You just got your braces put on by one of our Grand Rapids, MI, orthodontists and already you’re wondering, “When will these come off?”. We get it, waiting for your dream smile can be tough. However, the is connected to your individual dental needs which means it can vary per patient.
Here’s what you need to know about and what factors can shorten or lengthen that timeframe.
Average Treatment Length
Generally speaking, the average amount of time that a patient has metal or ceramic braces on is between 1 and 3 years. Most people fall somewhere in the middle and have braces for 2 years, but again, everyone is different. Our orthodontists can provide you with a more concrete timeline after evaluating your teeth and jaws.
What you ultimately choose for your treatment plan also affects the period in which your smile is changing. For example, traditional metal braces tend to shift teeth quicker compared to a more discreet option like lingual braces. Both are perfectly acceptable and efficient, but the difference in how they’re applied can matter in the long run.
The Amount of Time You Wear Braces Will Depend On:
1. How Severe or Complex Your Dental Issues Are
This is probably the biggest determining factor when it comes to your time with braces. The degree to which your teeth are misaligned or the existence of bite problems will play into how your treatment plan is structured by our team.
It’s not uncommon for the following dental issues to prolong your orthodontic treatment:
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Open bite (top and bottom teeth don’t come together)
- Cross bite
- Severe crowding that requires tooth extraction
- Crookedness of teeth
- Wide spacing between teeth
2. Your Age (Child vs. Teen vs. Adult)
You are never too old to receive braces. In fact, more adults than ever are choosing treatment and according to current statistics from the American Association of Orthodontics (AAO), 1 in 4 orthodontic patients is an adult. That’s great!
At our Grand Rapids orthodontics office, we offer braces as well as Invisalign® clear aligners for . While our orthodontists encourage patients of all ages to seek the treatment they need for better oral health and aesthetics, there is one thing to keep in mind: your jaws.
A child or teen’s jaws are still growing and their teeth will move into new positions easier compared to an adult. That’s because an adult’s teeth have been in place longer, thus requiring more effort to move. The braces timeline is not greatly affected for adults but can take slightly longer due to this reason.
3. Your Level of Cooperation Throughout Treatment
Missing or delaying checkup appointments with our orthodontists and staff will not keep your treatment on track. Quite the contrary, actually. If you want to have your braces removed on time, it’s important that you visit our office as often as instructed.
From your child’s first orthodontic appointment (or yours) on, we’ll tighten and adjust the braces so progress is made on schedule. Neglecting these visits or not properly caring for your braces will only set you back and could result in additional corrections being needed.
Make An Appointment
Every patient goes on their own smile journey. For that reason, our orthodontists in Grand Rapids, MI, provide personalized and tailored treatment plans for each individual’s dental needs. Call Miller Orthodontics at (616) 942-9320 today to request an appointment and transform the way your teeth look.
This blog has been updated.
