Smile Direct Club is a popular option for people who want to straighten their teeth from the convenience of their homes, and for much less than traditional braces cost. This isn’t the only brand making waves in teledentistry, however, as there are plenty of Smile Direct Club alternatives as well. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at both Smile Direct Club and its main competitors and alternatives so you can find the best option for your smile, budget, and lifestyle.
Smile Direct Club: An Overview
If you’re looking for a discreet way to straighten your teeth without a mouth full of uncomfortable and unsightly metal brackets, you may have heard of Smile Direct Club. Smile Direct is a type of clear aligner that uses a remote treatment plan to straighten teeth. ‘Remote’ means that there are no in-office visits with your orthodontist or dentist. The entire process can be completed at home, treatment time is usually shorter than with traditional braces, and they are generally much more affordable standard braces options. Want to know more about how Smile Direct works? Let’s take a closer look below, in our brief Smile Direct Club review!
What Are Smile Direct Club Aligners?
Smile Direct aligners are custom-made BPA-free, transparent plastic trays that fit snugly around your teeth. You receive multiple sets of aligners, each working to slowly move your teeth into the correct position.
How Does It Work?
The first step is to take the 30-second online Smile Assessment. This will determine right off the bat if you are a potential candidate for this kind of orthodontic treatment. If you are deemed eligible, you then order your impression kit online from the Smile Direct website. Your kit comes with detailed instructions on how to make perfect impressions. You’ll then send your impressions in to Smile Direct, where your assigned dentist or orthodontist will review your case and make the final decision as to whether or not you are eligible for treatment.
Once your case is accepted, your dentist or orthodontist will come up with a personalized treatment plan for you, and your aligner trays will be made in the Smile Direct lab. Once they’re completed, you’ll receive them all together in the mail, and you can begin treatment!
Each aligner is designed to make slight adjustments to your teeth’ position, all following the treatment plan created by your licensed Smile Direct dentist or orthodontist. Once you’ve completed treatment, you’ll need to order your retainers. These must be worn every night for the rest of your life in order to make sure your teeth don’t move back to a misaligned position. It may sound extreme that you’ll have to wear retainers for the rest of your life, but this is standard practice with any type of braces or aligner treatment, in-office, or remote.
SmileShops
One of the components that distinguishes Smile Direct Club from many other at-home cheap teeth aligners options is that they offer physical locations called SmileShops. SmileShops are located all around the country, and you can book a free 30-minute visit. During your appointment, a trained representative will take 3D scans of your teeth to determine if you are eligible for treatment, and show you what your teeth will look like when they are all straightened.
The rest of the process is the same; your 3D scans are sent to an orthodontist or dentist who will review your case, determine if you are eligible, and come up with your treatment plan. You’ll still receive all of your aligner trays in the mail, and you don’t have to go back to the SmileShop to pick them up. Some people prefer to make an appointment at a SmileShop because it can be a bit tricky to make your own impressions at home.
Smile Direct Club Treatment Options
You can choose between two treatment options from Smile Direct Club: Nighttime Clear Aligners and the standard option. Both cost $1,950, although there is usually a Smile Direct Club coupon available for a discount.
Standard option
With the classic treatment plan, treatment time is from four to six months on average, and you have to wear the aligners at least 22 hours per day. That means you can take them out if you have an important event like weddings, speech, or graduation.
Nighttime option
The idea with Nighttime Clear Aligners is that you can wear them while you sleep. You need to wear them for a minimum of 10 hours a day, so unless you are a really talented sleeper, you’ll probably have a couple of hours of awake time with your aligners too. Treatment time with Nighttime aligners takes longer, with an average treatment time of 10 months.
Best Smile Direct Club Alternatives
The teeth aligners market is growing at a rapid rate. It is accepted to reach $8.2 billion by 2026, so naturally, Smile Direct Club isn’t the only option available to people who want to straighten their teeth with mail-order teeth aligners. Some of these options are more similar to Smile Direct, while others have some essential differences.
