How Long Do Orthodontic Treatments Take? A Markham Patient Guide

"How long will it take?" is the first question almost every patient asks when they begin researching orthodontic treatment and it is also one of the most difficult to answer accurately without knowing the specifics of the case.

The honest answer is that orthodontic treatment timelines vary considerably from a few months for minor spacing to two or three years for complex bite corrections. The appliance type, the severity of the issue being corrected, your age, your compliance with treatment instructions, and even how well you maintain your oral health during treatment all affect how long your specific journey will take.

This guide gives Markham patients a practical, evidence-based framework for understanding orthodontic timelines by treatment type, by condition, and by the factors that most commonly extend or shorten treatment for real patients.

How Long Do Braces Take?

According to research on orthodontic treatment duration published in PMC, the average comprehensive fixed appliance treatment runs approximately 20 months, though this varies considerably based on diagnosis complexity and patient compliance. Wired Orthodontics

In practical terms for Markham patients:

• Mild cases (minor crowding, small gaps, slight rotation of individual teeth): 12–18 months

• Moderate cases (moderate crowding, spacing, mild overbite or underbite): 18–24 months

• Complex cases (severe crowding, significant bite correction, jaw discrepancies): 24–36 months

The average treatment duration of traditional braces is 18 to 24 months for most cases. More complex cases particularly those involving jaw or bite correction can extend beyond 24 months, and in some situations surgery may also be needed. Gregbrownortho

These ranges assume consistent attendance at adjustment appointments (typically every 4–6 weeks), good oral hygiene throughout treatment (which protects against delays caused by decay or gum inflammation), and wearing any prescribed elastics as directed. Missing appointments, breaking brackets, or inconsistent elastic wear can each add weeks or months to the overall timeline.

Does Invisalign Work Faster Than Braces?

In mild to moderate cases yes, Invisalign is often faster. For complex cases not necessarily.

In many mild to moderate cases, Invisalign can complete treatment within 6 to 18 months, often sooner than traditional braces. However, when it comes to complex bite corrections, traditional braces may provide more precise control. Appletreedental

The detailed picture:

• Invisalign for mild cases (minor crowding, small gaps): 6–12 months

• Invisalign for moderate cases (moderate crowding/spacing, mild overbite): 12–18 months

• Invisalign for complex cases: 18–24+ months, and may produce less precise results than fixed braces for specific movements

Braces generally take longer, ranging from 18 to 24 months, but for more complex cases, treatment can extend up to 3 years. Primefamilydentistrysr

The critical caveat compliance. Invisalign's speed advantage over braces is entirely dependent on the patient wearing aligners for 20–22 hours per day. This is not a guideline it is a clinical requirement. Invisalign requires 20–22 hours of daily wear, and inconsistent wear significantly extends treatment timelines. Hwy7 Dentistry

A patient who wears aligners consistently achieves or beats the projected timeline. A patient who removes aligners for comfort during meetings, social occasions, or simply forgets them for a few hours daily will find treatment extending by months because each aligner in the series is designed to move teeth over a specific period of consistent pressure. Insufficient wear means the aligner does not complete its intended movement before you progress to the next one, creating a compounding mismatch between where the teeth are and where the aligners expect them to be.

Traditional braces have no such compliance variable they work continuously, 24 hours a day, whether you think about them or not.

For a complete guide to choosing between braces and Invisalign based on your specific situation, see our Braces vs Invisalign comparison for Markham patients.

Treatment Duration by Condition: What to Expect

Different orthodontic problems require different amounts of tooth movement and the complexity of that movement, not just the distance, determines the timeline. Here is a condition-by-condition guide:

Condition	Braces Timeline	Invisalign Timeline	Notes
Mild crowding (1–3mm)	12–18 months	6–12 months	Most accessible orthodontic issue
Moderate crowding (4–6mm)	18–24 months	12–18 months	May require extractions or expansion
Severe crowding (7mm+)	24–36 months	18–24+ months	Often better suited to braces
Mild spacing/gaps	12–18 months	6–12 months	One of the fastest scenarios for Invisalign
Moderate spacing	18–24 months	12–18 months	—
Mild overbite	18–24 months	12–18 months	Elastics often required
Moderate/severe overbite	24–36 months	18–24+ months	Complex bite movement; braces often preferred
Underbite (dental)	18–24 months	12–18 months	Skeletal cases may require surgery
Crossbite (dental)	12–18 months	12–18 months	Expander may be needed for skeletal crossbite
Open bite	18–30 months	18–24 months	One of the more challenging movements
Combination cases	24–36+ months	Case-dependent	Multiple simultaneous corrections

These ranges are population-level estimates. Your specific timeline is determined by the precise measurements of your teeth, bone, and bite factors that require a clinical assessment and X-rays to evaluate accurately. A timeline mentioned during a first phone call or website estimate is not a clinical projection.

