If you are like most people who get braces, you will want to know how long you will need orthodontic treatment.
The short answer is – it depends on a few things and every patient is different.
How long you will need braces depends on a few different factors. One of the most important factors is the type of problem you are trying to correct. If you are trying to correct mildly crowded teeth, for example, you will probably not need to wear braces as long as does someone trying to correct severely crowded teeth. Having an overbite, underbite, or teeth that have not have grown in also influences how long you will need braces.
Your goals of treatment also affect how long you will need braces. If your goal is to bring severely crowded teeth into perfect alignment, for example, your treatment will take longer than if you wanted slight improvement of mildly misaligned teeth.
Biology is another important factor in determining how long you will need braces. Your teeth can only move as your mouth will allow.
While biology prolongs treatment times, slow-moving teeth are actually a good thing. Once you get slow-moving teeth into position, they tend to stay in that position for years, even as you chew, bite, talk and smile.
How Long is the Average Orthodontic Treatment?
On average, orthodontic treatment takes around 18 to 24 months. Your treatment can range anywhere from as short as six months to as long as three years or more, depending on the severity of the problems and your goals of treatment.
As a patient, you also play a big part in how long your treatment takes. Timely adjustments will move you through treatment in as short a time as possible. Avoid breaking your braces by following our orthodontist’s tricks, tips, and instructions to avoid breakage. Stay away from foods that are too hard or too sticky, as they can break your braces or damage the wires that apply constant therapeutic pressure to your teeth. Follow all your orthodontist’s instructions, including the use of rubber bands as recommended.
Ask about orthodontic technology to shorten your time in braces. Tooth movement is all about bone remodeling, as the teeth move, align and position themselves in the bone. AcceleDent uses micropulse technology, for example, which stimulates bone remodeling around your teeth. AcceleDent devices significantly shorten treatment times. Another technology called ‘Propel’ uses micro osseous perforations, which are little dimples placed in the bone to stimulate the new cells required for tooth movement.
The biggest factor in how long you’ll be in braces is really you, the patient. Striving to be the best patient you can be will shorten the time you spend in braces. On top of that, you’ll receive the best results and enjoy the best smile possible. Following orthodontic instructions shortens treatment time and provides outstanding results.
For more information on how long you will need braces and how you can get that perfect smile, contact DaBell & Paventy Orthodontics by calling 509.381.4200 for a free consultation.
