One of the Most Common Questions We Hear
‘How long will I have to wear braces?’ It’s one of the first things patients ask when they sit down with Dr. James Teebagy, and it’s a completely reasonable question. You’re committing to a process that will change how you look, how you eat, and how you care for your teeth every day. You deserve a clear, honest answer, not a vague ‘it depends.’
So here’s the straight version: most patients at Pleasant Street Orthodontics in Concord, NH wear braces somewhere between 12 and 36 months. The average lands around 18 to 24 months. But what lands you at one end of that range versus the other? That’s what this post is going to explain.
Factors That Affect Your Treatment Timeline
The complexity of your case is the biggest factor. A teenager with mild crowding and a good bite may be done in 12 to 14 months. An adult with significant bite issues, jaw misalignment, or severe crowding could be looking at two and a half to three years. That’s not a scare tactic, it’s just reality. Some dental situations take longer to correct safely.
Age plays a role, too, though maybe not in the way you’d expect. Kids and teenagers have jaws that are still growing, which actually makes teeth more responsive to movement. Treatment tends to move faster in younger patients. Adults can absolutely achieve excellent results with braces or Invisalign, it may just take a little longer because the bone is denser and less flexible.
Your cooperation throughout treatment matters more than many patients realize. Showing up to every adjustment appointment is critical. Those visits are where Dr. Teebagy checks your progress and makes tweaks. Skipping them extends your timeline, sometimes by months. If rubber bands or other devices are part of your treatment, wearing them consistently as instructed makes a real difference. Patients who follow through tend to finish on time or even early.
What About Invisalign?
Invisalign treatment timelines are similar to traditional braces for comparable cases, typically 12 to 24 months. One key factor with Invisalign is aligner wear time. The trays need to be in your mouth for 20 to 22 hours a day, every day. Patients who take them out too often or forget to move to the next set of aligners on schedule will see their treatment drag out.
The Importance of the Retention Phase
Here’s something many patients don’t fully appreciate: treatment isn’t over when the braces come off. After your brackets and wires are removed, your teeth need time to stabilize in their new positions. That’s where retainers come in. You’ll wear a retainer full-time initially, then transition to nighttime wear. Skipping the retainer phase is one of the most common reasons people see their teeth shift back over time.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Dr. Teebagy will give you a realistic estimated timeline at your initial consultation based on what he sees in your X-rays and clinical exam. That estimate can shift slightly as treatment progresses, since teeth sometimes move faster or slower than predicted. But the goal is always to finish as efficiently as possible without compromising the quality of your result.
Curious about your personal treatment timeline? Call (603) 225-5242 to schedule a consultation at Pleasant Street Orthodontics, 155 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301 in Concord, NH. Let’s talk through what’s involved.