The Month-by-Month Braces Journey

For patients beginning braces in Markham, understanding what happens at each stage of treatment helps manage expectations and reduces the frustration of a timeline that feels opaque.

Months 1–3 Initial movement and levelling The first phase focuses on levelling and aligning moving each tooth into basic alignment along the arch. Lighter wires are used initially, generating gentler forces. This is typically the most uncomfortable phase as the teeth respond to forces they have never experienced. Soreness after appointments is normal and usually resolves within 2–4 days. By month 3, most patients begin to see visible changes.

Months 4–8 Space creation and arch development Once teeth are levelled, the focus shifts to creating or closing space correcting the spacing or crowding that caused the misalignment. Thicker wires are introduced, generating more force. Elastics may be introduced during this phase to begin correcting the bite relationship between the upper and lower jaws.

Months 9–14 Bite correction The most clinically significant phase correcting the way the upper and lower teeth meet when biting. This typically involves elastics worn between upper and lower brackets in specific configurations to shift the bite position. Wearing elastics as instructed keeps treatment on schedule. Skipping them consistently adds months because the bite correction simply does not happen on time. This phase requires the most patient compliance of the entire treatment. Wired Orthodontics

Months 15–20 Detailing and finishing The final phase focuses on fine-tuning individual tooth positions, refining bite relationships, and ensuring midline alignment. The movements are smaller but critical this phase produces the aesthetic precision that distinguishes a truly excellent orthodontic result from one that is merely "straight." Rushing through finishing produces results that relapse faster.

Final appointment Debond and retainers Brackets are removed, teeth are cleaned and polished, and retainers are fitted the same day. This appointment is typically one of the most satisfying of the entire process.

The Invisalign Journey: What Each Phase Feels Like

Weeks 1–4 Adjustment period Your first set of aligners creates pressure sensations as the teeth begin responding to the planned forces. Speech may be slightly affected for the first week as your tongue adjusts to the new surfaces most patients find this resolves completely within 5–7 days. Aligners are changed every 1–2 weeks depending on your specific treatment plan.

Months 2–6 Visible early progress For mild cases, visible tooth movement often begins as early as month 2–3. For moderate cases, significant changes become apparent around month 4–6. This is often the phase during which patients feel most motivated the result is becoming visible.

Mid-treatment Refinements Approximately midway through an Invisalign course, your dentist assesses progress and may take new scans to generate refinement aligners a new set of trays that fine-tunes the tooth positions toward the final planned outcome. Refinements are a normal and expected part of the Invisalign process, not a sign that treatment is failing.

Final aligners and retention Your last aligner set completes the planned tooth movement. Orthodontic treatment does not end when you reach your final aligner it transitions into the retention phase. Teeth have a natural tendency to drift back toward their original positions if not held in place, a process called orthodontic relapse. Retainers prevent this. Smiledentalartscentre

Factors That Make Your Treatment Longer Or Shorter

Understanding the variables within your control allows you to actively influence your treatment timeline.

Age

Teeth move more readily through bone during adolescence because the bone is less dense and more responsive to orthodontic forces. Adult patients, particularly those over 30, may find teeth move slightly more slowly. This is rarely dramatic but is a real factor in longer adult treatment timelines. Wired Orthodontics

Adult patients should not be discouraged by this adult orthodontic treatment is increasingly common and produces excellent results. The difference in bone density typically adds weeks rather than months to comparable cases.

Compliance (Invisalign patients)

As discussed above, aligner wear compliance is the single largest patient-controlled variable in Invisalign treatment. Twenty-two hours daily means aligners come out for meals and brushing only. Patients who treat this requirement seriously stay on timeline; those who do not, do not.

Elastic compliance (braces patients)

For patients prescribed inter-arch elastics during braces treatment, wearing them exactly as directed is the equivalent of aligner compliance for Invisalign wearers. Oral health problems during treatment can pause orthodontic progress entirely. A cavity or gum disease requires the issue to be treated before movement on the affected area can safely continue. Consistent brushing and flossing protect both the teeth and the timeline. Oasis Orthodontics

Oral health during treatment

Developing a cavity during orthodontic treatment requires the affected area to be treated before tooth movement in that zone continues effectively pausing progress. Patients who maintain excellent oral hygiene throughout treatment protect both their teeth and their timeline.

Appointment consistency

Missing adjustment appointments extends treatment. Each appointment is scheduled at the interval at which the next planned change is ready to occur skipping or delaying appointments creates gaps in the treatment sequence that cannot simply be caught up at the next visit.

Case complexity

This is the factor least within your control but most significant in determining your baseline timeline. A complex case requiring multiple simultaneous corrections crowding, bite, and spacing together will take longer than a single-issue case regardless of appliance choice or patient compliance.

The Retention Phase: Why Treatment Doesn't End at Debond

This is the most universally under-appreciated aspect of orthodontic treatment and the one with the most significant long-term consequences if neglected.

