How long does Orthodontic treatment take?
How long will it take to straighten my teeth?
One of the main questions people have when they are considering orthodontics, is how long will it take to straighten my teeth?
The answer to this question depends on three things:
How severe the malocclusion is; so how far away the teeth are from an ideal position to start with.
The age of the patient; because when we are younger our bone tends to be more flexible, and easier to move the teeth through; and
The goals of treatment, so what the patient is looking to achieve through their orthodontic treatment.
The average traditional course of orthodontic treatment, using brackets and wires, is from 18 months to 2 years. This can be longer if you have severe crowding, or impacted teeth.
The average course of Invisalign treatment that I would provide is around 12-18 months. This is because the treatment tends to be less complicated in these patients and is very predictable due to the processes being used.
For some patients, with very minor crowding issues, for example, if they have had orthodontics before and some of their teeth have moved back (which we call relapse), treatment can be very short, as little as 6 months.
The different types of braces
The key to a good orthodontic result is catching things early and starting to plan as soon as possible. For this reason, we are starting to look at kids as soon as their adult teeth come into the mouth at around age 6 to ensure their bite is developing properly and if not, planning how we can rectify this.
The same is also true for adults. Our oldest patient is over 70 years old, so it’s never too late to straighten your teeth, but the sooner you get it done, the more years you have to enjoy your new smile and comfortable bite.
If you would like to discuss your unique orthodontic needs book a consultation with Dr Kate Amos or Dr Sam Rosehill at Ethical Dental on 6652 3185 or book online.
To learn more about orthodontics check out our articles How to fix bucky teeth and Does orthodontics hurt?
