AlignerCo and Byte have a lot in common. Both clear aligner services offer at-home teeth straightening, and both are newer to the scene than industry giant SmileDirectClub. But when you dig deeper, you’ll find that there are some major differences between them.
We’re here to help you decipher these differences and determine the features that are most important to you. In this comparison review, we’ll explore all the details of AlignerCo and Byte’s treatments, and provide all the information you need to choose the best home teeth aligner option for you.
Table of Contents
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.
Byte vs. AlignerCo: Overview
Byte and AlignerCo can handle mild and moderate misalignments, and for a lot less than Invisalign and other traditional orthodontics — but they boast different prices, procedures, and advantages. Take a look.
Byte | AlignerCo | |
---|---|---|
Price | All-Day: $1,999 At-Night: $2,399 | All-Day: $995 NightOnly: $1,195 |
Financing | All-Day: $249 down, 36 monthly payments of $70 At-Night: $299 down, 36 monthly payments of $84 | All-Day: Starting at $83/month for 12 months NightOnly: Starting at $99/month For 12 months |
Advertised Treatment Plan Length | All-Day: 4–5 months At-Night: 5–6 months | All-Day: 4–6 months NightOnly: 6–8 months |
Startup Options | Impression kit | Impression kit |
Nighttime Option | Yes | Yes |
Aligner Kit Includes | Aligners, whitening, HyperByte, one set of retainers | Aligners, impression kit, whitening kit, one set of retainers |
Our Recommendation
Byte wins. Here’s why we love them.
Two Great Companies, but Byte Gets Our Vote.
Both AlignerCo & Byte offer huge savings and convenience, but in our opinion, Byte wins the race. Why? Two reasons:
- The HyperByte Device: Byte says their high-frequency vibration device, the HyperByte, may help provide a more comfortable aligner fit and even encourage faster dental shifts for some customers. Byte includes the HyperByte in the cost of every treatment plan.
- Superior Customer Experience: Byte assigns each customer a personal advisor, who checks in to address your questions and concerns. Plus, once you’re done with treatment, their Byte-for-Life Guarantee protects your smile forever. That means if your teeth ever shift after treatment, even years down the line, they’ll realign your smile for free — as long as you replace your retainers once a year and wear them as directed.
Before you decide, talk to your dentist.
They know your teeth better than anyone, and they’ll know which treatment would work best for you. They’ll examine your teeth and take X-rays to make sure your mouth is healthy enough for clear aligners. Plus, they’ll check to see if you have any cavities, gingivitis, or other issues to address beforehand.
Now, let’s get into the details.
Scope of Treatment Comparison
One of the biggest questions facing you as you investigate clear aligner treatments is: what can they treat? Most at-home aligner companies say they can correct mild and moderate cases of crowding and spacing, but they can’t treat severe misalignments like in-office options can. So Byte and AlignerCo have pretty similar capabilities.
Byte Scope of Treatment
AlignerCo Scope of Treatment
- Treats mild-to-moderate cosmetic concerns.
- Mostly moves the front 6–8 teeth in either arch.
- Recommends monthly photo check-ins.
- Treats mild-to-moderate cosmetic concerns.
- Mostly moves the front 6–8 teeth in either arch.
- Requires bi-weekly photo check-ins.
What Byte and AlignerCo Can Treat
According to Byte’s website, their aligners can treat:
- Mild-to-moderate crowding
- Mild-to-moderate spacing
- Some cases of overbite
- Some midline misalignment cases
On the flip side, AlignerCo’s website claims they can typically address the following issues:
- Mild-to-moderate crowding
- Mild-to-moderate spacing
- Mild-to-moderate overbite or overjet
- Limited underbite
- Localized crossbite
At first glance, that might make it seem like AlignerCo has a wider treatment scope, but both companies are pretty much the same. They each can usually only treat mild or moderate cases of crowding and spacing. And since neither can move the molars, they aren’t likely to tackle more complex misalignments or jaw issues.
Clinical Oversight
Your aligner treatment plan doesn’t appear out of thin air — rather, it’s carefully crafted by a state-licensed professional. Both companies employ dentists and orthodontists who review and approve their treatment plans. You don’t get to choose who you get, but you can be confident that experts will have a hand in creating your aligner plan.
To help you stay on track, AlignerCo provides consistent remote oversight. Every two weeks, you’ll be required to submit photos of your teeth to their AlignerTracker app, so that their team can evaluate your progress and identify any potential concerns. Byte, on the other hand, recommends that you submit photos once per month by uploading them to the My Byte app.
