If your dentist has told you that you need braces, the chances are good that you have a million questions swirling around in your mind. These include, “How much will they cost?” “What will they do for my teeth?” and most notably, “How long will I need to wear them for the desired results?”
Most patients would like their treatments to be completed as fast as possible, but the exact time involves many factors. Plainly stated, some patients need more time while others need less, depending on how complex their case is.
For an accurate answer to all your questions, it would be best to contact a dentist near me.
What Exactly are Braces?
Before the nitty-gritty of braces, let’s look at what they are. Braces are a system of brackets and wires that help the teeth move into their desired position. The result is a beautiful smile and accomplishes several smile goals, such as being healthier and more functional.
Most patients only need to wear braces for a couple of years to do an effective job, but this depends almost entirely only on the severity of individual cases.
An individual’s genetics is also a factor in the amount of time needed for teeth to respond to treatment. Further, making sure that you are conscientious about keeping scheduled appointments is also an important factor.
The patient’s age should also be considered since children ordinarily take less time to reach teeth straightening goals than adults.
Starting with a Consultation
The best way to get an idea of how long straightening your teeth will take is to talk with an orthodontist. Only they have the experience and knowledge to examine your case and visualize how long a treatment program will take.
By examining your teeth and evaluating your smile, an orthodontist can recommend treatment plans that would be best for you. This will also give you a better understanding of what to expect throughout your treatment.
Their evaluations will help you to understand what to expect throughout your treatments, including how long you will need to wear braces to straighten your teeth to achieve that beautiful, healthy and functional smile.
Everything Depends on the Patient
There are hundreds of different variables to consider when determining how long it will take for braces to straighten teeth. These include overbites and gaps, tooth and jaw alignment, and many more.
More factors that can affect how long braces take to straighten teeth include the patient’s age, the type of treatment they require, and individual needs. All of these factors need to be considered in a final evaluation.
After your orthodontist does a new patient examination and a screening of your oral health, orthodontic needs can be assessed. From there, a treatment program can be presented. This gives your orthodontist the ability to evaluate progress throughout treatment.
Most complete orthodontic treatments take from 16 to 18 months, but they can take up to 24 months in rare cases. Anyone who makes you promises of treatments in as little as six months isn’t being honest. This is because treatment times this short are exceedingly rare. Whatever your expectations might be, it’s most important to remember that it’s the final results that are important, not records.
Have you ever had braces? Let us know in the comments below!
