The time adult aligner orthodontics takes varies greatly depending on your teeth, but it is generally about 1 to 3 years. After that, "retention" is needed to keep your teeth in their new positions. You may also be wondering, "Can I start as an adult?" There is no set upper age limit, and as long as your teeth and gums are healthy, you can start as an adult.
However, the method that suits you and an outlook on the duration can't be known without an examination. In this article, Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic in Jinnan, Shibuya explains the typical duration, why it can get longer or shorter, up to what age you can start, and what adults should check before starting. You can also find more details on how aligner orthodontics works and its costs on our aligner orthodontics page, so please take a look as well.
How long does adult aligner orthodontics take?
Aligner orthodontics moves your teeth by switching between clear aligners, each with a slightly different shape, at set intervals. As a guide, you should expect the period of moving your teeth to be generally about 1 to 3 years. Even after your teeth are aligned, they tend to try to return to their original positions, so a retention period using a retainer follows.
So when thinking about "how many years will it take?", it is easier to plan if you add the preparation from consultation to the start of treatment and the retention period to the time spent moving your teeth. First, let's look at how things proceed at our clinic.
- Orthodontic consultation (¥0): We listen to your concerns about your teeth and mouth profile, and tell you about possible methods and a guide to the duration and cost.
- Detailed examination and diagnosis (orthodontic diagnosis ¥33,000): This is the stage where we examine your teeth and skeletal structure through photographs, impressions taken with an intraoral scanner, X-rays, and more.
- Explanation of the treatment plan: We explain how the teeth will be moved, the duration, the cost, and the risks, and we begin only after you are satisfied.
- Treatment with aligners: Regular visits are necessary to check how your teeth are moving and how well the aligners fit.
- Retention: A retainer is used to prevent the aligned teeth from returning to their original positions.
We will tell you the outlook on the duration in your case in the diagnosis after the detailed examination.
When does treatment take longer or shorter?
Even with the same aligner orthodontics, the time it takes differs from person to person. So what factors affect the duration?
The amount and range of tooth movement
The distance and number of teeth to be moved are factors that affect treatment time. The longer the distance and the more teeth involved, the longer the duration. There is also a big difference in the time required between correcting only slight crowding of the front teeth and correcting the bite as a whole. If there isn't enough space to line up the teeth and tooth extraction is needed, the amount of movement increases, so the duration also tends to be longer. Whether extraction is necessary will be explained based on the results of the detailed examination.
The number of hours per day you wear the aligners
With aligner orthodontics, you are generally required to wear the aligners for 20 hours or more a day, excluding mealtimes and tooth brushing. If the wearing time is short, your teeth may not move as planned, and the aligners may stop fitting. As a result, the treatment period may be extended or the plan may need to be remade. The thing that most easily affects the duration is how well you manage this wearing time yourself. Please think about whether you can secure the time to wear them in your daily life before your consultation.
The condition of your teeth and gums
If you have cavities or gum disease, that treatment may be done first, before starting orthodontics. Please note that the period until orthodontics begins will be longer by the time that treatment takes. In addition, the treatment period may become longer than planned depending on how your teeth move and how you attend your visits.
Up to what age can adults start aligner orthodontics?
There is no set upper age limit for starting orthodontics. What serves as a guide is not age, but whether your teeth, and the gums and bone that support them, are healthy. If your teeth and gums are healthy, orthodontics is possible even as an adult.
On the other hand, the older you get, the more often the bone supporting your teeth has decreased because of gum disease, or the more crowns and fillings you have. If you have gum disease, we may treat your gums first and then start orthodontics. Depending on the condition of your gums, we may suggest a method other than aligner orthodontics, or we may not recommend orthodontics.
If you are hesitating, thinking "Isn't it too late?", why not start by checking the current condition of your teeth and gums? For gum treatment, please also see our periodontal treatment page.
What adults should check before starting
With adult orthodontics, there are points to consider that differ from orthodontics for children. To make it easier to share your wishes at the consultation, try sorting out the following points.
- Whether you have crowns or implants: Because implants are fused to the bone, they cannot be moved by orthodontics. For teeth with crowns, you may need to consider having them remade after orthodontics.
