“How long should one keep their braces to correct the alignment of the bottom teeth?”
I am a 17 year old girl and I want to correct the alignment of my bottom teeth row. I have been recommended braces for the same. How long would it take for the braces to correct the alignment of my teeth?
17 Answers
It depends on the amount of tooth movement necessary. Minor tooth movement may only require a few months, where more crowding or alignment problems can take up to two years.
A lot of variables depend upon it, so from 3 months to 3 years, depending.
Hello, while it is very difficult to predict an exact time for alignment of teeth, I can give you some averages for alignment. The average orthodontic case in the USA is just over 24 months. There is a wide variation of length based on the difficulty of alignment and the bite. Some cases are 6-12 months and some are 36 months. Excellent oral hygiene and outstanding cooperation during treatment has been shown to lead to decreased treatment times. I am sorry I can’t give a more accurate number for you. I encourage you to discuss treatment length and treatment options with your orthodontist.
Without more information or seeing your total problem it's difficult to give you an answer. Aligning lower teeth sometimes is a short procedure depending on how crooked teeth are and space considerations. But the total treatment is always most important.
Braces should be worn for 12-15 months. A retainer then would be worn for 12 months!!
How long orthodontic treatment takes for any patient depends on the severity of teeth being crowded or "crooked" and/or how far off a patient's bite is from being ideal. For just your lower teeth, if you're wanting to straighten some minor shifting or crowding, your treatment could be as little as a few months.
Everyone’s teeth, bone and alignment of teeth is different so the amount of time it takes for each person is not the same. That is a question that can be answered by an orthodontist once they have been able to evaluate your teeth and bite.
The length of treatment varies depending on the severity of the mis-alignment. Luckily, we seem to see teeth move faster in younger patients like yourself. I would guess that 90% of my patients can be treated in a treatment time of 4- 20 months. Some cases may take longer.
If I were you, I would find a Board Certified Orthodontist and call their office to see if they offer a complimentary consultation. Going to a complimentary consultation will ensure that you feel comfortable with the location, the orthodontist, and get a feel for their expertise. Unlike dentists, orthodontists specifically specialize in moving teeth, that is all they do, day in and day out, so they are the experts in tooth movement. The following link can help you find a Board Certified Orthodontist near you:
https://www.americanboardortho.com/general-public/orthodontist-locator/
This link discusses the difference between an orthodontist and dentist:
http://www.seaofsmiles.com/treatment-info/orthodontist-vs--general-dentist
If I were you, I would find a Board Certified Orthodontist and call their office to see if they offer a complimentary consultation. Going to a complimentary consultation will ensure that you feel comfortable with the location, the orthodontist, and get a feel for their expertise. Unlike dentists, orthodontists specifically specialize in moving teeth, that is all they do, day in and day out, so they are the experts in tooth movement. The following link can help you find a Board Certified Orthodontist near you:
https://www.americanboardortho.com/general-public/orthodontist-locator/
This link discusses the difference between an orthodontist and dentist:
http://www.seaofsmiles.com/treatment-info/orthodontist-vs--general-dentist
Orthodontic treatment time varies according to the severity of the malocclusion. Your orthodontist would be able to advise regarding the approximate time you would have to be in braces.
Treatment time is highly variable. It depends on your specific case. Treatment time is also dependent on your compliance with appointments and additional appliances like wearing rubber bands. It is important to know that while many people only want to fix the top or bottom teeth, your teeth need to fit together so sometime both top and bottom braces are necessary to maintain a healthy bite. You wouldn't want to straighten the bottom, but have them hit the top teeth thus risking chipping. Your orthodontist will be able to tell you the best course of action and approximate treatment time.
Timing of treatment is case by case and would depend on if you need teeth extracted or not. Case of minor crowding can take as little as 3 months, but average full orthodontic cases take about 22 months. It would depend on the current state of your teeth. Hope this helps...Dr.B.
That depends on how much crowding you have and whether you need extraction or not.
Depends on how crooked they are to start.
Thanks,
Tony Skanchy, DMD, MDS
Thanks,
Tony Skanchy, DMD, MDS
Hello!
Proper orthodontic treatment is not just limited to correcting the alignment of the teeth...it is also important that the upper and lower teeth relate properly together. The "occlusion", or 'the bite' is every bit as important with the function of your teeth as alignment is with the esthetics!
Sometimes (most commonly) it takes longer to correct the occlusion than it does the alignment.
That being said, the length of time in braces is obviously dependant on the degree of difficulty in correcting both the alignment AND the occlusion. This varies greatly! If it's just minor tooth movement of the front teeth, it can sometimes be done with a spring aligner retainer in just a few weeks. On the other hand, if there is significant bite and/or alignment correction...it can take two years or more!
So, the simple answer is this: The total time in braces completely depends on the degree of difficulty of the case!
As soon as the orthodontist does an exam of your dental alignment and occlusion, he/she should be able to give you an idea on how long it will take to correct it!
Hope this helps!!
Dr. L
Proper orthodontic treatment is not just limited to correcting the alignment of the teeth...it is also important that the upper and lower teeth relate properly together. The "occlusion", or 'the bite' is every bit as important with the function of your teeth as alignment is with the esthetics!
Sometimes (most commonly) it takes longer to correct the occlusion than it does the alignment.
That being said, the length of time in braces is obviously dependant on the degree of difficulty in correcting both the alignment AND the occlusion. This varies greatly! If it's just minor tooth movement of the front teeth, it can sometimes be done with a spring aligner retainer in just a few weeks. On the other hand, if there is significant bite and/or alignment correction...it can take two years or more!
So, the simple answer is this: The total time in braces completely depends on the degree of difficulty of the case!
As soon as the orthodontist does an exam of your dental alignment and occlusion, he/she should be able to give you an idea on how long it will take to correct it!
Hope this helps!!
Dr. L
Everyone is very different. Your orthodontist will be able to tell you when you receive your consultation.
Only an orthodontist who has done a thorough examination can answer this question. You should schedule an appointment with an orthodontist for a new patient examination and then they will be able to answer this question.
It is difficult to anwer that question without knowing what type of alignment issues you have. Do you have crowding, spacing or some other alignment issues. Some simple cases can be treated in as little as 6 months and others may require 1-2 years. I knopw that is a wide range, but it really totally depends on the problem you have. It is best to have a consultation with an orthodontist and find out directly what the choicesw are.
