Invisible Braces Blog and Resources

Most teens want a great smile, but having metal braces for two years can be uncomfortable for teens and expensive for their parents. For many years there wasn’t a great alternative to traditional braces, but the introduction of invisible aligners has made getting a smile you love a much easier process. SmileDirectClub, the oral care company with the first medtech platform for teeth straightening and a leader in direct-to-consumer clear aligner therapy, recently launched a new offering specifically for teens who are looking at getting braces. The SmileDirectClub Teen bundle offers all the benefits of SmileDirectClub’s traditional aligner offering, plus a few extra perks for both teens and their parents.   4 to 6-month average treatment time One of the biggest perks of clear aligners is the short treatment time. Most traditional metal braces treatments take a year and a half or two years to complete. Invisible aligner treatment with SmileDirectClub takes an average of only four to six months. Wearing aligners for 22 hours a day, teens may begin to see results as soon as 60 days after starting treatment. SmileDirectClub Nighttime Aligners are also an option, and although they add a few months to the treatment plan, the aligners never leave the house. Wearing Nighttime Aligners for just 10 hours at night, teens won’t have to worry about their aligners while at school and can still have a beautiful smile in about 10 months. 24/7 telehealth access and reminders Traditional metal braces also require many in-person appointments that often take teens out of school or extra curricular activities. With SmileDirectClub Teen, all check-ins with the treating doctor are virtual. SmileDirectClub’s pioneering telehealth platform allows for regular remote check-ins with the treating doctor. No need to miss school when you can check-in anytime from wherever you are using your phone or computer. Through the SmileDirectClub telehealth platform, teens and their parents have access to  customer care and dental care teams 24/7 over phone, email, and video chat. Connecting with a dental professional over video chat allows teens to quickly and easily show the dental care team their progress and ask questions about their treatment plan. Teens will also receive reminder alerts when it’s time to change their aligners — and parents can get these reminders, too! Trackable aligner and retainer case powered by Tile™  This year, SmileDirectClub introduced its trackable aligner case powered by Tile — the ideal complement to any teen’s invisible aligner treatment. The patented aligner case features built-in Bluetooth tracking technology that allows teens to sync their phones with their aligner case. If a teen loses their case, they can use the Tile app to ping the case within a 100-foot radius to help locate it. The technology also works the other way around: If a teen loses their phone but has their aligner case, they can also track their phone, even if the phone is on silent or vibrate. Parents may stay involved by syncing their phone with the aligner case as well. It just got a lot harder to lose track of your clear aligners! This genius tracking system can help parents rest easy knowing that there are ways to find their teen’s aligners. And even if teens still manage to lose a set of aligners that can’t be found, SmileDirectClub will replace that set for free. With replacement sets normally priced at $99, SmileDirectClub Teen includes free replacement of one set of aligners. As soon as a teen loses their aligners, they can immediately notify their treating doctor and SmileDirectClub will send out new ones. That way teens won’t fall behind in their treatment and can keep working towards achieving the smile they’ve always wanted.  Fewer restrictions SmileDirectClub aligners are a great option for teen braces because they’re clear and hardly noticeable, and they offer many other benefits that fit a teen’s lifestyle. Teens will be able to eat the foods they love without restrictions — just take out the aligners whenever eating or drinking, brush, and replace to stay on track with a treatment plan.  Additionally, SmileDirectClub’s aligners aren’t intrusive in the mouth, so teens can continue playing any instrument and sport they want while wearing aligners. If the aligners do happen to get in the way, they can be taken out and put back in right after playing. For contact sports with mouthguards, this is a great asset because teens may use a regular mouthguard while playing and then go back to their aligners after.  Teeth whitening bonus When straightening a smile, why not brighten it as well? SmileDirectClub’s top-notch whitening products are included with each treatment and give customers six months of teeth whitening. In addition, teen customers also receive a bonus $50 gift card to the company’s online store. This allows teens the option to try SmileDirectClub’s other oral care products, such as the Electric Toothbrush, Water Flosser, and more. Invisible aligner treatment is also known to improve overall oral hygiene, meaning teens’ smiles can be not only straighter and brighter, but also healthier.  Lower overall cost SmileDirectClub Teen makes getting a smile you’ll love so much easier, and it costs up to 60 percent less than traditional braces. For a one-time payment of $1,950 or a down payment of $250 with monthly payments of less than $89, SmileDirectClub aligners give flexibility in both a teen’s lifestyle and their parents’ budget.  Qualifications In order to qualify for the teen treatment, candidates must be between 12–19 years old with all permanent teeth in place, meaning no more baby teeth, before beginning treatment. SmileDirectClub’s invisible aligners are used to treat mild to moderate spacing and crowding issues. Many people with these issues qualify for treatment, but traditional orthodontic treatment may be required for more extreme cases.  