Companies Like Smile Direct Club
It’s ultimately up to you which brand you want to go with, but we’re here to help you decide. Let’s have a closer look at the companies that are similar to Smile Direct Club.
byte
Byte is one of the newer at-home clear aligner brands to the game. The treatment process for Byte vs Smile Direct Club is similar; you order an impression kit online, make your impressions at home, send them in, and receive your clear aligners in the mail. There are a few important differences between Byte and Smile Direct Club that you should keep in mind during your decision-making process:
- Physical locations: While Smile Direct has SmileShops where you can go for in-person assistance and 3D scans, Byte has no physical locations.
- Treatment time: Byte has a unique HyperByte device that uses high-frequency vibrations to speed up treatment and reduce discomfort. The average treatment time for Byte is just two to four months.
- Orthodontists vs dentists: Byte works only with orthodontists while planning your treatment, whereas Smile Direct Club works with either dentists or orthodontists.
- Price: The price for the standard treatment option is actually the same for both, $1,895, but for Nighttime clear aligners, Byte’s treatment costs $2,245.
Candid
Many people find themselves trying to decide between Candid vs Smile Direct Club. Candid is another clear aligners brand that shares more similarities with Smile Direct Club than differences. Candid even has physical locations where you can go, called Candid Studios, which function just like SmileShops. Also, the average treatment time for both brands is six months. Let’s go over a few of the notable differences now:
- Price: Candid is a bit more expensive than Smile Direct at $1,895
- Orthodontists vs dentists: Candid works exclusively with orthodontists to plan and monitor your treatment.
- AI technology: Candid uses advanced AI technology called Dental Monitoring for more frequent check-ins with your orthodontist, and faster and more accurate treatment.
- Nighttime: Candid doesn’t offer a nighttime option.
Aligner Co.
AlignerCo offers a nighttime treatment option, and treatment lasts an average of six months, just like with Smile Direct Club. But there are some significant differences to consider as well:
- Cost: AlignerCo is one of the cheapest brands on the market at just $995. Although, for the nighttime treatment, that price goes up just a bit to $1,195.
- Orthodontists vs dentists: AlignerCo works only with orthodontists to plan and monitor patient treatment.
- Physical locations: There are no physical locations with AlignerCo. However, they do offer a live video chat option if you need help taking your impressions.
Different Alternatives to Smile Direct Club
Clear aligners are not your only options when it comes to straightening teeth. Let’s have a look now at some clear aligner alternatives and what they can be used for.
Braces
The most obvious alternative to Smile Direct Club and clear aligners, in general, are braces. But even if you choose braces, you aren’t limiting yourself to just one option. In fact, there are many different types of braces, like ceramic, Damon, and lingual. If you have a complex case that requires more intense treatment, you will probably need to opt for more traditional styles of braces.
Veneers
Dental veneers don’t actually fix teeth alignment problems, so this isn’t an option if you actually need orthodontic work for oral health reasons. However, if you have slight gaps between teeth, or only slightly crooked teeth, veneers can help give you a more uniform smile.
Snap-On veneers are a budget option that you can order online and pop in your mouth for an instant smile transformation. These are not meant to fix alignment problems and are strictly a quick cosmetic fix. They are also not meant for long-term wear.
Smile Direct Club Competitors Comparison Table
As you can see, there are a variety of options when it comes to Smile Direct Club competitors and alternatives. To help you keep them straight, we’ve compiled all of the differences in the table below.
| Smile Direct Club | byte | Candid | AlignerCo | Veneers | Braces | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $2,050 | $1,999 | $2,400 | $995 | $25 as a minimum for Snap-on veneers. Up to $3,000 per tooth for porcelain veneers. | $3,000 to $7,000 |
| Treatment time | Six months | 2-4 months | Six months | Six months | N/A | N/A |
| For... | Mild to complex cases | Mild to complex cases | Mild to complex cases | Mild to complex cases | Cosmetic purposes only | Mild to complex cases |
| Nighttime option? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Orthodontists or dentists? | Both | Orthodontists | Orthodontists | Orthodontists | N/A | Orthodontists |
Smile Direct Club may be a good option if you are looking for a discreet way to straighten your teeth from the comfort of your home. If you aren’t entirely sold on this brand, there are other similar alternatives available as well. You’ll need to decide what your priorities are and how much you are willing to spend when you make your final decision.
