If you or your child needs braces, your first question is probably, “How long will treatment take?” You might be ready for a straighter, healthier smile, but braces aren’t everyone’s favorite accessory. The truth is, no two smiles are the same, and the timeline can vary.
Luckily, we can give you a general idea of how long braces take to help you feel informed and prepared.
Factors That Influence Treatment Time
How long do braces take? The answer depends on a lot of different factors.
- Severity of Alignment Issues: If your mouth has minor spacing or crowding issues, treatment will be relatively quick. But if they’re rotated or overlapping, it’ll take longer to get everything straightened out.
- Type of Bite Problems (Overbite, Underbite, Crossbite): Common bite issues like overbites, underbites, or crossbites can sometimes add more time to your treatment.
- Age and Jaw Development: Younger patients often finish treatment faster because their jaws are still growing. Since adults have fully developed jawbones, it can take a little more time. This being said, the average adult treatment is usually only a few months longer than teenage patient!
- How Well You Stay on Track: Your commitment plays a huge role in how smoothly and quickly your treatment goes. If you don’t break brackets or wires, miss appointments and wear rubber bands if prescribed, you’ll stay on schedule and keep your treatment time as short as possible.
- The Chosen Type of Braces: Traditional metal and ceramic braces are speedy and great for more complex fixes, while lingual braces might take longer since it’s more difficult to achieve the desired result. Clear aligners, like Invisalign, give you a lot of flexibility, but you’ll need to ensure you wear them for the recommended hours each day to stay on track. There can be some limitations with Invisalign, so it’s important to share your concerns and goals with Dr. Silcox.
General Timeline for Braces Treatment
How long orthodontic treatment lasts depends on the severity of issues. Minor crowding and alignment issues will take less time than severe crowding, impacted teeth or major bite issues like over or under bite. Typical treatment times range from 12-24 months.
Timeline Breakdown by Treatment Phase
The timelines mentioned above refer to the active treatment phase, which is when the braces are actively moving and adjusting the teeth. But how long do braces take when you consider the entire process? Here’s a quick breakdown of each step toward a healthier smile.
Phase 1. Initial Consultation
During the initial appointment, an orthodontist will evaluate the patient’s dental condition through a clinical exam, X-rays, photographs, and digital scans. After this thorough assessment, Dr. Silcox can create your personalized treatment plan with an estimated timeline.
Phase 2. Placement of Braces or Aligner Delivery
Once the treatment plan is finalized, braces are placed on the teeth. This involves cleaning the teeth, attaching brackets using a special adhesive, and connecting them with an archwire that applies gentle pressure to guide tooth movement. If you are using Aligner Therapy, the next step will be to deliver the aligners which often involves placing temporary tooth-colored attachments on certain teeth to provide the control needed to move them to proper positions.
Phase 3. Active Treatment Phase & Periodic Adjustments
Throughout the active treatment phase, you’ll attend appointments for adjustments. Most of these visits are quick. We may replace archwires, change out elastic color ties, make small bends in the wires, direct you on how to wear elastic bands, deliver the next sets of Aligners, or make other necessary modifications to guide the teeth into alignment. Usually these appointments are about every 6 to 8 weeks. That’s right! We don’t need to see you every month!
Phase 4. Debonding (Removal of Braces)
Once the teeth are in optimal positions, the braces are carefully removed in a process called debonding. It is at this visit that we detach the brackets and clean any residual adhesive from the teeth, leaving a straight, healthy smile.
Phase 5. Retention Phase
After your braces are removed, the office will give you custom-made retainers— Our normal retainers are bonded retainers behind your front teeth, as well as a night-time clear plastic retainer. These retainers will prevent your teeth from shifting after we have worked hard to get them perfect!
How to Stay on Track with Your Timeline
How long your braces take also depends on your level of commitment. As long as you attend all your scheduled appointments, follow care instructions, and wear any prescribed elastics, you’ll get your healthy smile in no time!
Also, don’t forget to take care of your braces. Keep up with your oral hygiene, and stay away from foods that damage brackets or wires. The right habits will keep you on schedule for a quick and successful treatment.
What Happens If You Fall Behind Schedule?
Sometimes, life happens, and you miss an appointment or forget to wear your elastics regularly. Falling behind schedule isn’t ideal, but it’s fixable.
The key is communication. If you hit a snag or damage your brackets, we can get you back on track! Maybe your appointment schedule doesn’t line up with your work or school schedule anymore, or you’re experiencing discomfort with certain aligners. Whatever the issue may be, Dr. Silcox is there to support you and help find a solution.
The Beautiful Smile You Want Starts At Silcox Orthodontics
Every timeline is unique but your perfect smile is worth the time it takes! At Silcox Orthodontics, we focus on providing the ideal treatment—never overtreating—so when you ask, “How long will my braces take?” you’ll get a clear, confident answer. Meet with our professional and friendly team, and let’s find out how we can help!