How Long Do Braces Take? A Specialist Orthodontist’s Honest Timeline

By Dr. Erfan Salloum, BDS, PGCert(Orth), DClinDent(Orth), MsLing(Orth), MFD RCSI, MFDS RCPSG, MOrth RCSEd, FFD(Orth) RCSI, MOrth RCSEng, FDS RCSEng, FDS RCPSG — Specialist Orthodontist | Last reviewed: October 2026

“How long will I be in braces?” is usually the second question we are asked at a first visit, straight after “do I need them?”. It deserves a straight answer with a number in it, and then an honest account of why your own number may differ. At the Institute of Specialist and Cosmetic Dentistry (ISCD) in Dublin’s IFSC, our specialist orthodontists treat children, teenagers and adults with fixed, lingual and clear aligner appliances. This guide sets out what the research says about treatment length, what genuinely makes a case longer or shorter, and why the end of the brace is not the end of treatment.

How long do braces take on average?

A systematic review of 22 prospective studies and 1,089 patients found that comprehensive treatment with fixed braces took an average of 19.9 months, or just under two years.

That figure comes from Tsichlaki and colleagues, writing in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics in 2016. It is the most useful single number available, and it agrees with the HSE’s own guidance that orthodontic treatment can take up to two years. In the five studies that also counted appointments, a course of treatment needed around 18 visits on average, which is a fair guide to how many to plan around.

Two points of definition matter. First, “treatment duration” in these studies means active treatment: from the day the brace is fitted to the day it comes off. It does not include the assessment beforehand or the retention phase afterwards. Second, the studies were carried out mainly in university settings, where cases are often complex and treatment is supervised. The review’s authors describe its conclusion carefully: comprehensive treatment, on average, requires less than two years. An average is not a promise, and a straightforward case may finish well inside it.

What makes orthodontic treatment take longer?

The severity of the original problem matters most: extraction cases, impacted teeth, significant bite corrections and missed appointments all lengthen treatment, while age alone does not once the adult teeth are present.

A systematic review by Mavreas and Athanasiou in the European Journal of Orthodontics drew together 41 studies on what affects treatment length. Its conclusions are worth knowing before you start:

  • Extractions. There are indications that treatment involving extractions lasts longer than treatment without them, because the spaces have to be closed in a controlled way.
  • Impacted canines. Upper canine teeth that are buried in the jaw appear to prolong treatment, since the tooth has to be uncovered and guided into place. Our guide to how impacted canines are brought into line explains that process.
  • Severity and complexity. The severity of the original malocclusion, the technique used, the skill and number of clinicians involved and the patient’s cooperation all play a role.
  • Combined surgical cases. Where jaw surgery is part of the plan, duration is variable. Our article on the orthodontist’s role in jaw surgery covers those cases.

One finding surprises many adults: the review found that age does not seem to play a role, provided the permanent teeth are present. A 35-year-old should not assume treatment will take longer than a teenager’s for the same problem. Our page on adult braces options covers what does differ for adults.

Is Invisalign faster than braces?

Not reliably. A 2025 meta-analysis of 15 trials and 1,084 patients found no significant difference in duration between clear aligners and fixed braces in cases treated without extractions.

Alhafi and colleagues, also writing in the European Journal of Orthodontics, noted that some sensitivity analyses pointed towards shorter treatment with aligners, but the main result was no significant difference in non-extraction cases. In extraction cases, fixed appliances produced better-quality results, because they give more control over how teeth move. The authors’ conclusion is the one we apply in practice: case complexity and patient compliance should guide the choice of appliance.

Compliance is the hidden variable with aligners. A brace that is bonded to the teeth works all day; an aligner works only while it is being worn. For a fuller comparison, see our honest comparison of Invisalign and braces and our article on when aligner cases need specialist planning.

Do lingual braces take longer?

They can. A 2026 cohort study of 200 adults found that lingual braces fitted behind the teeth took longer than conventional braces, while the finished results were comparable between the two.

Nguyen and colleagues compared lingual and conventional (labial) fixed braces in adults, with and without extractions, using the American Board of Orthodontics’ objective grading system. Treatment was longer with lingual appliances and longer again with extractions. This was a retrospective study rather than a randomised trial, so it describes a tendency rather than a rule. For adults who want a fixed brace no one can see, the trade-off is usually worth discussing openly. Our lingual braces service explains the option in detail.

Can orthodontic treatment be sped up?

The best current evidence says not by much. A 2023 Cochrane review found no evidence that vibration devices or low-level laser therapy reduce the overall duration of orthodontic treatment.

