In your quest for a straighter smile sans traditional metal braces, you’ve likely come across the names ClearCorrect and Invisalign in your research.
They are quite similar on the surface. ClearCorrect and Invisalign are clear aligners offered exclusively in dental and orthodontic practices. Either brand can straighten your teeth.
But Invisalign is known for being expensive, and you’re wondering if ClearCorrect could be one of the more affordable (and possibly more effective) Invisalign alternatives.
So what do you need to know about these two aligners to help you pick the best one?
In this post, we’re going to compare the details of ClearCorrect vs Invisalign to help you find out which is better for you.
ClearCorrect vs Invisalign: The Key Differences
While Invisalign and ClearCorrect are both clear aligners, they do have a few subtle differences that can make a difference in your treatment experience.
Invisalign vs ClearCorrect: The Aligners
What’s the same?
Invisalign and ClearCorrect trays are both FDA-approved and made from BPA-free, clear plastic. Both kinds of aligners use the same fundamental technology to move teeth into healthy alignment slowly. Both ClearCorrect and Invisalign trays are manufactured by their respective companies but prescribed by a participating dentist who oversees the treatment plan.
What’s the same?
Invisalign uses a proprietary material they’ve developed called “SmartTrack” for their trays. Invisalign aligners usually turn out to be a bit thicker and more flexible than ClearCorrect trays. There’s scalloping on the edge of Invisalign trays, ensuring that they only cover the teeth and not the gums. ClearCorrect’s aligners have a straighter edge. This design allows the aligners to work with more direct force without the need for attachments.
What does this mean for you?
In a side-by-side comparison, Invisalign’s thicker trays may appear more visible than ClearCorrect. This is offset, however, by the fact that Invisalign’s aligners don’t cover the gums.
ClearCorrect aligners may achieve faster results without attachments because of having a higher and straighter edge. But the downside is that some patients find them uncomfortable because of how firm and inflexible they are.
So there are a few pros and cons to weigh when selecting an aligner based on the tray design.
And given the once-in-a-lifetime nature of orthodontic treatment, very few people have been able to give both Invisalign and ClearCorrect a fair try. It’s hard to get an objective view of how the two kinds of aligners compare in terms of their feel and function.
The differences are quite subtle, though, and probably won’t impact the outcome of your treatment.
Treatment Qualifications for Invisalign and ClearCorrect
The qualifications for both Invisalign and ClearCorrect are the same. If you are a good candidate for one treatment, you’ll be a good candidate for the other.
The main qualifications for getting clear aligners are:
- Your teeth and gums should be healthy.
- You should have great oral hygiene.
- You should be able to follow the instructions for wearing and cleaning your aligners.
- You shouldn’t have any complex bite issues or jaw problems (for example, something that needs to be corrected with surgery).
That’s basically it. As long as you want to straighten teeth without braces, either ClearCorrect or Invisalign will have a treatment plan that works for you.
Treatment Plan
Beginning your treatment with either ClearCorrect or Invisalign starts with a very similar treatment planning process.
1. You’ll visit a provider near you who offers the aligner treatment you’re interested in. The dentist or orthodontist will assess your dental health and let you know if you qualify to begin treatment.
2. The doctor will quickly scan your teeth with a digital wand. This scanning device captures the shape and alignment of your teeth. Your dentist or orthodontist can then show you on a computer what your smile will look like when your treatment is done.
3. The doctor creates a treatment plan based upon the program provided by either ClearCorrect or Invisalign. He or she will let you know how many aligners they expect you will need, how long your treatment will take, and how much it will cost. If you’re ready to begin treatment, your doctor will place the order for your custom-made aligners.
4. Your dentist will receive your aligners from the company and then call you back to the office to check the fit.
5. You’ll wear the aligners as instructed and check back in with your dentist or orthodontist on occasion to make sure your teeth are moving as planned.
Treatment Options
Speaking of treatment plans, let’s now compare the treatment tiers offered by Invisalign and ClearCorrect.
However, before we share the details here, we need to share a disclaimer: the treatment tiers shared below are not meant for patients to choose from. Professional clear aligner treatment doesn’t work as a menu at a fast-food restaurant.
Instead, you’ll have to see a clear aligner provider in person to get a customized treatment plan. Your plan (which includes the number of aligners you need) is based upon how complex your case is and how long it will take to move your teeth.
In summary, the longer your treatment will be, the more aligners you will need, and the larger the treatment package you will need.
So it’s actually misleading to think you have “options” when it comes to treatment with clear aligners. There’s really only one option: the exact treatment plan you need to get straight teeth.
When you do find professional clear aligner treatment plans online, keep in mind that these are primarily for dentists to reference. Dentists and orthodontists who provide clear aligner treatment are ordering the product from companies like Invisalign and ClearCorrect, and they need to have a frame of reference for placing an order for each patient.
