Invisalign and other clear aligners can improve your smile faster than traditional braces—in half the time or less. After creating a 3-D model of your mouth, your dentist will develop a treatment plan to move your teeth gradually and precisely. Each set of clear trays that you wear will move your teeth closer to their final position. But how often will you change trays?
How Often Will You Change Invisalign Trays?
You will change Invisalign trays every one to two weeks if you wear the trays twenty to twenty-two hours daily. Your dentist will give you sets of aligners to keep at home and have available when it is time to switch to the next pair. Most invisible braces require you to change to a new set every one to two weeks.
What Determines When You Change Invisalign Trays?
The time frame for changing Invisalign trays depends on your case, the complexity of tooth movement, and your diligence in wearing the aligners as directed.
- Your patient case – No two patients’ cases are the same. Depending on the stage of your treatment plan, when you switch aligners may vary between one and two weeks.
- Complexity of tooth movement – It takes longer for Invisalign and other clear aligners to achieve complex tooth movements than simple tooth movements. When movement is complete and your teeth are stable, your dentist may advise you to move to the next set of aligners sooner than two weeks.
- Wearing the aligners – It takes twenty to twenty-two hours of daily wear to move your teeth as outlined in your treatment plan. If you do not wear the aligners as directed, it will delay switching to the next set.
What Are Invisalign Alternatives?
Today’s invisible braces offer several alternatives to Invisalign. A dentist or orthodontist may work with various braces or aligners and decide which to use for specific cases. Some dentists use Invisalign only. Others achieve beautiful results with Invisalign alternatives like ClearCorrect®.
Schedule a Consultation for Clear Braces
Regardless of which brand of aligners you choose, look for an experienced dentist with advanced occlusion and bite and clear aligner training.
Schedule a consultation and ask questions:
- How many orthodontic cases have you completed from start to finish?
- How many cases like mine have you managed?
- How long have you used clear aligners for patients?
- Which brand do you use and why?
- May I see patients’ before and after photos?
Straightening your teeth with braces or clear aligners can be an exciting change. Take time to research your options and provider.
Dr. Steven Brooksher, a Baton Rouge accredited cosmetic dentist, sponsors this post.