Quality of Materials
AlignerCo says they produce their aligners using plastics from Raintree Essix, a high-quality, well-respected dental supplies company. So, you can be confident that their products contain sturdy and reliable materials.
In late 2020, Byte was acquired by Dentsply Sirona, a reputable dental manufacturing company that makes cleaning instruments, scanning machines, retainers, and virtually any other dental equipment you can imagine. That means Byte has the resources and materials of a large, trustworthy corporation behind them.
Affordability Comparison
All home aligner companies are affordable when compared to traditional in-office treatments like Invisalign, which typically costs $3,000–$8,000. But among these affordable options, AlignerCo is king. Their prices are significantly lower than the rest of the field.
Considering the quality of their treatment, we think Byte offers good value, but AlignerCo is a consistent favorite for anyone on a tight budget who’s looking for a cost-effective option. However, affordability isn’t one-dimensional. Make sure to look beyond price tags to consider financing options and other perks as well.
Byte Affordability
AlignerCo Affordability
- $1,999 sticker price (or $2,399 for Byte At-Night).
- Includes the first set of aftercare retainers in the initial cost.
- The sticker price includes the HyperByte device.
- Impression kit is $95.
- Financing requires a down payment and soft credit check.
- The Byte Protection Plan provides some of the most affordable retainers in the industry.
- $995 sticker price ($1,195 for NightOnly).
- The initial payment includes the first set of aftercare retainers.
- The sticker price also includes your impression kit.
- Multiple financing options — one requires a soft credit check, the other requires a down payment.
- The Smile Protection Plan provides some of the most affordable retainers in the industry.
Sticker Price
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more affordable option than AlignerCo. Their $995 sticker price is several hundred dollars lower than other at-home aligners and thousands less than in-office options. This upfront cost includes your aligners, impression kit, and the first set of aftercare retainers — everything you need for treatment. If you choose NightOnly treatment, you’ll pay $1,195 instead.
Byte costs $1,999, which is right around the average for at-home treatment, yet still cheaper than Invisalign and other in-office aligners. Even though Byte’s initial price includes the cost of your first set of aftercare retainers, it doesn’t cover your impression kit, which is an extra $95. On the flip side, this price also includes HyperByte, a high-frequency vibration device that Byte says might help reduce discomfort. As the company’s premium offering, Byte At-Night is a little more expensive: $2,399 in total.
Payment Plan Options
Even after discounts, home aligners aren’t exactly cheap. You might not be ready to pay $900–$2,300 right away, and that’s okay. Each company offers financing plans that can break the cost into more manageable monthly payments.
Byte’s in-house financing plan (BytePay) requires a soft credit check, followed by a $249 down payment and $70/month for 36 months. Byte At-Night requires a $299 down payment, followed by 36 monthly payments of $84.
AlignerCo has two different financing options:
- SmileFlex requires a soft credit check and if you qualify, it’s twelve monthly payments of $83. With NightOnly financing, those payments increase to $99.
- SmileFlex Easy does not require a credit check but does require a $335 down payment followed by six monthly payments of $135 (or $445 then six $150 monthly payments for NightOnly).
Byte’s plan has lower monthly payments, but for just a little more each month, you can pay off AlignerCo’s entire cost in less than a year. Both companies’ financing plans have interest and cost more in the long run, so it’s cheaper to pay upfront if you can swing it.
Extras
Byte and AlignerCo both include free whitening to accompany your aligners, which is a nice touch that allows you to brighten your smile while you straighten your teeth.
Byte also includes their HyperByte device in the cost of your aligner bundle. The company says the HyperByte “may help reduce discomfort,” and there’s evidence that high-frequency vibration devices might help your teeth shift more quickly, too. You’d pay $699 if you bought it separately, so the fact that they include it in your treatment package is a huge benefit.
Aftercare Costs
Once you’ve achieved the smile you’ve always wanted, you’ll need to maintain it. Industry-wide wisdom recommends wearing a nightly retainer indefinitely after your treatment so that your pearly whites stay in position.
AlignerCo and Byte both include your first set of retainers (upper and lower) in their aligner packages. At-home clear aligner companies typically recommend replacing your retainer every six months — so it will be an ongoing expense. Fortunately, Byte and AlignerCo both offer retainer replacement plans that make the entire process cheaper.