El-Angbawi and colleagues reviewed 23 randomised trials involving 1,027 children and adults. The certainty of the evidence was low to very low throughout. Light vibration showed no difference in overall treatment time. Laser and LED light showed some effect on discrete early stages of alignment, but the authors judged the clinical significance questionable and called for better trials.

“Six-month” or “fast” braces deserve a separate word. These treatments generally concentrate on the visible front teeth rather than on correcting the whole bite. That can be a reasonable choice for a minor cosmetic concern, but it is a different treatment with a different goal, not a quicker route to the same result. The most reliable ways to keep treatment on schedule are less exotic: a correct diagnosis at the start, a plan that matches the problem, attendance at every review, and careful hygiene so that no time is lost to breakages or gum inflammation.

Does treatment end when the braces come off?

No. When the brace is removed, retention begins: retainers hold the teeth in their new positions, and the HSE notes that patients usually receive them after treatment.

Teeth tend to drift back towards where they started, and that tendency does not disappear after a few months. Retention therefore continues indefinitely in some form: usually a fixed wire bonded behind the front teeth, a removable retainer worn at night, or both, with the schedule prescribed for your case and reviewed over time. This is part of the treatment timeline, even though it involves no brace. Our article on retainers after braces and why teeth move back explains the options and the evidence behind them.

How does a specialist estimate your treatment time?

An accurate estimate needs a full orthodontic assessment, including records and a diagnosis, because duration follows from the problem being corrected rather than from the appliance chosen.

Ireland’s Dental Council recognises only two dental specialties: orthodontics and oral surgery. Our orthodontists are on the Council’s specialist register, and you can check any clinician’s status there before you commit. Our guide to choosing a specialist orthodontist in Dublin explains how.

At an assessment we examine the teeth, jaws and bite, take the records we need, and give you a written plan with an estimated active-treatment time and the retention plan that follows. For children, timing often matters as much as duration; our guide to when a child should first see an orthodontist covers that, and parents of older children may find our article on braces for teenagers useful.

For referring dentists

If you are weighing whether a case is straightforward or complex, the factors above are a fair guide: extractions, impacted teeth, a significant skeletal component or a patient seeking a lingual or aligner-only plan all point towards a longer and more demanding treatment. We report back after assessment and at completion, and your patient remains with you for routine care throughout. Our referral process for Dublin dentists sets out what to send.

Arranging an assessment

If you would like a realistic timeline for your own teeth or your child’s, a specialist assessment is the place to start. You can read more about specialist orthodontic treatment for all ages at ISCD, or about Dr Erfan Salloum’s training and clinical interests.

Institute of Specialist and Cosmetic Dentistry (ISCD)
4 NCI, Lower Mayor Street, IFSC, Dublin, D01 R7W7
Telephone: +353 1 504 2065
Email: info@iscd.ie

Written by Dr. Erfan Salloum, BDS, PGCert(Orth), DClinDent(Orth), MsLing(Orth), MFD RCSI, MFDS RCPSG, MOrth RCSEd, FFD(Orth) RCSI, MOrth RCSEng, FDS RCSEng, FDS RCPSG — Specialist Orthodontist at the Institute of Specialist and Cosmetic Dentistry, Dublin. Diplomate of the European Board of Aligner Orthodontics.

References

  1. Tsichlaki A, Chin SY, Pandis N, Fleming PS. How long does treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances last? A systematic review. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. 2016;149(3):308–318. doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2015.09.020
  2. Mavreas D, Athanasiou AE. Factors affecting the duration of orthodontic treatment: a systematic review. European Journal of Orthodontics. 2008;30(4):386–395. doi:10.1093/ejo/cjn018
  3. Alhafi ZM, Hajeer MY, Alam MK, Jaber ST. Quality and stability of orthodontic treatment outcomes with clear aligners versus fixed appliances: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Orthodontics. 2025;47(6):cjaf091. doi:10.1093/ejo/cjaf091
  4. Nguyen VA, Nguyen TT, Vo TNN, Tong MS, Nguyen TA. Clinical outcomes of digital straightwire lingual versus labial fixed appliances assessed with American Board of Orthodontics indices: a retrospective cohort study. Clinical Oral Investigations. 2026;30(3):108. doi:10.1007/s00784-026-06804-z
  5. El-Angbawi A, McIntyre G, Fleming PS, Bearn D. Non-surgical adjunctive interventions for accelerating tooth movement in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2023;6(6):CD010887. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010887.pub3
  6. Health Service Executive. Orthodontic treatment and braces. hse.ie (page last reviewed 31 October 2024; accessed October 2026).