How Many Invisalign® Trays Will I Need?
The reasons why patients love Invisalign are crystal clear – they’re comfy, discreet, and removable! Traditional braces are great, but getting a confident smile with Invisalign treatment makes everything more convenient, whether eating, drinking, or breaking out the floss. But in order to make the tiny adjustments needed to move your teeth, Invisalign uses sets of aligners that you swap out every week or two.
If you’re one of many patients scheduling your first appointment, you might wonder how many aligner trays you’ll need. However, when it comes to teeth, there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment plan. Invisalign aligners and treatment time are designed to fit your unique smile, which means that the number of Invisalign trays is also unique!
Today, we’re exploring the details of the average number of trays needed for orthodontic treatment and what affects that number—let’s get into it!
How Do Invisalign Aligners Work?
Before we dig into the number of trays that Invisalign treatment typically needs, you should understand how Invisalign gets the job done. Invisalign clear aligners are plastic trays created using a scan of your teeth that is sent to an Invisalign lab. There, sets of Invisalign trays are made for your smile using your orthodontist’s treatment plan (and awesome Invisalign technology). The trays fit snugly over your teeth and create mild movement over time using gentle pressure.
Once your teeth settle into their new spots, you’ll switch to a new aligner tray to continue the transformation. Patients change out these aligners every one to two weeks during the Invisalign process, and the new trays change little by little to move teeth into their new spots. Your unique dental needs determine how many Invisalign trays you’ll need and how long the Invisalign treatment lasts. The biggest impact, of course, is what kind of tooth misalignment needs to be fixed to give you healthy teeth and a happy smile!
Fixing Small Problems with Invisalign Treatment
In an average Invisalign case, patients have mild to moderate orthodontic issues with shorter treatment times. These smiles need a little work to get straight teeth or fix mild to moderate crowding or spacing. If you have a more minor ortho concern, good news – you won’t need many Invisalign trays. In mild cases, patients go through anywhere from 14 to 30 trays, but the treatment time varies. Your metal-free experience can be 6 to 12 months, 7 to 14 months, or even up to 18 months for moderate spacing and misalignment issues.
Complex Cases = More Days with More Trays
Unfortunately, for more difficult cases, the answer to “How many Invisalign trays will I need?” is a lot. For severe spacing or significant bite misalignment, you need more Invisalign trays to shake things back into the right place. The average number of trays for severe cases can range from 30 to over 50, using a new aligner every week.
Meet Your Smile Goals with Dr. P and Dr. K
During your first smile assessment, the orthodontist will examine your teeth, discuss your ortho options, and determine how many aligners you’ll need. This appointment is also the perfect time to ask questions about dental hygiene tips, how Invisalign is made, and whatever else is on your mind!
If you’re ready to transform your smile with Invisalign, our team at Pachter Orthodontics is here to help. As Platinum Invisalign Providers, we have the expertise and experience to guide our Paramus and Middletown patients through any orthodontic journey. Whether you’re looking at Invisalign or braces, we’ve got you and your chompers covered!