How long do braces take? The stages of orthodontic treatment

"How long will I need braces?" is the question almost everyone asks before starting. The honest answer: it depends on you. Most courses of treatment take somewhere between one and a half and two and a half years; some are shorter, some longer. This article explains the stages of treatment, what makes it longer or shorter, and what you can do to keep yours from dragging on.

The stages of orthodontic treatment

Most treatments go through the steps below. The order and length of each step depend on your teeth.

Examination and planning

Your orthodontist examines your mouth, takes a panoramic X-ray and a lateral cephalometric X-ray, photographs and an impression or a digital scan. From these they analyse your bite, decide which teeth need to move and choose the appliance. The plan is explained to you before anything starts, with an estimated duration. At Asahii Dental Clinic this step is done for each patient by Dr. Chu Thuy Trinh, the clinic's medical director and orthodontist: the plan is written down item by item with its costs, and you read it, ask your questions and confirm before the appliance goes on.

Preparation before the appliance goes on

Teeth need to be clean and any existing problems treated first: decay, gum inflammation, tartar. Some cases need extractions to make room, or expansion of the jaw. This step lets teeth move on a healthy foundation.

Fitting the appliance and aligning the teeth

With fixed braces, brackets are bonded to the teeth and an archwire is placed. With clear aligners, you receive your first set of trays. In the first months the teeth are levelled and aligned along the arch. This is when you see the most visible change.

Closing spaces and correcting the bite

Once the teeth are aligned, the orthodontist closes gaps (especially after extractions) and corrects the relationship between the two jaws. This stage is usually the longest and the least visible, which is why many people get impatient. It is also what decides how well you will chew for years to come.

Finishing and removing the appliance

In the final months each tooth is fine-tuned into position and the bite is checked in several positions. Then the appliance is removed and the teeth cleaned.

Wearing retainers

Taking the braces off is not the end. Teeth tend to drift back, so you need to wear retainers as instructed. See After braces: why retainers matter.

What makes treatment longer or shorter

• Your starting point. Severe crowding, protrusion, an underbite or a significantly misaligned bite usually take longer than mildly crooked teeth.
• Extractions. Cases with extractions need extra time to close the spaces.
• Age. In growing children the jaw is still developing and that growth can be used. Adults can be treated too, but teeth usually move more slowly.
• Type of appliance. Each has its strengths; the duration depends far more on the case than on the appliance. Asahii offers metal and ceramic braces (including Damon self-ligating systems) as well as Invisalign clear aligners, including Invisalign First for children. See Metal braces, ceramic braces or clear aligners.
• Keeping your appointments. Every visit is an adjustment. Miss several and the teeth stop moving while the months keep passing.
• Your cooperation. Wearing elastics, wearing aligners for enough hours, keeping brackets intact: these small things add up to months.

A typical appointment schedule

With fixed braces you are usually seen every four to six weeks. With clear aligners visits can be further apart, because you change trays at home on a schedule. At each visit the orthodontist checks that the teeth are moving in the right direction, changes the wire or hands over new trays, and tells you what to do until next time. If you travel or are busy, let the clinic know in advance so visits can be planned rather than skipped. Asahii is open every day of the week, 08:30 to 19:00, so working patients can choose a weekend slot, and the clinic's Zalo Mini App sends automatic reminders before each visit.

How to avoid a longer treatment

• Keep every appointment. If you must move one, move it early rather than skipping it.
• Wear elastics and aligners for the number of hours prescribed.
• Avoid hard, chewy and sticky food that breaks brackets. One broken bracket can set that tooth back by weeks.
• Clean your teeth well. Gum disease or decay during treatment means pausing to treat it. See Eating and oral hygiene with braces.
• If something goes wrong (a loose bracket, a poking wire, a cracked tray), contact the clinic straight away instead of waiting for your next visit.

When to see us straight away

• Pain that does not ease within a few days of fitting or adjustment.
• A loose bracket or a wire cutting into your cheek or tongue that you cannot manage at home.
• A tooth that is clearly loose, or gums that are swollen or bleeding a lot.
• A cracked or broken aligner, or one that no longer fits.

Your own treatment time can only be estimated after a doctor has examined you and read your X-rays. See our orthodontics and braces page or book an appointment by hotline 0928 888 121, Zalo or the Mini App for advice on your own case.