Teeth do not have permanent memories of their new positions. The bone surrounding the roots gradually remodels around the new tooth positions, but this process takes months to years. During this remodelling period and to some degree indefinitely teeth have a tendency to drift back toward their original positions. This is called orthodontic relapse.

Retainers prevent relapse. Most patients are given clear retainers similar to Invisalign aligners, worn full-time for the first three to six months after treatment and then only at night indefinitely. Permanent bonded retainers a thin wire glued to the backs of the front teeth are another option, particularly for patients who worry about remembering to wear a removable retainer at night. These are invisible, maintenance-free and highly effective at preventing relapse of the front teeth. Smiledentalartscentre

The most common cause of visible relapse after orthodontic treatment is not treatment failure it is inadequate retainer wear after treatment. Patients who wore their retainers for the first year, stopped when their teeth felt stable, and then found their teeth had shifted 3–5 years later make up a large proportion of adult orthodontic patients who are retreating issues they originally had corrected in their teens.

The commitment to orthodontic treatment does not end when the braces come off or the final aligner is placed. It ends when you commit to wearing your retainer for life at least nightly.

Orthodontic Treatment Timelines by Patient Type

Children (7–12 years): Early orthodontic assessment from age 7 is recommended by the Canadian Association of Orthodontists not because treatment necessarily begins then, but to identify developing problems when intervention is most effective. Phase 1 treatment (if needed) typically involves an expander or limited appliances for 6–12 months, followed by a rest period, then comprehensive treatment (Phase 2) when most permanent teeth have erupted.

Teenagers (13–18 years): The most common treatment age. Comprehensive braces or Invisalign Teen typically takes 18–24 months for most adolescent cases. Compliance is the primary variable the bone responds readily at this age, so treatment success depends heavily on consistent attendance and elastic/aligner compliance.

Adults (19+): Adult treatment typically takes the same duration as comparable teen cases, with a slight increase for patients over 30 due to reduced bone turnover. Many adults underestimate how effective orthodontic treatment is in adulthood the bone responds to orthodontic forces at any age, just somewhat more slowly. For adults whose primary concern is aesthetics, Invisalign's near-invisibility makes the compliance commitment much easier to maintain in professional settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do braces take? 

For most patients, traditional braces take 18–24 months. Mild cases can complete in 12–18 months; complex cases involving significant bite correction or severe crowding can take 24–36 months. The average across all cases is approximately 20 months according to clinical research. Your specific timeline depends on the severity of your misalignment, your age, your compliance with elastic wear and appointment attendance, and your oral health during treatment.

Does Invisalign work faster than braces? 

For mild to moderate cases often yes. Invisalign typically takes 12–18 months for moderate cases compared to 18–24 months for braces treating comparable severity. For complex cases, braces typically provide more precise control and comparable timelines. Invisalign's speed advantage is entirely compliance-dependent aligners must be worn 20–22 hours daily to stay on the projected timeline. Patients who maintain this consistently often complete treatment faster than braces patients with equivalent cases; patients who wear aligners inconsistently will not.

Can orthodontic treatment take less than a year? 

Yes for very mild cases. Minor spacing, slight crowding of one or two teeth, or minor rotation of individual front teeth can sometimes be corrected in 6–12 months with Invisalign. More extensive issues require longer treatment regardless of appliance choice.

How often are orthodontic appointments in Markham? 

Braces adjustment appointments are typically every 4–6 weeks. Invisalign check-ups are typically every 6–8 weeks. Missing or rescheduling appointments delays the treatment sequence and extends the overall timeline.

Do I have to wear a retainer forever? 

Yes at least nightly. Teeth have a lifelong tendency to drift, and retainer wear after treatment is the only reliable protection against relapse. Most orthodontists recommend full-time retainer wear for the first 3–6 months post-treatment, transitioning to nightly wear indefinitely. Patients who stop wearing their retainers often experience gradual relapse over years.

Does orthodontic treatment hurt? 

Soreness is expected for 2–4 days after each adjustment or aligner change the teeth are responding to new forces. This is manageable with ibuprofen or acetaminophen. The discomfort between appointments is typically minimal. Most patients adapt fully within the first month of treatment.

Book Your Orthodontic Assessment in Markham

The only accurate timeline estimate comes from a proper clinical assessment not a general guide like this one. At Hwy7 Family Dentistry, located at 4560 Hwy 7 E, Unit 500, Unionville, Markham, we provide comprehensive orthodontic assessments and Invisalign clear aligner treatment for appropriate cases. For complex cases requiring specialist orthodontic care, we coordinate referrals to trusted Markham orthodontists and remain involved throughout your treatment.

We are currently accepting new patients of all ages.

📞 Call us at (905) 604-1995) 🌐 Book your orthodontic assessment online