At Beam Orthodontics in Dundee, one of the most common questions we hear is: “How long does Invisalign® take?”
The honest answer is that most adult treatments take around 12–18 months. Some very simple cases can be completed in just a few months, while more complex bites may take 18–24 months or longer. Your exact timeline depends on your smile goals, how complex your case is, and—most importantly—how well you wear your aligners.
Invisalign Treatment
Invisalign treatment isn’t just one straight line. First, you’ll go through your main set of aligners. Then, it’s very common to have a refinement stage, where a few extra aligners fine-tune your smile. After treatment is finished, you’ll move on to retainers, which are the key to keeping your teeth straight long-term.
The biggest factor in how quickly things move is your wear time. Aligners only work while they’re on your teeth, so we recommend wearing them for 20–22 hours every day and changing to the next set on the schedule we give you (usually every 7–14 days). Skipping hours or leaving aligners out often leads to extra refinements and a longer treatment overall.
Other things also play a role, such as the complexity of your bite, whether you need elastics or attachments, and even how carefully you look after your aligners. At Beam, we also use Dental Monitoring, which allows us to check your progress remotely between visits. This helps us spot any issues quickly and keep your treatment on track.
Invisalign Myths
A few myths are worth clearing up: Invisalign isn’t always faster than braces—it depends on the case. Refinements don’t mean something has gone wrong; they’re a normal part of the journey. And while remote check-ins mean fewer trips to the practice, you’ll still be carefully monitored by our team.
At Beam Orthodontics, we’re proud to be Scotland’s first Invisalign Blue Diamond I Provider and have already treated over 2,000 Invisalign patients. Led by Dr Rhu McKelvey, our friendly team has the experience to treat even the most complex cases.
If you’re thinking about Invisalign and want to know how long it would take for you, the best next step is a free consultation at our Dundee practice.