeth, clean the trays, and eat. Otherwise, you should wear them all day and night to get the best results.
Can you speed up Invisalign treatment?
Yes, there are multiple ways that can speed up treatment time.
1. Chewies
Chewies are tiny accessories that help put the aligner in the right place each time you switch trays.
When you first put on a new tray each week or two, you’ll want the chewie – a small plastic cylinder – to lock the aligner into place.
How to use chewies:
Once you’ve placed the aligner over your teeth, put a chewie between your teeth and bite down on it. By repeatedly biting on the chewie, you help the aligner fit atop your teeth.
Can chewies speed up Invisalign?
When you use chewies, you have a chance to speed up your Invisalign treatment time. How?
- Chewies help your trays better fit your teeth.
- When your trays have a snug fit, your teeth align as they should.
- Without chewies, your aligners might not work as effectively as they should because you haven’t used the plastic tool to fit them properly into place.
2. SmartTrack® Aligner Material
Despite the similar discomfort from new Invisalign trays and new braces wires, Invisalign is usually faster than braces because the trays use SmartTrack aligner material.
The researchers at Invisalign spent several years testing hundreds of materials while creating the SmartTrack material … opens in a new window to Invisalign website… that applies a gentle force that improves the comfort, control, and predictability of your new smile.
3. Consider VPro™
If you want to speed up your Invisalign timeline, consider using VPro™… This text opens a new tab to the VPro™ website….
This high-frequency vibration device is worn 5-minutes a day to speed up treatment time up to 50%.
VPro™ is known to:
- Minimize discomfort
- Feel like a massager for your teeth and gums
- Accelerate tooth movement
- Reduce the number of office visits
It may even increase bone density at the retention stage, which helps ensure your teeth stay straight and don’t shift back.
At Smiles Northwest, we offer VPro™ to help you cut your treatment time in half. If you have questions about VPro™, give us a call.
Are you near Beaverton and looking for Invisalign?
If you’re interested in learning more about Invisalign and VPro™, we can help you.
We have decades of experience in comprehensive, family, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry using modern practices and technology.
Get in touch with us and find out if Invisalign is right for you.
Or contact us by:
- Phone: 503-644-7763
- Email: appointments@smilesnw.com
Smiles Northwest is located in Beaverton, OR… opens in a new window to Google Maps…, and treats patients throughout Oregon, including Beaverton, Portland, Aloha, Tigard, Lake Oswego, and Hillsboro, Oregon.