How long does Invisalign take?

For mild crowding or a relapse after childhood braces, six to nine months is realistic. For moderate crowding, spacing or a bite that needs correcting, twelve to eighteen months is more honest. Complex cases involving significant bite changes can run beyond that.

Any practice quoting a fixed number before scanning your teeth is guessing. The plan is built from a digital scan, and the aligner count that comes out of it is the only meaningful answer.

What actually lengthens treatment

• Wear time — aligners need twenty to twenty-two hours a day, and falling short is the single biggest cause of delay
• How far teeth have to travel, and whether they need rotating rather than tipping
• Whether attachments and interproximal reduction are used to create the space teeth need
• Refinements — a second short series to perfect the finish, which most good cases include
• Gum health at the start; inflamed gums slow tooth movement

How the time is spread out

Aligners are usually changed every seven to ten days at home, with a review appointment every six to eight weeks. That means far fewer chair visits than fixed braces, which is why aligners suit people with demanding diaries.

Then there is retention, which is permanent. A bonded wire behind the front teeth plus a night retainer is what keeps the result — teeth drift for life if nothing holds them.

Ready to find out your number?

A consultation in Twickenham includes a digital scan and a simulation of your finished result, so you leave knowing the realistic timeline for your teeth rather than an average. Book a consultation or call the practice.