A recent survey published in the New York Post revealed that an estimated 57 percent of Americans are unhappy with the appearance of their teeth. Many even claimed that the state of their teeth has adversely affected their professional and personal life. One of the top issues that many respondents complained about had to do with the fact that their teeth were not straight. For example, many admitted to feeling insecure because of an overbite or underbite. Meanwhile, others reported feeling low due to overcrowding or crooked teeth. It is worth noting that nearly all of the respondents admitted to covering their mouth when laughing or smiling as a way to prevent others from seeing their teeth. Many even cited the condition of their teeth as being one of the chief reasons for choosing to forgo social engagements or as an explanation for why they never bothered to further their career. While this may all sound strange to some, it is quite common in the United States. For these very reasons, Bruce Vafa DDS., an esteemed Holistic Dentist in West Hollywood, often recommends Invisalign treatments to patients struggling with any of the aforementioned dental problems. And he does so not only as a way to improve their smile but also to boost their self-esteem.
How Long Does Invisalign Take to Work?
For those who are perhaps not already in the know when it comes to Invisalign, it is a system of custom-made aligners that gradually move teeth into an optimal position. To answer the question of how long does it take for Invisalign to work, the thermoplastic trays that make up the system of clear aligners must be worn, except when eating or drinking, for a minimum of 22 hours each day to achieve the best possible Invisalign results. Most of these treatments will last one year. During this time, most patients will need to use about 20 to 30 different thermoplastic trays to improve the appearance of their teeth. However, those with severely crooked or misaligned teeth, for example, might need about 50 trays or more.
How Long Do You Have to Wear Invisalign Aligners?
Having answered the question of how long does it take for Invisalign to work as well as how long do you have to wear Invisalign aligners, let’s turn our attention to getting the most out of them. According to West Hollywood Holistic and Cosmetic Dental Care dentist Bruce Vafa DDS., the average Invisalign treatment duration is between 12 and 18 months. And this is based on patient compliance. For example, along with wearing Invisalign aligners for 22 hours each day, patients must also swap them out every 1 to 2 weeks if they expect to get the most out of wearing them.
Each aligner tray will fit more snug than the last one and will pick up where the one before it left off in terms of moving the teeth into an optimal position. Once an individual has completed their Invisalign treatment duration, which entails successfully going through all of their Invisalign trays, they should have straighter and much healthier teeth.
The reason why Invisalign has quickly become a go-to for many dentists, orthodontists, and patients is that they work, in many ways, like traditional wire braces. In short, each Invisalign aligner applies enough force to a patient’s teeth to gradually move them into a new position over time. And because they are removable, patients don’t have to worry about food particles getting stuck in them in the way that they do with traditional wire braces. As a result, they can continue to eat the foods they love while still working on achieving straighter, healthier teeth. Plus, Invisalign aligners are easy to clean thanks to the thermoplastic material used to construct them. All of these factors go a long way toward ensuring patient compliance.
How Long Does Invisalign Last?
It is not uncommon for teeth to move back into their original position after an individual has completed their Invisalign treatments. In some cases, this happens because the newly-moved teeth are still unstable. For this reason, many dentists, including Dr. Vafa, will advise patients to wear a retainer for at least one year after completing their Invisalign treatments. Similar to Invisalign aligners, patients must wear their retainers for at least 22 hours each day to prevent their teeth from shifting. That aside, whether or not an individual practices good oral hygiene also plays a role when it comes to answering the question of how long does Invisalign last. For reference, studies show that poor oral hygiene can lead to gum infections and, worse yet, gum disease. These two things can quickly cause teeth to shift out of their new position. All in all, Invisalign results can last a lifetime if patients closely follow the recommendations made by their dentist.
Final thoughts regarding how long can Invisalign take to deliver the best possible results?
In summary, if you have crooked or misaligned teeth, Invisalign treatments are worth considering. And if you choose to move forward with these treatments, you will undoubtedly be in good company. Current data shows that some 9 million adults and about 1.5 million teens have improved the appearance of their teeth with these clear, thermoplastic aligners so far. To that end, if you have additional questions concerning how long does Invisalign take to deliver results or how long do you have to wear Invisalign aligners each day, consider scheduling a consultation with West Hollywood Holistic and Cosmetic Dental Care today. Even if you have a question as simple as how long can Invisalign take to transform your smile, Dr. Vafa and the staff at West Hollywood Holistic and Cosmetic Dental Care can answer that question as well.