Byte Protection Plan | AlignerCo’s Smile Protection Plan |
---|---|
Five-year duration. | Four-year duration. |
Same retainer prices for all-day and at-night aligner treatment. | Same retainer price for both daytime and nighttime treatment. |
$749 for ten retainers ($75 each). | $680 for eight retainers ($85 each), but often on sale for $549 ($68.63 each) |
They will mail you new retainers upon request. | They will deliver all your retainers at once, so you won’t have to worry about requesting them. |
Your retainers will already be in stock, so you won’t have to wait for a replacement. | You’ll already have all your replacement retainers, so if you lose one, you can just grab another. |
If you lose your retainer, Byte will replace it for free. |
You can learn more about these plans in our complete guides to the Byte Protection Plan and AlignerCo’s Smile Protection Plan.
Convenience Comparison
If you’re sold on home aligners, it’s likely in part because they’re incredibly convenient. You can complete the entire process over a few months without leaving your house. In our opinion, both treatments are more convenient than in-office options, but we think Byte is especially so.
Byte Convenience
AlignerCo Convenience
- No physical locations that offer teeth scans, so you’ll need to use an impression kit.
- Takes around four weeks to design, produce, and ship your aligners.
- Allows you to use aligners and whitening products simultaneously.
- Byte At-Night treatment only requires aligner use for ten hours per day.
- Byte says their average treatment plan is 4–5 months long.
- No physical locations that offer teeth scans, so you’ll need to complete the impression kit to start treatment.
- Takes around five weeks to design, produce, and ship your aligners.
- Includes whitening that you can use simultaneously with your aligners.
- Offers a NightOnly option, requiring only ten hours of aligner wear per day.
- AlignerCo claims their average treatment plan is 4–6 months long.
Getting Started
Once you’ve decided to pursue home aligner treatment, you’ll probably want to get the ball rolling right away. But before Byte or AlignerCo can design your treatment plan, they need to get a look at your teeth.
This usually involves creating molds of your top and bottom arches with an impression kit. It sounds simple, but many customers report struggling with this first step. Taking impressions isn’t always easy if you’ve never done it before. Larger companies like SmileDirectClub have established physical locations where you can get free digital teeth scans, which can be more comfortable and time-efficient, according to some research.
Neither Byte nor AlignerCo has any physical locations, so if you’re choosing either one, you’ll need to complete your own impressions at home, which some customers have said is a more difficult process.
Teeth Whitening
Straightening your teeth is a big change, but if you want to take it a step further, you might be considering whitening them too. Good news: Byte and AlignerCo each include a free whitening kit with your aligners. And the best part is that the whitening solution is compatible with your aligners, so you can use them both simultaneously.
Treatment Timelines
Byte claims their average treatment plan length is just 4–5 months. By comparison, AlignerCo says their treatment plans are 4–6 months on average. But no matter which one you choose, your timeline ultimately depends on the severity of your misalignment.
Turnaround Times
Because home aligner treatment is a completely remote process, there’s some back-and-forth involved with getting started. The company will send you an impression kit and you’ll return molds of your teeth. Then, if the impressions are acceptable, the company’s dental professionals will develop your treatment plan and send it back to you. At this point, you’ll decide whether you’d like to continue with treatment. If so, the company will produce and ship your aligners.
With either company, aligner production isn’t necessarily a quick process. You won’t find them waiting on your doorstep the day after finishing your impression kit. Go with Byte and you can expect this entire process to take around 4–6 weeks (depending on how quickly you return your impressions). AlignerCo says they’ll send your treatment preview about two weeks after they receive your impressions, and after you approve the preview, it’ll take another three weeks to manufacture your aligners.
Nighttime-Only Option?
Think about your life with aligners, wearing them 22+ hours per day, only removing them to eat and drink, switching to a new set every week. Sound reasonable? Great! But if you don’t think you could work this commitment into your schedule, a nighttime-only option could be the right move for you. This is a relatively recent trend in the home aligner industry, and currently, four companies offer it: Byte, SmileDirectClub, AlignerCo, and NewSmile.
You’ll wear each set of aligners for ten hours per day instead of the usual 22. Byte’s aligners for their nighttime treatment (called Byte At-Night) use specialized designs and a grind-resistant plastic selected for overnight wear. These treatment plans last 5–6 months on average, according to Byte, compared to the usual 4–5.
AlignerCo’s nighttime treatment is called NightOnly. These are actually the same aligners you’d receive for AlignerCo’s daytime treatment, but they have a different wear schedule, and AlignerCo says they increase the overall timeline to 6–8 months.
