Price is one of the most important aspects to consider for teeth alignment services. For decades, the high cost of braces and Invisalign put a financial barrier in the way of a straighter smile. However, the popularity of at-home teeth alignment companies means that there are several much cheaper options available today.
This is your guide to the four most affordable clear aligner companies in Australia. In addition to their sticker prices, we’ll discuss payment plans, bonus items, and other factors that determine a service’s overall value.
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What Makes At-Home Teeth Aligners So Affordable?
Braces and Invisalign require frequent visits to your dentist or orthodontist’s office, where they can develop and implement your treatment plan, check on your progress, and make any necessary adjustments.
These office visits make traditional orthodontics exceptionally effective, able to treat even severe misalignments, but they also cost a lot of time and money. They’re the main reason traditional teeth straightening treatment is so expensive! This is also why home teeth aligners are so affordable by comparison. Without the need to make frequent office visits, you’ll basically only need to pay for your aligners themselves.
The 3 Most Affordable Clear Aligners
Home aligners can fix many of the same dental misalignments as traditional orthodontics, primarily mild-to-moderate cases of crowding and spacing. Because pricing is the biggest advantage home alignment has over braces and Invisalign, we researched which companies offer the most affordable teeth alignment services in Australia. These four really stand out.
#1: SmilePath
There’s only one company offering clear aligners for less than $2,000 in Australia, and that’s SmilePath. Their $1,674 sticker price is the best in the country, and they even offer frequent discounts that bring it down further. But they don’t sacrifice effectiveness and customer support in the name of affordability either.
Pros
- Even though their prices are already very reasonable, SmilePath offers three payment plans to make their services even more affordable. One doesn’t require a down payment, and another requires no credit check!
- Those low rates include your impression kit, one set of retainers, and free whitening.
- SmilePath offers customers the option of all-day alignment or nighttime-only plans. If you have frequent in-person work meetings or social engagements, you might not want to wear aligners for 22 hours per day. SmilePath’s NightOnly plan requires only ten continuous hours of daily wear.
- SmilePath has a solid reputation for customer satisfaction. They have hundreds of reviews available online and they maintain high average scores. Their customers seem pleased with the convenience and value SmilePath offers.
Cons
- Some at-home aligner companies offer in-person teeth scans at clinics across Australia, but SmilePath doesn’t. To get started, you’ll need to purchase an impression kit and dental molds on your own, which some customers find frustrating.
- SmilePath doesn’t offer refunds after you’ve started treatment, and if you need refinement aligners because your results don’t match the preview they sent, you’ll need to pay extra.
#2: EZ Smile
EZ Smile pairs excellent affordability with an outstanding satisfaction guarantee, making them a strong contender for your home teeth alignment. Thanks to their in-office teeth scan locations, they’re a more convenient option than SmilePath for starting the alignment process, even though their sticker price is higher.
Pros
- Thanks to EZ Smile’s 90-day satisfaction guarantee, you can request a refund any time (and for any reason) within your first three months and they’ll grant it. They just keep $300 to cover treatment planning.
- EZ Smile has 13 partner dental offices across Australia. This means that if you don’t want to complete an impression kit at home, you can instead visit one of these offices to have your teeth professionally scanned. There’s evidence that digital scans can be more accurate than impressions, especially at-home ones.
- With three different payment plans, EZ Smile offers several financing options, including one with no credit check.
- EZ Smile includes your first set of retainers for free.
Cons
- EZ Smile does not offer nighttime-only aligner treatment. Your only choice is to wear clear aligners for 22 hours per day, every day.
- EZ Smile only requires one virtual check-in during your treatment. Other providers request progress photos more frequently, which can provide some peace of mind.
#3: NewSmile
NewSmile has made waves in Australia’s clear aligner industry not simply by establishing an affordable sticker price, but by making treatment accessible to a range of customers. Combining flexible financing plans and bonus items with remote oversight, a nighttime-only plan, and quality customer support, they’ve quickly become an intriguing option for adults looking to straighten their teeth on a budget.
PROS
- $2,499 might not be the absolute lowest clear aligner price you’ll find, but it’s lower than many competitors.
- NewSmile includes your impression kit, one set of aftercare retainers, and a free whitening kit at no extra charge, giving you a ton of bang for your buck.
- Like SmilePath and EZ Smile, NewSmile sometimes runs sales that can take hundreds off the price of your aligners.
