Invisalign® treatment takes 12 to 18 months on average, according to Align Technology, the company that makes the aligners. How far your teeth need to move and how many hours a day you wear the aligners set your timeline, and only an exam can tell how long your own case will take. That range covers the months you spend wearing... read more »

Laughing gas is a light sedation you breathe through a nose mask; it works in minutes, can be adjusted during the visit, and fades soon after. Oral sedation is a pill taken before your appointment that usually relaxes you more deeply and lasts for hours, so you need a driver. Both keep you awake enough to respond, and neither one... read more »

A root canal usually takes one or two appointments of roughly 90 minutes each, according to the American Association of Endodontists. Most people go back to their usual day afterward and feel tender for a few days. In general, molars and infected teeth tend to take longer than front teeth. Your own timeline depends on which tooth is being treated... read more »

A dental implant can last for decades. A 2019 systematic review found about 93% to 96% of implants still in place after 10 years. The crown on top usually wears out sooner. How long yours lasts depends on gum health, smoking, diabetes control and grinding. That is a strong record. Whether your own implant matches it depends partly on how... read more »

Most back teeth need a crown after a root canal, and many front teeth do not. A molar or premolar takes heavy chewing force and is usually crowned to prevent cracks. A front tooth with a small opening and strong walls can often be sealed with a filling instead. Which tooth was treated and how much of it is left... read more »

A regular dental cleaning removes plaque and tartar at and just under the gumline to keep healthy gums healthy. A deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, treats gum disease by cleaning root surfaces inside deeper pockets below the gumline. Your gum measurements decide which one you need. If you have been told you need a deep cleaning and are... read more »