Appearance Comparison
One of the main reasons many adults choose clear aligners is to avoid all the hardware associated with traditional braces. So all clear aligners, whether at-home or in-office, are pretty discreet. Yet each company’s aligners look slightly different, and every person has their own unique aesthetic preferences, so this category is fairly subjective. You’ll want to keep your own likes and dislikes in mind as you consider your options.
Byte Appearance
AlignerCo Appearance
- Uses a smooth, translucent, shiny plastic.
- Uses straight-cut aligners that slightly overlap your gums.
- Doesn’t incorporate any attachments.
- Reasonably stain resistant.
- Uses a smooth, translucent, shiny plastic.
- Scallops their aligners to match your gum line.
- Doesn’t incorporate any attachments.
- Reasonably stain resistant.
Aligner Material
In the home aligner industry, there are two prevailing opinions on plastics. The first is that translucent, smooth plastic makes aligners less visible. The second maintains that textured, frosted aligners better match natural teeth surfaces.
Both Byte and AlignerCo craft their aligners from clear, smooth plastic. We think this can make your aligners look artificially shiny, although some people prefer the translucent look for the way it makes their teeth “gleam.”
Aligner Cut
Certain studies reviewed by our non-clinical team show that straight-cut aligners like Byte’s may transfer their force better than scalloped ones. However, we think they’re also more noticeable, since people nearby might see where the plastic overlaps your gums. Scalloped aligners (like the ones from AlignerCo) match your gum line, which prevents the visible overlap.
Stain Resistance
Both companies make fairly stain-resistant aligners, but all clear aligners are susceptible to staining, so we wouldn’t recommend drinking colored beverages while wearing them.
Attachments
Sometimes, fully in-person treatments like Invisalign and ClearCorrect will include small attachments affixed to the surfaces of the teeth, which can help improve orthodontic tooth movement. While these attachments can help address more complex misalignments, we think they also make the aligners more noticeable. Byte and AlignerCo don’t include attachments on any of their aligners, maintaining their low profile.
Nighttime-Only Wear
No one will notice your aligners if you’re not wearing them. By providing the option for nighttime-only treatment, both companies let you avoid wearing aligners in public altogether. So, if you don’t want to wear them at work, school, or other daytime social gatherings, you don’t have to.
Customer Experience Comparison
As you weigh your options, keep in mind that you’ll be completing this entire process on your own. But that doesn’t mean you won’t have support. Every home aligner company offers customer support options, but they’re not all equally helpful.
In our view, the most intensive, personalized support is the in-person care you’ll receive from traditional treatments, and even though it’s difficult to replicate that kind of experience remotely, we think Byte and AlignerCo still provide quality support. Whether you have a quick question about pricing or an issue with your treatment, AlignerCo’s support team is available and fairly responsive, but in our opinion, they can’t quite match Byte’s level of individualized customer service.
Byte Customer Experience
AlignerCo Customer Experience
- Offers standard communication avenues and will respond on social media as well.
- You can have regular photo check-ins via a mobile app if you’d like.
- The Byte for Life Guarantee ensures your smile forever.
- Provides each customer with a personal Byte advisor to help you get started.
- Provides standard support options, including video chat.
- Consistent photo check-ins provide feedback on a regular basis.
- You can request a $200 refinement if you followed your plan and aren’t satisfied with your results.
- Doesn’t have a lifetime guarantee.
Support Options
Byte is available during standard business hours on a variety of support platforms — phone, webchat, and email. Plus, they will respond quickly on social media. Representatives are available from 7 am to 5 pm PT every day of the week. AlignerCo has all the same communication channels and their reps are available from 9 am to 6 pm ET, seven days a week. Plus, they offer video call assistance to walk you through the impression kit process.
Both companies also let you contact customer support through their mobile apps, which is a quick and easy way to get in touch.
Responsiveness & Helpfulness
To get a better sense of each company’s customer service experience, we read and watched numerous online reviews. After compiling review data and testing out their support channels for ourselves, we determined that AlignerCo has commendable customer service, but we still think Byte goes above and beyond to provide personalized care.
Many reviewers indicate that Byte’s support team is helpful and friendly, resolving questions and issues efficiently. They assign each customer a Byte advisor who can help you get started. Some customers have complained about difficulties reaching customer support and communication delays, but most of their reviews are positive.
Similarly, many AlignerCo customers have had glowing reviews for the company’s support team. We tested out their webchat and received a response almost immediately. However, some customers have reported delays in treatment and frustration with having to go back and forth with representatives to get helpful answers.
