What Can Impact the Length of Time Someone Wears Braces?

Braces have come a long way over the years. Whether you’re opting for traditional braces or clear aligners, there are many choices to straighten your teeth. One of the main questions that concern potential orthodontic patients is how long treatment takes. Many factors affect how long you’ll wear braces, so read on for more insight.

1. The Orthodontic Issue

When you go in for your initial orthodontic consultation, the specialist will do a thorough examination of your teeth and jaw to see just how bad your tooth alignment or bite is. Overall, the average length of time a person will need to wear traditional braces is about two years. If you have less severe alignment issues and use clear aligners, you may start to see results in as little as six months. Teeth with a severe over, cross, or underbite may take longer to fully treat, versus someone with slight misalignment issues.

2. Your Responsibility

Once your orthodontist has put the braces on your teeth or given you clear aligners to wear, you must follow their professional instructions. For example, if you wear clear aligners but you don’t wear them for the allotted 22 hours a day, they won’t show results as quickly as they should. In the case of traditional braces, there are certain foods you should avoid to ensure you don’t damage the brackets. For example, your orthodontist will advise you to avoid sticky or extremely hard food like taffy or ice. If you damage the brackets, you can set back your treatment completion time.

3. The Type of Braces

The type of braces your orthodontist recommends usually correlates with just how severe your issue is. The more severe it is, the longer it will take for treatment to complete.

Luckily, adults and kids have many options for treating their orthodontic issues. From lingual braces to clear aligners to traditional braces, there are many ways to correct an overbite, crowded teeth, or extra space in your mouth. If you’re ready to get the smile you desire, contact Orthodontics LA today for your braces treatment.