Who wouldn’t want to get a beautiful, healthy smile faster? No one wants to wear braces longer than necessary, and fortunately, there are ways to accelerate orthodontic treatment so you can get that dream smile even sooner. 

If you’re currently undergoing orthodontic treatment or you’re considering it in the future, here’s what you can do to shorten treatment time.

Microtrauma 

As the name implies, this treatment method relies on small traumas to encourage accelerated movement of the teeth. Tiny holes are poked into the gums to affect the cells that move teeth. An orthodontist will do this to “stubborn” areas that aren’t responding as expected during an appointment as needed. 

As an example of how effective this treatment can be, an Invisalign patient who undergoes microtrauma treatment may be able to change their aligners every four days instead of every week.

PROPEL

Propel is a brand name for a type of microtrauma treatment we offer at our practice and have had great results with. It works by creating micro-perforations, or small holes, to stimulate the appropriate cells and accelerate tooth movement. 

It is remarkably effective – it can cut treatment time by as much as 30% for some patients. This treatment is performed in the orthodontist office and takes about 30 minutes.

Low-Level Laser Therapy

This uses a low-level, medical-grade laser to help speed treatment. It works by affecting the cells that are responsible for moving teeth, causing a faster turnover of bone in the jaw. This helps move the teeth faster. As a bonus, the laser also reduces pain. 

This type of therapy takes about twenty minutes per session and is done every couple of months during the patient’s regular appointments.

High-Frequency Vibrations 

This therapy for accelerated orthodontic treatment works well with Invisalign. High-frequency vibrations help the aligners rest against the teeth better, which improves the forces against the teeth and helps with tooth movement. It also helps with pain, which means it can also be used by patients who experience pain with traditional braces.  

Unlike low-level laser therapy, which is an in-office treatment, this is actually done by the patient at home for about five minutes a day. We give them a device to use for the duration of the treatment.

Other Things You Can Do 

The above therapies are recommended to accelerate orthodontic treatment, but they will only work as intended if you are doing your part as a patient the rest of the time. First, it’s important to keep all your appointments as scheduled. If you skip or delay your visits, you could be extending the length of your treatment, too. Second, clean teeth move faster – so proper brushing and flossing habits are key. Also, if you wear aligners like those used in Invisalign treatment, make sure you are wearing them at least 22 hours a day. If you wear them less than that, you are almost guaranteeing that your treatment will take longer than you want. 

On top of that, talk to your orthodontist about your treatment options to accelerate your orthodontic treatment. You could end up with that dream smile even sooner than you thought!