- NewSmile offers two interest-free financing plans, one of which doesn’t require a credit check.
- If you don’t want to wear your aligners for 22 hours per day, NewSmile offers a nighttime-only plan that only requires ten hours of daily wear.
CONS
- Though NewSmile includes one set of aftercare retainers in treatment, you’ll pay $199.99 per set after that, a higher price than some competitors. You should replace your retainers around every six months, so this will be a recurring expense.
- After you approve your Treatment Preview, NewSmile won’t issue any refunds (except for manufacturing defects). If you reach the end of treatment and your teeth don’t match the preview, however, they’ll work with you to finish the job.
NewSmile - Our Recommendation
While NewSmile’s sticker price isn’t as low as SmilePath’s, they still provide a ton of value by including your impression kit, one set of retainers, and a free whitening kit. A reliable treatment with solid oversight and customer service, NewSmile is a pretty compelling option.
#4: Byte
Byte is one of Australia’s most popular, well-established clear aligner providers, and they offer a stellar customer experience and efficient average treatment times, thanks to their innovative technology. While their $2,749 sticker price isn’t anything special, Byte makes up for it with financing and warranty perks that are hard to pass up.
Pros
- Byte has financing options through Humm, making it easy to break your total cost into more manageable payments.
- The Byte for Life guarantee protects your smile forever. So, if your teeth shift years down the road, they’ll send new aligners to correct it, free of charge! To remain eligible, you must purchase new retainers around every six months and wear them as directed.
- Byte includes retainers in its upfront cost, as well as their BrightByte whitening and the HyperByte device. Some research suggests that high-frequency devices like the Hyperbyte can help teeth move faster.
Cons
- Their $2,749 upfront cost is higher than SmilePath and EZ Smile’s prices. And if you want their nighttime-only option, you’ll pay $3,399, which is higher than the industry average.
- Byte doesn’t offer refunds after you start treatment, but if your teeth don’t progress as expected, their dentists and orthodontists will work with you to adjust your plan for no extra cost.
Other Clear Aligners Worth Considering
While these are the four cheapest clear aligner companies in Australia, there are several other options worth considering. Let’s quickly review some of the other companies offering clear aligners for Australians to see if you might prefer one of them.
SmileDirectClub — $3,149
SmileDirectClub has more experience than every other at-home aligner company in this guide. They were the first company to start selling home aligners on a widespread scale, and they’ve transformed more than 1.5 million smiles to date. While their prices are higher than average, SmileDirectClub offers in-office professional teeth scans, nighttime clear aligners, and a lifetime guarantee.
However, SmileDirectClub has a mixed reputation for customer satisfaction, and their support team isn’t always responsive. They’re still a solid choice if you prioritize experience and convenience, but otherwise, we prefer the other options in this guide.
Invisalign — $4,500–$8,000
On average, Invisalign is the most expensive option listed here (although it depends on your unique condition and dentist), but it’s also the most well-established and effective. The first company to commercialize clear aligners, Invisalign has over 20 years of successful smile transformations under its belt.
The treatment’s in-person oversight provides intensive, personalized care, and its Smartforce attachments help it correct complex misalignments. It might be pricey, but many people think that the company’s reputation, plus the in-person care from a dentist, are well worth it.
ClearCorrect — $3,000–$6,500
Another well-known in-office aligner treatment, ClearCorrect is a younger option that might be less expensive than the industry giant, Invisalign. ClearCorrect claims that they charge dentists less for aligner products and lab fees and your dentist might pass these savings along to you by charging less for your treatment, although your price depends completely on your dentist and specific misalignment.
As an in-office option, dentists can pair these aligners with additional appliances to more effectively treat severe cases of crowding and spacing, as well as bite issues.
What Other Factors Should I Consider?
Pricing always matters, but it’s not the only thing that matters. That’s why we like to evaluate each company on five key factors: affordability, effectiveness, convenience, appearance, and customer experience.
When making your choice, try not to become too focused on any one aspect. Instead, judge each company holistically before making a purchase. The best providers score high marks in all five areas, not just one.
Final Thoughts
There are several great companies providing at-home clear aligner treatment in Australia. We have no problem recommending any of the companies discussed in this guide, as they’re all reputable and boast strong track records. Plus, all of them are much more affordable and convenient than traditional in-office orthodontics.
Even though we have certain preferences, you might have different priorities than we do. While pricing is always a priority, analyze each company based on our five key factors to determine which one works best for you.
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