Regular Check-Ins
Invisalign and ClearCorrect’s office visits not only provide the reassurance of regular dental exams, but they also give you a chance to ask your dentist questions and chat about your experience. We don’t think remote oversight is quite as intensive, but it still provides some clinical feedback.
When you upload photos for AlignerCo every two weeks, their team will let you know if everything looks good or if something seems off. The same goes for optional uploads via Byte’s app. However, this isn’t an open conversation between you and the dental team. If you have further questions, you’ll need to email/call AlignerCo’s support staff, or reach out through the My Byte app.
Satisfaction Guarantee
Let’s say you get to the end of your treatment and your teeth don’t match your initial preview. Then what? First, know that if you follow your wear schedule and treatment plan exactly, there’s an extremely good chance that you’ll get the results you want. But sometimes, teeth simply don’t move as expected.
If you followed your treatment plan but aren’t completely satisfied, AlignerCo won’t give a refund, but they will let you request refinement aligners, which cost an extra $200.
Byte doesn’t provide refunds either. However, their team will work with you to provide extra aligners to finish the job if necessary. And their Byte-for-Life guarantee ensures your smile for life. If your teeth ever shift, they will provide free treatment to correct them, even years down the road. This only applies, however, to the teeth originally affected by your treatment, not any others. Plus, you have to purchase retainers and wear them as directed to maintain eligibility.
Company Backgrounds
Byte Company Background
AlignerCo Company Background
- Founded in 2018.
- Quickly gained popularity due to their innovative technology and excellent customer service.
- Currently one of the home aligner industry’s most established companies.
- Founded in 2019
- Established themselves as the most affordable home aligner option.
- Still small, but has a growing customer base.
AlignerCo and Byte are both relatively young companies who have made waves in the home aligner field through their innovative policies and procedures.
Byte is the brainchild of Dr. Jon Marashi D.D.S., whose star-studded patient list includes celebrities like Ben Affleck, Ryan Seacrest, and Kate Hudson. With Byte, he brought clear aligner treatment to a wide base of patients. The HyperByte device and Smile Science technology — which matches your smile with your facial features — garnered immediate attention. Since its conception, Byte has grown rapidly in popularity and customers.
AlignerCo entered the scene in 2019 but counters their inexperience with incredibly affordable prices — the lowest of any provider we’ve reviewed. Most impressively, they haven’t sacrificed product quality for these low prices. Customers flocking to AlignerCo for their cost-effectiveness are finding that it’s also pretty effective. We think this upstart has quickly become a worthy competitor for industry mainstays like Byte and SmileDirectClub.
Saving money is great, but we’re not convinced that AlignerCo’s lower costs surpass Byte’s dedication to efficiency, quality, and customer service. As AlignerCo continues to grow, they might start to catch up in these areas, but we haven’t seen it yet. As a top-notch all-around option, Byte is our top-ranked home aligner company, and we’re excited to see how they continue to revolutionize the industry in the future.
What Are Customers Saying?
When we review a company like Byte or AlignerCo, we start out by digging through online user reviews to understand the common issues customers face, and how the company handles them. Here’s how these two services stack up.
Byte
Generally, Byte users express positivity and satisfaction with their Byte experience. They often say they chose Byte because they liked the advertised treatment times, and that the HyperByte device could potentially eliminate some of the pain associated with orthodontic treatment.
Some customers, however, have noted that Byte’s aligners didn’t straighten their teeth as much as they’d expected, and they had to seek refinements, extending their treatment time. Others were pleased with their results, but frustrated by going back and forth with customer support. In the few cases where something goes wrong, it seems like Byte is quick and caring to resolve the issue.
You can find these full reviews, plus experience from 200+ other customers on our Byte customer review page. Plus, here are a few helpful video reviews.
AlignerCo
AlignerCo is a younger company than some of their competitors, but they still have a solid number of customer reviews online. Unfortunately, many of these reviews come from people who are very early in the process — we found a lot that only covered the impression kit video chat. It’s nice to know that AlignerCo’s support team is helpful early on, but that also makes it tough to get a full view of their customer experience.
That said, most customers have glowing reviews for AlignerCo. Many say it’s a great value for the price, praise the responsiveness of the customer support team, and love how easy the whole process is.
However, some reviewers were frustrated that their results didn’t match their treatment preview, and that AlignerCo made them pay $200 for a refinement — or multiple refinements. Others noted that AlignerCo’s customer support was responsive, but constantly trying to upsell them. Still, the positive reviews outweigh the negative ones.
