Why You Should be Using Individual Teeth Aligners Over Braces

Photo by Daniel Frank

Originally Posted On: https://www.consumervoice.org/articles/why-you-should-be-using-individual-teeth-aligners-over-braces

For decades, metal braces have been the go-to solution for misaligned teeth. They became so common that lost retainers, rainbow rubber bands, and the “braces smile” became cultural touchstones many countries. But over the last decade or so, an alternative method has been gaining popularity. And, today, individual teeth aligners are giving conventional braces a run for their money.

Individual aligners are the modern answer to all the problems people have reported with traditional braces over the years. Sure, they have their own drawbacks. After all, they’re easier to lose and drinking soda is nearly impossible. But there are ways to keep a close eye on your aligners. And what is a little soda compared to all the benefits that individual teeth aligners have to offer?

The alignment systems below are the best of the best. They offer all the benefits of traditional braces – plus a few extra features – without the inconvenience. Both have their own strengths and have proven time and again exactly how reliable they are.

ALMOST INVISIBLE

Anyone who had braces in high school has at least one story about the kind of teasing that only comes with wearing braces. Modern options are a little more discreet than the options our parents had. But even braces designed to fit behind a person’s teeth have rubber bands and a retainer that are sure giveaways.

Individual teeth aligners are nearly invisible. Some of them have attachments to keep the aligners in place, but these can usually be dyed to match the color of a person’s teeth. Others, like those from Smile Direct Club, don’t need attachments at all. And if you do need a little extra help getting your aligner to stay in place, they offer a mint-flavored gum-like accessory that will get the job done.

Founded in 2014 by two life-long friends, Smile Direct Club is the biggest name in direct-to-consumer teeth alignment services. Their entire company is based around the concept that orthodontic care should be affordable enough for everyone, and their prices reflect that mission. Customers can choose to pay a one-time fee or they can sign up for a monthly payment plan so they can get the smile they want without emptying their wallet.

Smile Direct Club structured their company around more than affordability, however. They wanted to make the process as simple as possible so that their customers wouldn’t have to jump through jump through too many hoops before they could smile their best smile. Customers need only send in for their kit and then follow the included instructions to create a complete mold of their teeth. When they send the mold back, a licensed orthodontist or dentist takes a look.

Customers then receive an individualized alignment plan as well as a picture of what their smile will look like at the end. After a quick check up with the customer’s local dentist, they are ready to start their alignment process. And, to make it even easier, Smile Direct Club now has over 300 SmileStores where customers can get their teeth scanned right away, making the process even more efficient.

The company offers aligners for daytime as well as overnight aligners. Both styles cost the same and both can be purchased using the company’s SmilePay monthly payment plan. $1895 up front might seem like a lot. But $85 a month is much more manageable for most people. And, for over 700,000 in only five years, the results were well worth the cost.

COMFORT

The biggest complaint about traditional braces, from the very start, has been the discomfort. Realigning your teeth is never going to be a comfortable process. But when you add in the way metal braces press against your mouth, the tension of the rubber bands, and the sensation of food caught in your braces, it all just seems like too much. But, with invisible aligners, the discomfort becomes much more manageable.

Rather than realigning your teeth through constant tension, invisible aligners slowly shift them into place with a more gentle kind of pressure. And, with Invisalign’s SmartTrack technology, the process is even more comfortable.

If the name Invisalign sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Invisalign is one of the most popular individual teeth aligner companies in America. It is owned by the company Align, a medical device company founded in 1997. What started as a small group of friends working out of a duplex in Redwood, California has grown into an international powerhouse of a company. Now, after 22 years, their Invisalign tooth realignment system has helped over 7.2 million people.

Customers who want an Invisalign system will have to wait a little bit longer than customers who go through other companies that work directly with consumers. But over seven million people can tell you that what you invest in time, you will get back in results. Invisalign systems are only available through dentists and orthodontists trained to work with the system. Customers go in for a visit with the dental care provider, who then walks them through the process. Billing is also handled through the dentist’s office, so the customer doesn’t have to handle all of it directly.

Once the customer gets their Invisalign correction system, they can check in with their dentist whenever they have a question so they get one-on-one corrective services. That kind of service is hard to beat!

CONVENIENCE

It seems like the world gets busier every day. Many people struggle to fit in all the things they need to do, let alone the things they want to do. And, unfortunately, teeth realignment falls into the latter category for many people. That is why convenience is a key point where individual teeth aligners shine over traditional braces.

Rather than schedule a visit with your orthodontist every few weeks or months, you can just send in for your realignment kit and handle it all at home. Even with online companies, however, you might find yourself heading to the orthodontist’s office before you can get your tooth realignment underway. Byte is a company that thinks you should be able to skip the office visit altogether.

Though Byte was only founded a few years ago, it’s making big waves in the tooth realignment market. Unlike its competitors, Byte does not require its customers to see a dentist or orthodontist before they will provide a realignment plan. They treat their customers as soon as the company receives the person’s dental mold and Byte’s orthodontists approve the person as a patient. Although, as the company’s site points out, anyone under 18 can only be treated with a parent’s consent.

And, thanks to a HyperByte – a proprietary high-frequency vibration tool whose technology is backed by several clinical trials – customers get the best fit possible out of their aligners. This leads to tooth correction up to six months faster than they will get it from Byte’s competitors. For most people, this means they will see results in 2-4 months rather than 8-10.

High-frequency vibration tools have been available in orthodontists’ offices for years, though they typically cost upwards of $900 to use. Byte includes their HyperByte tool with every kit as part of the kit’s standing price. They also include teeth whitening supplies and several other goodies that really boost the value of this kit.

Customers can choose to pay an up-front cost of $1,895 or they can opt for a monthly billing cycle of $83 each month. Either way, this kit will more than pay for itself before the year is out!

AFFORDABILITY

Traditional braces are expensive. So expensive, in fact, that dumpster diving for retainers was a hilariously common fixture in 90’s and early 2000’s television. And, depending on the company, invisible aligners can be just as expensive. Invisalign, for example, costs anywhere between $3,500 and $8,000, depending on how many rounds of adjustments the patient needs and what their insurance will cover. Traditional braces, on the other hand, cost between $2,500 and $6,000. Online companies are the most affordable of the three options, bringing up the rear with a one-time cost of $1,895 or a monthly payment of $85, $83, or $66 depending on the company.

Of course, there are other options on the market that are even more affordable. Amazon sells several kits with one-size-fits-all retainers perfect for those on a serious budget. Unfortunately, the trays are sold as one-size-fits-all, which is not only uncomfortable but might not be the most effective route. To that end, it’s hard to say what their actual cost is, since you might end up getting another tooth alignment system to finish the job a generic aligner started.

If cost if your biggest concern – and for many it will be – you might want to look at SmileLove. They function like other online companies, by sending you an impression kit which is then reviewed by a licensed orthodontist. After that, a treatment plan is laid out and aligners are sent back to the customer. It’s an effective model that, for the most part, can be found at roughly the same price range across companies.

SmileLove takes their financing seriously, however. They have not two but three payment options available to their customers. Like most online companies, their kits cost $1,895 up-front. They also have a monthly payment plan with a $66 minimum, the lowest on this list.

In addition to these two options, however, they have a third. Customers can pay $79 for the impression kit alone, to ensure that they are eligible for tooth realignment and that they like the predicted results. If the customer doesn’t, they don’t have to pay anything else. But if they want to continue with SmileLove, they pay the usual $1,895 to get their aligners. It costs more overall, but it allows uncertain customers a little more certainty before they commit to the realignment plan.

WHEN ITS TIME TO CHOOSE, WEIGH THE PROS & CONS

Ultimately, the best option comes down to what the customer needs and what they can afford. There are some benefits to traditional braces. If there weren’t, they would have long since been phased out as an obsolete method. Those benefits, however, may not outweigh the drawbacks. Similarly, individual teeth aligners are wonderful inventions, but they have their drawbacks as well. When these pros and cons are placed side-by-side, however, most customers will find that invisible aligners shine the brightest.

BEST OVERALL PICk

At this point, you have probably chosen individual tooth aligners over traditional braces. All that’s left is to choose the right company. And, while all of the companies on this list have their benefits, one stands out miles above the rest. And that company is Byte.

Byte is a company that puts their customers’ needs at the forefront of their business plan. They know you can choose from other companies. And that is why they want to provide better service, faster. They are ideal for anyone who has an event coming up or who simply does not want to wait for methods with longer time-frames to take effect.

Everything about their brand speaks to modern consumers. They want you to own your smile. Whatever that means to you. And they want you to have the confidence for that as soon as possible. That means offering an easy-to-access payment planning system as well as streamlining the insurance process. So if you’re ready to take the plunge and start your tooth realignment process, check out Byte’s website today.

Sources

https://www.aaoinfo.org/blog/braces-vs-clear-aligners/

https://centreslapointe.com/en/blog/conventional-braces-vs-clear-aligners

Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. Frankly and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact pressreleases@franklymedia.com