For a long time, straighter teeth required regular trips to the dentist, expensive dental bills, and a whole lot of metal. But those days are no longer. Adults with mild or moderate dental misalignments can now purchase clear aligners from one of several new, online companies offering at-home treatment for a fraction of the cost.
Beam is one of the most exciting companies to offer at-home clear aligner treatment in Australia. Keep reading for an overview of everything they have to offer, and by the end of this guide, you’ll know if they’re the right match for you and your unique smile.
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Pros and Cons of Beam Clear Aligners
Every treatment has advantages and drawbacks, and in your search for the perfect fit, you need to look at both sides of the coin. Here are Beam’s major pros and cons.
Pros:
- Beam’s sticker price is lower than most of their competitors, and their in-house financing plan makes it even more manageable.
- Their aligners use Zendura FLX plastic — a very high-quality aligner material.
- If you wear your aligners as instructed and your smile doesn’t end up matching your original treatment preview, Beam will send you refinement aligners for free.
- Beam's nighttime-only treatment option allows you to straighten your teeth while you sleep.
Cons:
- Beam is still a relatively young company, so it doesn’t have the experience or track record of some competitors, and there are very few unsponsored customer reviews online.
- They don’t have any offices where you can get in-person dental scans, so you’ll need to complete an impression kit on your own.
What Is Beam?
Beam is a direct-to-consumer Australian clear aligner company that hit the scene in 2020. Though still relatively young, Beam has made a name for themselves by offering convenient, quality treatment at competitive prices. The standard price of their aligners is $2,849, but they’re often on sale for as low as $2,149 — lower than many of their competitors.
Using impressions of your teeth, their team of dentists and orthodontists crafts a series of clear aligners customized to correct your specific condition. Beam’s aligners use Zendura FLX plastic, a material that’s widely trusted and considered very high-quality for clear aligners. Each treatment plan is designed to shift your teeth in tiny increments until they reach their ideal positions and typically lasts 4–6 months.
Beam also gives back, donating 1% of their sales to the World Health Dental Organization, which provides free dental care to communities in need. They’re one of the few clear aligner companies doing this kind of outreach.
Who is a Good Candidate for Beam?
Like most other online clear aligner services, Beam only treats cosmetic cases of crowding and spacing in the front teeth. Anyone in Australia or New Zealand with a mild case like this could be a good candidate. If you have a particularly complex issue, especially one that involves a bite or jaw misalignment, Beam might not be the best fit for you.
Getting Started With Beam
To get started with Beam, take the quick smile assessment on their website. If you’re approved, you can order the Beam Impression Kit, which normally goes for $99, but can drop as low as $29 during sales.
This kit comes with all the tools you’ll need to take impressions of your bite from home. Beam knows that most people haven’t created dental molds before, so they provide clear instructions and backup putty in case you make a mistake on your first set.
After you mail back your completed impressions, Beam’s dental team will build your personalized aligner plan, then send you a digital 3D model of your post-treatment smile. And that’s not an empty promise. If at the end of treatment your teeth don’t resemble the 3D model, Beam will provide you with additional aligners for free.
If you decide to move ahead with treatment, Beam will send the aligners to your door with step-by-step wear instructions. You’ll need to wear your aligners 20+ hours a day, follow treatment directions, and submit regular photos to Beam’s dental team through the Beam app. After around 4–6 months, you should have your new smile.
Paying for Beam
Beam clear aligners can deliver stunning smiles for much less than traditional in-office options, but they’re still an investment. Fortunately, the company provides ways to make the cost of treatment more manageable, plus a few ways to save.
Treatment Costs
Beam treatment costs $2,849, though it’s often on sale for $2,149. This doesn’t include the cost of your impression kit, which is another $99 (but $29 on sale). If their team determines you’re not a suitable candidate for treatment, they’ll refund the cost of your impression kit.
Payment Plans
Beam offers a payment plan called BeamPay. After a $712 down payment, you’ll pay $712 every two weeks for six weeks total. This plan doesn’t include any fees, so there’s nothing to lose by spacing out your payments.
