Invisalign recovery — week by week

What healing actually looks like — week by week — for invisalign.

Recovery timeline

1. Week 1
   First trays — soreness for 24–48 hours after each new tray. 22 hours/day wear required.
2. Months 1–3
   Visible movement begins. Refinement scans every 6–8 weeks. Speech clears (lisp resolves).
3. Months 6–12
   Most movement complete in mild-moderate cases. Severe cases extend to 18–24 months.
4. Refinements
   Mid-treatment scan if movement isn't tracking. Most cases get 1 refinement round; complex cases 2–3.
5. Retention (forever)
   Wear retainers nightly indefinitely. Skipping = relapse.

Quick reference

Back to work

Not surgical — no time off needed.

What's normal vs. what to call about

Some swelling, bruising, asymmetry, numbness, and tightness are expected in the first weeks. Sudden severe pain, fever above 101°F, drainage, spreading redness, or one-sided swelling that worsens after improving warrant a same-day call to your surgeon.

See invisalign results across the recovery curve on the main Invisalign page.