It’s also important to remember that unlike wearing braces with metal brackets, invisible aligners are removable. In order to achieve that perfect smile, teens have to be diligent in wearing their aligners as the treatment plan prescribes. Aligners need to be worn on both upper teeth and lower teeth as well, in order to adjust any bite or alignment issues. If teenage patients will commit to wearing their aligners, they’ll be able to benefit from this innovative braces option. The bottom line SmileDirectClubTeen gives teens straighter, brighter smiles with fewer disruptions and restrictions at a lower cost than traditional braces. Teens will appreciate having clear aligners because they blend in and don’t stick out like metal braces, and parents can have peace of mind as well. They can sign-up to get alerts for virtual check-ins and aligner change days, as well as help track their teen’s aligner case if it goes missing. All of these benefits combined with six months of free whitening make SmileDirectClub Teen a more convenient, affordable way to get a beautiful smile that’s equally as safe and effective as traditional braces.  SmileDirectClub Learn more about SmileDirectClub's invisible aligners and read 1,600+ reviews from real customers. Learn More

Guest Post by Alice Jorgensen Straighter teeth from home? If you're a millennial and you use social media, you've probably seen an ad for direct-to-consumer invisible aligners. These products have exploded over the last few years, disrupting the orthodontic space with a more convenient and affordable option to get straight teeth than metal braces and regular orthodontist visits. But if you're thinking about signing up for a straighter smile, the big question is “which company is the right choice?” We're comparing Smile Direct Club and byte head-to-head so you can determine which clear aligner option is the best fit for you. It helps to understand a bit of the history behind these two companies. SmileDirectClub was first to the marketplace; founded in 2014; and paved the way for affordable, at-home teeth straightening with clear teeth aligners. The company has serviced hundreds of thousands of patients to date. More recently, byte has joined the market with added features for faster treatment and is rising quickly as a leading player. Founded in 2017 by a world-renowned cosmetic dentist, byte already has thousands of successful patients.  What do you get and what does it cost? At first glance, SmileDirectClub has a slightly lower cost of $1,895 compared to byte's $1,900 price point. However, when you look at what's included in each treatment plan and available financing options, that $5 price difference is negligible. SmileDirectClub requires $250 down (plus $80 per month) for financing. Your purchase includes plastic teeth aligners, lip balm, a case, and a whitening pen. Retainers are an extra $99. So to get your new smile and keep it with SmileDirectClub, you're really paying $1,994 in total. With byte, no money down with financing is available for as little as $62 per month. Your purchase includes the plastic aligners; BrightByte 3-in-1 teeth whitening kit (including whitening, cleaner, and breath refresher); the company’s exclusive HyperByte treatment accelerator device (more on this later—but it's a $699 value); and your first set of retainers (a $99 value). All of this is included for $1,900. What are the average treatment times? SmileDirectClub's technology is true to the average treatment time across the invisible aligner industry, averaging six months. byte clocks in at a three-month average treatment time, making it the fastest aligner technology currently available in the direct-to-consumer market. With a byte treatment, patients also get the HyperByte, a proprietary, high frequency vibration (HFV) device that properly seats the byte aligners to make tooth movement more accurate and effective, reducing discomfort and cutting the treatment period in half. HyperByte is exclusive to the byte aligner system.  Is that new smile for life? When you're investing in your body and health, it’s important to read the fine print. While $1,900 may be less than the cost of in-office braces, you want results that will last. So what's the guarantee?  With SmileDirectClub aligners, the company states you have to notify it within 30 days of completing your treatment to preserve your warranty. This means if you don't contact the company within that window, your warranty is void. From there, SmileDirectClub will review and determine if you're eligible for additional aligners. With byte invisible aligners, your new smile is guaranteed forever. As long as you're using your retainers, if your smile moves out of alignment, the company will help you get it back in place at no extra cost as part of the lifetime guarantee.  What's the science behind moving your teeth at home? You might be wondering, aren't SmileDirectClub and byte basically the same when it comes to treatment planning and moving your teeth? Our findings reveal that while similar, there are some additions included in byte’s overall aligner treatment.  While both byte and SmileDirectClub use similar orthodontic treatment planning software to move your teeth into alignment within a 3D viewer for patient review, byte goes a step further by offering Smile Science—a special technique invented by the company’s Chief Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Jon Marashi D.D.S., who is based out of Los Angeles, California. Rather than focusing solely on shifting your teeth, byte's Smile Science takes into account each patient's unique facial symmetry for a personalized look that considers overall features, not just your mouth. In addition to the 3D viewer, Smile Science utilizes computer simulation technology to display what a new smile will look like on the patient's face. How about patient support? If you're straightening your teeth from home, customer service is likely a priority on your list. Both SmileDirectClub and byte have a dedicated center for patient support and offer reliable service. However, with byte, all customer support staff is on-shore in the United States, but according to SmileDirectClub's website, much of its customer support team is located overseas in Alajuela, Costa Rica.  Which company is right for you? While SmileDirectClub and byte may be the most well-known or most highly rated at-home invisible aligners on our site (respectively), there are a number of options available. Check out our rankings for Best Invisible Braces to help you choose the company that’s right for you.