Both of these customers sent us multiple videos covering their entire AlignerCo experiences, from unboxing to retainers. You can watch them all on our YouTube channel.
Which Home Teeth Aligner Should You Use?
Still not sure which at-home aligner service to choose? Here are a couple of scenarios that might help you figure out which is the better option for you.
Consider Byte if You Are:
Looking for an excellent overall value, innovative technology, solid customer support, and don’t mind a potential lack of remote oversight.
Consider AlignerCo if You Are:
Searching for the lowest prices available along with reliable products and excellent customer service, and don’t mind (or prefer!) a smaller company.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started with Byte or AlignerCo?
Getting started with Byte or AlignerCo means ordering an impression kit and using it to create molds of your teeth, then mailing them back. Their dental teams will use the molds of your teeth to determine your candidacy and create your aligners.
What are customers saying about Byte and AlignerCo?
Byte’s customer reviews are mostly positive. Customers express satisfaction with the company’s support team, speed, and results. AlignerCo has received positive reviews too — they just don’t have a lot of reviews in general. Still, customers are impressed with their low prices and financing options.
However, both companies have received some negative feedback too. Plus, they ask their patients to leave reviews towards the beginning of their treatment, so many of their reviews come from people who have just started their treatment or haven’t even received their aligners yet, which may not tell the full story.
Do AlignerCo and Byte offer financing plans?
Yes, both have payment plans that make their prices more manageable. AlignerCo’s SmileFlex Easy plan requires a $595 down payment, then six monthly payments of $100. For their NightOnly plan, it increases to a $795 down payment and six monthly payments of $100. Byte’s BytePay plan is a $249 down payment and $70 per month for 36 months. For Byte At-Night, it’s a $299 down payment and $84 a month for 36 months.
What is the cheapest home aligner company?
AlignerCo. At just $995, their price beats every competitor we reviewed. And if you can’t pay that up front, you can jump on a financing plan, regardless of your credit score. Check out our complete AlignerCo review for more info, or find other great-value options in our guide to the most affordable home aligners.
Should I choose nighttime or daytime treatment?
Byte and AlignerCo offer a nighttime-only treatment (Byte At-Night) that allows you to wear your aligners for ten hours per night rather than 22 hours per day. Nighttime treatment is great for frequent snackers or people who forget to wear aligners consistently, but it’s a bit more expensive. Daytime treatment is a better option for someone who’s looking to complete their treatment as quickly as possible.
Can Byte or AlignerCo fix overbite, underbite, etc.?
Not usually. Home aligners are designed to treat mild and moderate cases of crowding and spacing. Most often, jaw misalignments require a more robust, in-office treatment like braces or Invisalign, one that has face-to-face orthodontist oversight and incorporates attachments like elastics.
How do Byte and AlignerCo compare to Invisalign?
Both treatments use a series of clear aligners to shift your teeth. The major difference is that your dentist or orthodontist will administer Invisalign in-office and can incorporate supplemental attachments (elastics, buttons, etc.).
As a result, Invisalign can treat just about any condition that braces can. Home aligners don’t require office visits, so they can’t employ attachments and they have a smaller range of treatable cases. Take a look at our Byte vs. Invisalign and AlignerCo vs. Invisalign guides for a deeper analysis.
How long does home aligner treatment take?
Most at-home clear aligner brands advertise an average treatment plan length of around six months. Your timeline could be shorter or longer, though, depending on your condition’s severity and how consistently you wear your aligners.
How much do home aligners cost?
They go for around $900–$2,000, depending on which company you choose. AlignerCo, for example, has cut out the bells and whistles to provide effective treatment at just $995. While most others go for around $1,900. Even the most expensive home aligners are still much cheaper than the $3,000–$8,000 you’ll pay for Invisalign or braces.
Are home aligners safe?
At-home clear aligner treatment plans are always designed and/or approved by a licensed dentist or orthodontist — as long as you’re buying from a legitimate clear aligner service.
The main concern regarding the safety of fully-remote clear aligner treatment is the lack of face-to-face care. Since you won’t be seeing a dentist in-person during treatment, you won’t receive the same level of support that you’d get with traditional in-office aligners like Invisalign or ClearCorrect. That said, a recent NIH-funded survey found the majority of at-home aligner customers were satisfied with their results, and only 6.6% experienced side effects necessitating a visit to their local dentist.
Read our guide to safe home teeth straightening treatment for more information.
Do home aligners hurt?
When you switch to a new aligner set every two weeks, you might experience some discomfort for the first day or two, but after that, you’ll hardly notice them.
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