If you jump on a sale price, the down payment would become $625, and the three additional payments would also be $625. When you use the payment plan for the sale price you’ll be paying $2,500 in total — which is about $350 more than paying up front. However, that’s still $350 less than the standard $2,849 price.
Refinements
Most clear aligner patients end up with a smile they love, and Beam is committed to ensuring you will too. If you finish treatment and your smile doesn’t match your treatment preview, they will craft additional refinement aligners for free. Teeth don’t always shift exactly as expected, so a generous refinement policy can provide you with the peace of mind that you won’t run into any unexpected charges.
Freebies
Your aligner package also includes Beam’s teeth whitening kit, plus your first set of retainers, which normally cost $159 — or $129 if you subscribe to have them delivered every six months. You’ll need to wear an overnight retainer indefinitely after treatment, and replace them every 6–12 months, so it’s nice to start with a complimentary set.
What Are Customers Saying?
The best way to understand a company’s customer experience is to hear it directly from the customers. The problem is that Beam doesn’t have many online reviews.
On their website, you’ll find plenty of four- and five-star reviews praising Beam’s affordable prices, results, and customer support. The only complaints were some minor initial discomfort and difficulty getting good impressions on the first try — but those are pretty universal issues for at-home aligners.
While reviews from the website are better than nothing, take them with a grain of salt. It’s not always clear whether they’re authentic and honest or if the company has sponsored them.
Should You Get Beam Aligners?
Choosing an orthodontic treatment option is a very personal decision. You need to pick the best option for your priorities and budget. That said, if you don’t mind their lack of customer reviews, we think Beam’s affordability, quality materials, and satisfaction guarantee make them a great option.
But they’re not the only company out there, either. Check out our guide to the best at-home aligners in Australia to survey your options.
Final Thoughts
Even though they’re relatively new to the at-home clear aligner scene, Beam is making a name for themselves by offering competitive pricing for premium aligners and generously giving back. We look forward to watching Beam continue growing and innovating within the clear aligner industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Beam accept insurance?
Currently, insurance won’t cover any Australian at-home clear aligner company — so Beam isn’t covered and neither are their competitors.
Who designs and oversees my Beam treatment?
Based on your completed impressions, a team of dentists will develop a treatment plan for you in conjunction with the lab that manufactures the aligners. They’ll send you a treatment preview to help you get a sense of where your smile is headed.
During your treatment, you will upload photos of your teeth to the Beam app every two weeks so their dental team can monitor your progress.
How soon will I see my new smile?
Treatment times vary depending on the severity of your condition, but Beam’s treatment typically takes 4–6 months.
Does Beam have any in-person locations?
Beam doesn’t currently have any in-person locations, but they’re still a young company and may expand in the future.
I’ve never made a dental impression before. Will Beam still work for me?
Absolutely. Most people haven’t taken dental impressions on their own before getting clear aligner treatment. Beam’s impression kit includes step-by-step instructions, plus an extra set of putty in case your first set of impressions doesn’t go according to plan.
How often will I need to replace my retainers after treatment?
It depends on the person, but you’ll typically need to replace your retainers every 6–12 months. Beam sells retainers for $159 a set. You can also sign up for a retainer subscription and receive a new set of retainers every six months for $129.
Are there other at-home clear aligner companies in Australia?
Yes, there are. Check out our ranked guide of at-home clear aligner companies currently operating in Australia.
Will my clear aligners give me a lisp?
When you first start your treatment you may have a small lisp, but it should fade as you get used to your aligners. Your tongue just needs to adjust to its new roommate.
Do clear aligners protect against cavities?
No. During orthodontic treatment, you’ll actually need to be more vigilant with your oral hygiene, brushing and flossing before you put in your aligners after you eat. If you don’t, food particles and bacteria can sit on your teeth, wearing away at your enamel. Since aligners fit snugly around your teeth, it prevents saliva from cleaning the plaque off your teeth.
Can I drink coffee or tea while wearing my aligners?
You’ll need to take out your aligners to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, since heat can warp the plastic. Water is the only beverage you can drink while wearing your aligners.
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