Braces vs. Invisalign®: Which Treatment Gets Results Faster?

Two patients begin treatment on the same Monday. One is a high school sophomore with crowding in the lower front teeth. The other is a 41-year-old with a deep bite who needs a tooth removed. Both want to know when treatment will be finished, and both wonder whether Invisalign can handle their case.

At Elevated Orthodontics, the answer is not limited by the outdated idea that Invisalign is only for simple tooth movement. We have practiced orthodontics exclusively in Bakersfield since 1988 and have finished thousands of cases with braces and clear aligners. As an Invisalign Diamond Apex provider, we have the experience and advanced planning skills to treat a full range of orthodontic needs with Invisalign, including complex bite corrections and extraction cases.

Here is what our experience has taught us: the appliance alone rarely decides the timeline. Your treatment plan, your biology, and how closely you follow that plan matter much more.

Is Invisalign Faster Than Braces?

Usually, neither option is automatically faster. When two patients have similar orthodontic needs, braces and Invisalign often have similar treatment times.

A 2024 systematic review in Clinical Oral Investigations examined ten studies comparing clear aligners and braces for dental crowding. Six of the studies were randomized controlled trials. The review found no significant difference in treatment time for mild to moderate crowding.

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis in the European Journal of Orthodontics examined 15 trials involving 1,084 patients. It found no significant difference in treatment time or overall treatment quality in non-extraction cases.

In the extraction subgroup, fixed appliances received higher average treatment-quality scores across the studies reviewed. That finding describes the average results in those trials; it does not mean Invisalign cannot treat extraction cases. The authors also noted differences among the studies, varied levels of bias, limited evidence, and short follow-up periods. More high-quality research is still needed.

At Elevated Orthodontics, needing an extraction or having a complex bite does not automatically rule out Invisalign. Our Diamond Apex experience allows us to plan and manage advanced Invisalign treatment that many patients, and even some providers, may assume requires braces.

How Long Do Braces Take?

Most people wear braces for 12 to 24 months, according to the American Association of Orthodontists(AAO). Straightforward alignment can finish sooner. Cases involving jaw growth, extractions, or surgery can run longer.

Braces work continuously. There is no wear schedule to follow, because the brackets and wires stay on the teeth until treatment ends.

That constant, uninterrupted force is part of why the AAO notes braces can treat a wide range of bite problems and tend to work faster than other options for complicated cases.

Braces are a powerful treatment option for a full range of orthodontic needs. At Elevated Orthodontics, Invisalign is too. The better choice is the one that fits your treatment goals and daily life.

How Long Does Invisalign Take?

For a comparable case, Invisalign usually falls in the same 12 to 24 month range, and simple cases can finish sooner. The number of aligners depends on the movements your teeth need, not a standard schedule.

Each aligner is typically worn for about a week before you move to the next one in the series, according to the AAO.

So your total time is essentially the number of aligners multiplied by how long each one stays in. Missing hours stretches both halves of that equation.

What Actually Decides How Long Treatment Takes?

Three things control your timeline far more than the appliance does: how far your teeth have to move, how your body responds, and how consistently you follow the plan.

How Many Hours a Day Do You Have to Wear Invisalign?

At least 22 hours a day, according to the AAO. That leaves roughly two hours for meals and brushing, which is less flexibility than most people expect when they first hear the word removable.

The AAO states the problem plainly: aligners cannot work unless they are in the mouth. This is the one part of your timeline you control completely.

In our experience, this is where most aligner delays come from. Not the technology and not the case, but hours quietly lost at lunch, at practice, and overnight.

Braces and Invisalign, Side by Side

At Elevated Orthodontics, both braces and Invisalign can treat a full range of orthodontic needs. The most important differences are how the appliances look, how they affect eating and cleaning, how often you visit us, and how much daily responsibility they require.

Does Your Age Change the Timeline?

Not as much as people assume. Healthy adults can be treated at any age as long as the teeth, gums, and supporting bone are sound, and adult braces or aligners are not automatically slower than teenage treatment.

The main difference is growth. A younger patient’s plan may use natural jaw growth to help correct the bite. Because an adult’s jaws have finished growing, that same bite may require a different plan, such as advanced tooth movement, extractions, specialized appliances, or jaw surgery. Elevated Orthodontics can include Invisalign in these advanced adult treatment plans when appropriate, even when the case is complex.

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