Your clear aligner provider will let you know (and show you on the computer) how many aligners you will need to get a straighter smile and then let you know how much that treatment will cost.
You can’t simply “choose” a smaller treatment bracket because you expect it will be cheaper for faster. That would be like paying someone to paint half of your house in order to pay half-price. Your best (and only) option is to pay for exactly what you need to get the job done.
With that said, let’s now review the treatment plans that are available for Invisalign and ClearCorrect.
Invisalign offers the following treatment tiers, or packages:
- Invisalign Comprehensive. This is probably the most common treatment package, as it includes an unlimited number of aligners. It’s ideal if you have a fairly complex case of crooked teeth, which could take years to straighten out.
- Invisalign Moderate. This package includes up to 20 aligners and is suitable for moderate cases of misalignment.
- Invisalign Lite. The Lite package includes up to 14 sets of aligners and will work well on mild-to-moderate cases.
- Invisalign Express. You can get results in about three months with just seven sets of aligners or less with Invisalign Express.
- Invisalign Express 5. The quickest treatment tier offered by Invisalign includes up to five sets of aligners and is perfect if you only need to straighten out one or two slightly crooked teeth or if you have very mild spacing issues.
ClearCorrect does not have a specific treatment tier breakdown for their aligners other than the pricing reference for dentists, but the details are as follows:
- ClearCorrect FLEX. This treatment tier is for mild and fast cases that can be treated with six sets of aligners or fewer.
- ClearCorrect ONE. This package includes up to 24 aligners for moderate cases.
- ClearCorrect Unlimited. Like Invisalign’s Comprehensive treatment tier, this one includes all of the aligners a patient needs until their teeth are straight. You may need this treatment level if you have a complicated case that takes more than a year to treat.
Customer Reviews
ClearCorrect reviews by various individuals are overwhelmingly positive. But this isn’t a big surprise since ClearCorrect is a reputable brand on-par with Invisalign in terms of quality and effectiveness.
And there is many an Invisalign review which sings the praises of this world-famous pioneer of clear aligner therapy.
You really can’t go wrong with either ClearCorrect or Invisalign as both products have excellent customer reviews, and dental professionals offer both.
ClearCorrect vs Invisalign Cost
There is a slight difference in cost for Invisalign and ClearCorrect.
Invisalign cost ranges widely from $1,800 to $9,500. This is likely since Invisalign has more established and ever-progressing technology, allowing them to create treatment plans for all sorts of orthodontic cases. ClearCorrect treatment, on the other hand, is slightly more moderate in price, ringing in at $2,000 to $8,000.
Ultimately, there isn’t a massive difference in cost between these two very similar services. Still, many people do report that they are quoted a smaller amount for ClearCorrect treatment than for Invisalign.
So if you’d like to save a couple of hundred dollars, then ClearCorrect could end up being cheaper for you.
However, if you only need three to five aligners to get your teeth in order, then it appears that Invisalign offers a better deal. That’s because their smallest treatment tier includes five aligners, while ClearCorrect’s smallest package includes a minimum of six aligners.
Do they accept dental insurance?
Neither Invisalign nor ClearCorrect “accept” insurance.
Invisalign and ClearCorrect are simply two brands offered through a service your dentist or orthodontist provides. Whether or not that orthodontic service is covered or not depends on your unique dental benefits plan.
If you have a plan that covers orthodontic treatment, then your insurance will likely pick up the cost or reimburse you for it.
Even if you don’t have dental insurance, your clear aligner provider will most likely have an in-house financing option to help you afford your treatment.
(By the way, if you find that professional clear aligner treatment won’t fit into your budget, then you may want to check out some of the best cheap teeth aligners currently on the market.)
Which Company Will Suit You Best?
The big takeaway here is that ClearCorrect and Invisalign are two of the best teeth aligners out there, and you can’t go wrong with either one.
The only factors that may influence your choice are:
- Availability. You may pick a treatment based upon which is provided by your local dentist or orthodontist.
- Aligner design. Invisalign trays are very flexible, but ClearCorrect’s aligners are thinner and more transparent.
Both companies can be covered by dental insurance, they are similarly priced, and both come with excellent customer reviews.
Have you used Invisalign or ClearCorrect as part of your orthodontic treatment?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
FAQ
Invisalign aligners are slightly thicker than ClearCorrect aligner trays.
Both aligner companies work equally well as alternatives to traditional braces.
ClearCorrect treatment is often reported to be cheaper than Invisalign, but your treatment plan’s final cost depends on your unique treatment needs.
ClearCorrect is often slightly cheaper than Invisalign, but this in no way affects the quality of the treatment.
While both clear aligner brands are commonly used in orthodontic treatment and cosmetic dentistry, ClearCorrect trays are generally seen as clearer, firmer, and less expensive than Invisalign aligners.
