Why Your Invisalign Treatment Is Taking Longer Than Expected

Invisalign® is an effective tooth-straightening system that works much faster than traditional metal braces. While treatment times are relatively fast compared with braces, there are reasons why your Invisalign plan might take longer than someone else’s.

At Park Dental NYC, we specialize in custom Invisalign treatments to correct tooth misalignments and enhance the look of your smile.

Yookyung Park, DDS, and Pat Ng-A-Fook, DDS, use Invisalign to address a variety of tooth issues, including gaps, overbites, and crossbites. They let you know how long your treatment will take based on several factors.

A quick overview of Invisalign

Invisalign is an innovative tooth-straightening system that uses a series of clear aligners to gradually shift your teeth into a healthier position.

The aligners fit snugly over the surface of your top and bottom teeth. They are created with advanced computer-assisted technologies to ensure the best possible treatment outcome.

Unlike metal braces, Invisalign doesn’t require regular adjustments that can be uncomfortable and time-consuming. Instead, you simply swap out a clear aligner for a new one every two weeks. Each aligner is designed to progressively shift your teeth into place.

In some cases, Invisalign can help you achieve your desired results in 12-18 months, but your timeline may be longer than initially expected. If you’re considering Invisalign, it’s important to have the appropriate expectations about your individual treatment plan.

Factors that influence your Invisalign timeline and results

Our Park Dental NYC team explains exactly how your Invisalign treatment plan works during your initial consultation. Here are a few common reasons why your treatment may take longer than initially expected:

1. Scheduled wear

One of the biggest factors that influences how long your Invisalign treatment will take is your consistency in following your dentist’s recommendations.

Typically, you can expect to wear your clear aligners 20-22 hours a day to correct tooth misalignments. The aligners are easy to remove when you eat and for brushing your teeth. Not wearing your aligners on the recommended schedule can extend the time of your treatment.

2. Not switching out aligners

Custom-made aligners are designed to gradually shift your teeth over time. That means that each aligner is different than the one before it.

To achieve straighter teeth, you need to switch out your aligner every two weeks to keep your teeth moving in the proper direction. Failure to follow through with our recommended treatment plan can result in a longer treatment timeline.

3. Complexity of dental issues

While the Invisalign system is capable of correcting mild to moderate tooth misalignments, the more complex cases may require a longer treatment time.

Minor overbites can often be corrected in less time than crowding or large gaps. If you have a severe misalignment, our dental experts might recommend wearing aligners for a longer time than originally expected based on your results.

Our goal is to ensure your Invisalign treatment provides optimal results, and we’ll be with you on every step of your journey to a great-looking smile.

Call Park Dental NYC today to schedule a consultation to find out if you’re a candidate for Invisalign. You can also book an appointment online.