- By when you want your teeth aligned: If you have an event such as a wedding or starting a new job, please tell us the timing. It helps us when working out an outlook on the duration.
- Whether you can keep wearing them for 20 hours or more a day: If it is hard to secure the wearing time, for example because you often dine out or have to take them out for long periods at work, please compare options including wire orthodontics.
- How much the look of the appliance bothers you: Aligners are clear and thin, so they are a method that is hard to notice unless someone looks closely. However, small bumps may be attached to your teeth, and in that case they may be noticeable up close.
For tooth alignments that require moving teeth a large amount, or bites caused by the jaw's skeletal structure, wire orthodontics (front side) or wire orthodontics (back side) may be more suitable. Which method suits you will be explained based on the results of the examination.
Costs and risks you should know about
Aligner orthodontics is self-pay (not covered by Japanese health insurance). Our clinic offers self-pay treatment only and does not provide treatment covered by health insurance. Please see the following list for costs (all tax included).
- Orthodontic consultation: ¥0
- Orthodontic diagnosis: ¥33,000
- Adult aligner orthodontics: ¥960,000
- Adjustment fee: ¥5,500
Self-pay treatment may be eligible for the medical expense deduction. Please check the latest fees on our price list. In addition, with the Oral Dock (comprehensive dental check-up), a head X-ray (cephalometric) can be taken at no additional charge.
The appliances used for aligner orthodontics at our clinic are medical devices not approved under the Act on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Products Including Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (unapproved in Japan), or appliances whose finished products are not subject to that Act. Which appliance is used will be decided by the attending dentist according to your teeth. We will explain in detail at the orthodontic consultation how the appliances are obtained, whether there are appliances approved in Japan for the same purpose, their safety in other countries, and so on.
Please also check the following points before receiving treatment.
- Right after you switch to a new aligner, you may feel pain or discomfort, as if your teeth are being squeezed.
- If the wearing time is not enough, your teeth may not move as planned, and the treatment period may be extended or the plan may need to be remade.
- Drinking sugary drinks while wearing the aligners makes you more prone to cavities.
- Orthodontic treatment may cause things such as shortened tooth roots and receding gums.
- If you do not use a retainer, your teeth may return to their original positions.
Frequently asked questions
About how many years does adult aligner orthodontics take?
It varies greatly depending on your teeth, but the period of moving your teeth is generally about 1 to 3 years. After that, a period of keeping your teeth in place with a retainer is added. We will tell you the outlook in your case in the diagnosis after the detailed examination.
Can I start in my 40s or 50s?
There is no set upper age limit for starting, and as long as your teeth and gums are healthy, orthodontics is possible even as an adult. If you have gum disease, we may treat your gums first.
If it is only the front teeth, will it take less time?
Depending on your teeth, it is also possible to correct only a part, such as the front teeth, and the smaller the range of movement, the shorter the duration tends to be. However, it can also involve the bite as a whole, so we will suggest a method after the examination.
What happens if I wear the aligners for too short a time?
Your teeth may not move as planned, and the aligners may stop fitting. This can lead to a longer treatment period or a remade plan, so you are generally required to wear them for 20 hours or more a day.
Is it okay to come for a consultation only?
Yes, a consultation only is fine. The orthodontic consultation is ¥0, so please hear about the methods and a guide to the duration and cost, and then think about whether to start.
If you are considering aligner orthodontics in Shibuya
Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic is on the 4th floor of the Toyama Building in Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, a 5-minute walk from Shibuya Station on the JR and other lines. Our director, Kazuya Shiho, is a dentist who graduated from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (now Institute of Science Tokyo), and he values care centered on prevention that protects your existing teeth as much as possible. Orthodontic treatment is handled by Dr. Takagi (高木 豪馬), a Certified Orthodontist of the Japanese Orthodontic Society.
Our hours are 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays. On weekends, public holidays and evenings, we see patients by appointment only on days when a doctor is in. Please check the calendar when booking for details. You can make a reservation online (accepted 24 hours a day), as well as by LINE or phone (03-5422-3518). If you are considering orthodontics, please first hear about the methods and a guide to the duration and cost at an orthodontic consultation (¥0).
Book online at Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic here
This article was reviewed by Dr. Kazuya Shiho, director and dentist at Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic.