If you’re considering clear aligners, your straight-teeth dreams might be plagued by worries about wearing them during an important presentation or a first date. While it’s possible to remove your aligners throughout the day, you might be more comfortable avoiding daytime wear altogether. That’s what makes AlignerCo’s NightOnly treatment so appealing. You only have to wear them at night!
If you’ve got your credit card out already, pump the brakes. NightOnly might be a good option for you, but don’t commit to treatment before you’ve researched it and weighed your options. And if you recoil at the thought of doing research, don’t worry. We’ve done it for you. By the end of this review, you’ll have all the info you need to make a well-informed decision.
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How Do AlignerCo’s NightOnly Aligners Work?
They work pretty much the same as all-day aligners. Over several months and numerous sets of aligners, they’ll gradually shift your teeth to their new positions. However, instead of wearing your aligners for 22+ hours a day, you’ll only need to wear them for ten. You might not get ten hours of sleep every night (honestly, who does?), but you can just brush your teeth after dinner, pop them in, and you’re set until the next morning. When you wake up for your morning routine, take them out and go about your day.
Over the next several months, your aligners will work every night to slowly and surely straighten your teeth. It’s a great option for constant snackers, all-day coffee drinkers, or anyone who’s intimidated by wearing aligners all day long.
Pros & Cons of AlignerCo NightOnly Treatment
It might seem like NightOnly treatment is an ideal solution, but no treatment is perfect. Before you dive in headfirst, look at both sides of the coin. Here’s an honest overview of NightOnly’s pros and cons:
Pros
Cons
Our Review Methodology
Smile Prep’s reviews are prepared and presented from the perspective of a well-informed consumer. Our starting point for all of our reviews is a careful survey of a company’s marketing claims and available third party customer reviews. We rely on the accuracy of company claims and do not independently verify them. Our reviews use this information to help our readers get information about the available options in a centralized location. You can learn more about our review process by checking out our publishing principles.
Nighttime vs. Daytime Treatment
Here’s a little secret for you: NightOnly aligners are exactly the same as AlignerCo’s standard aligners. Same design, same BPA-free plastics, same results. Your set of NightOnly aligners will be identical to the ones you’d receive for daytime treatment. So what, exactly, is the difference? Let’s take a look:
Wear Schedule
This is the most significant distinction between daytime and nighttime treatment. Standard daytime treatment requires 22+ hours of wear per day. So, pretty much any time you’re not eating or drinking, you’re wearing them. NightOnly only requires ten hours per night. Typically, you’ll wear each set of daytime aligners for two weeks before moving to the next one. Nighttime aligners often follow the same schedule but may require more time per set or additional aligners, depending on your case.
A licensed dentist will develop and customize your wear schedule based on your specific condition. If you start out wearing your aligners all day but decide you don’t like it, don’t try to make the switch to a nighttime schedule on your own without consulting AlignerCo first.
Price
Given NightOnly’s superior convenience and longer timeline, they’re slightly more expensive. Standard AlignerCo treatment is $995, while NightOnly costs $1,195 instead. It’s not a huge difference, and NightOnly is still cheaper than every other home aligner brand we’ve reviewed. But if nighttime wear isn’t high on your priority list, you can save $200 by choosing standard treatment instead.
Timeline
When you wear your aligners for less time each day, they don’t shift your teeth quite as quickly, extending your overall timeline. AlignerCo says their average treatment plan is 4–6 months long. NightOnly, on the other hand, often takes 6–8 months.
Both of NightOnly’s payment plans take a year or less to complete. NightFlex is $96/month for twelve months but requires a credit check, while NightFlex Easy includes a $795 down payment, then six monthly payments of $100 (but no credit check).
Remember that this timeline depends on the severity of your condition, since more significant cases of crowding and spacing take longer to correct. Even so, you can expect NightOnly to take slightly longer, regardless of your condition’s severity.
Comfort
We’ll shoot straight with you: You might experience some discomfort no matter which company and treatment you choose. But nighttime treatment can sometimes increase that discomfort. When you remove your aligners, your teeth start to shift back to their original positions. The longer you go without them each day, the more your teeth shift. Constantly shifting your teeth in and out of their new position slows down treatment and puts additional strain on your teeth. This can cause additional discomfort, and if you’re a light sleeper, it could mean some restless nights.
There’s one more thing we should add: the extra strain on your teeth may carry a small, added risk of injuring your tooth roots. This is always a risk (albeit, a very small one) when undergoing any kind of orthodontic treatment, and we hope AlignerCo’s dental team took appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of nighttime aligners before bringing them to market.
All the same, dentists and orthodontists have always advised their patients to keep aligners in place as much of the day as possible. It’s not just to speed up treatment, but also to support a safe and healthy adjustment process. If you’re as cautious about your teeth as we are about ours, this is something you’ll probably want to consider before signing up for a nighttime-only plan.
Other Nighttime-Only Treatment Options
If you’re a careful shopper, if you binge Amazon product reviews and draw detailed Venn diagrams before making a purchase, you’ll want to take a look at the other nighttime aligners on the market. NightOnly might seem revolutionary, but Byte, SmileDirectClub, and NewSmile offer similar options, and we’ve compared them for you right here.
| AlignerCo NightOnly | Byte At-Night | SmileDirectClub Nighttime | NewSmile Night | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wear Schedule | 10 hours per day | 10 hours per day | 10 hours per day | 10 hours per day |
| Advertised Average Treatment Plan | 6–8 months | 5–6 months | 10 months | 8–10 months |
| Price | $1,195 | $2,599 | $2,250 | $1,695 |
| Aligner Design | Same as daytime aligners | Thicker, premium plastic for more power | Same as daytime aligners | Same as daytime aligners |
| Treatment Designer | Either a state-licensed dentist or orthodontist | Either a state-licensed dentist or orthodontist | Either a state-licensed dentist or orthodontist | Either a state-licensed dentist or orthodontist |
| Accelerator | None | HyperByte (5 minutes per day) | None | None |
So, Which Should I Choose?
If you want the most budget-friendly option, it’s AlignerCo. But if low prices aren’t your top priority, we think Byte offers the best nighttime aligners. They’re the only company that specially designs their nighttime aligners with a thicker, grind-resistant plastic selected specifically for overnight wear. Plus, their HyperByte device uses high-frequency vibrations that the company says may help reduce discomfort.
Take a look at our in-depth review for additional details on Byte At-Night treatment.
Final Thoughts
If you’re turned off by the idea of wearing clear aligners to work, school, or social engagements, AlignerCo’s NightOnly aligners could be the perfect solution for you. They’re also convenient for frequent snackers or coffee drinkers since you need to remove your aligners and clean your teeth every time you eat or drink.
That said, AlignerCo isn’t the only company offering this service, and it’s a good idea to compare all your nighttime-only treatment options before moving forward. That way, you can go into treatment fully confident & ready to transform your smile!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does NightOnly take?
On average, 6–8 months. Your specific timeline depends on your condition’s severity and how diligently you follow your treatment plan.
Should I choose daytime or NightOnly treatment?
It depends on your condition and priorities. If all-day wear doesn’t fit your schedule or daily routine, NightOnly might be a good fit. But daytime treatment has a shorter timeline (around 4–6 months) and costs less ($995), so we think that all-day treatment is a better choice for most people.
Is financing available for NightOnly treatment?
Yes, and it’s very similar to their daytime treatment financing. NightFlex requires a credit check to qualify, then 12 monthly payments of $96. NightFlex Easy is available to everyone, regardless of credit score, and requires a $795 down payment followed by six monthly payments of $100.
How is NightOnly different from standard AlignerCo aligners?
NightOnly treatment only requires ten hours of overnight wear, compared to the 22+ necessary for daytime treatment. It’s also $200 more expensive ($1,195) and takes 6–8 months rather than the traditional 4–6 month timeline.
Can NightOnly treat my condition?
Maybe. It depends on the severity. Like daytime treatment, NightOnly aligners can only treat mild and moderate cases of crowding and spacing, but might not be robust enough to correct severe conditions like bite misalignments (underbite, overbite, etc.) You’ll need to submit an impression kit so that AlignerCo can evaluate your teeth and determine if their treatment can deliver your desired results.
How does NightOnly compare to its competitors?
NightOnly treatment is the most affordable nighttime aligner option. However, Byte offers innovative technology and specialized designs, SmileDirectClub has more experience and better refund policies, and some people think NewSmile has more reliable customer support. While SmileDirectClub, NewSmile, and AlignerCo’s nighttime aligners are identical to their daytime treatment (with a different wear schedule), Byte At-Night uses a special design and premium materials. Everything considered, we think Byte is the best of the four.
How long do I have to wear NightOnly aligners each night?
Only ten continuous hours. Not many of us get a solid ten hours of sleep per night (wouldn’t that be nice?), so just insert them after dinner and wear them until you wake up the next day.
Can I switch from daytime to NightOnly mid-treatment?
Since AlignerCo’s standard and NightOnly treatments use the same aligners, it’s possible. But you shouldn’t try making the switch on your own. AlignerCo’s dentists design their treatment plans (including wear schedules) specifically for each customer. If you find that a daytime schedule isn’t working for you, reach out to AlignerCo to see if it’s possible to adjust your treatment.
Does NightOnly treatment hurt?
Most customers find home aligners fairly comfortable. Nighttime aligners allow your teeth to shift back and forth slightly more, which can cause some additional discomfort. But you’ll be asleep most of the time you’re wearing them anyway.
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