For a long time, there was one option for straightening smiles: braces. Then Invisalign came along, and after a few years, their competitors. Recently, at-home aligners have emerged, shaking up the world of orthodontics, and NewSmile is one of the most intriguing new remote aligner options in Australia.
It might be a recent addition to Australia’s home aligner landscape, but the company began in 2020, and over the last few years, it’s established itself as a safe, convenient, and affordable alternative to traditional orthodontics. But is NewSmile the best at-home aligner company for you? Keep reading to find out!
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Is NewSmile Legit?
NewSmile is a new addition to the Australian clear aligner scene, but it’s already making waves. It boasts one of the lowest prices in the country — just $2,499 (or $27.77 per fortnight on Humm’s monthly plan) for their all-day plan. And you get more than just the aligners for this price; you also get the impression kit, treatment preview, whitening foam, and your first set of retainers.
What Is NewSmile?
NewSmile was founded in Canada and currently has branches in the U.S., UK, and Australia. Following in the footsteps of other at-home aligner companies, NewSmile hit the Canadian and U.S. markets in 2020. Their goal is to maximize convenience and affordability, allowing customers to handle the entire treatment from the comfort of their own homes.
Because it’s a fully remote treatment, NewSmile has some limitations. It only corrects mild-to-moderate misalignments in the front six teeth of both arches. They’ll monitor your treatment remotely and they say plans typically last 4–10 months, depending on your misalignment and which system you choose.
How Do I Get Started With NewSmile?
If a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, the first step of your NewSmile journey is an impression kit. To get yours, you need to decide whether you want all-day or nighttime-only treatment, then place your order.
Their all-day aligners cost $2,499, and their nighttime aligners are just $100 more. Both come with monthly payment options to break up the price and make it work better with your budget. Once you order, they’ll ship the kit to your address. Then, you’ll take molds of your teeth and ship them back. If NewSmile feels you are a good candidate for treatment, they’ll design a treatment plan and send it for your approval.
Pros & Cons of NewSmile
We’re about to dig deep into all the details about NewSmile, but before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s take a quick look at their main advantages and disadvantages.
NewSmile Pros
- NewSmile is among the most affordable clear aligner treatments in Australia. It’s significantly cheaper than traditional options and is several hundred less than Byte and SmileDirectClub. At $2,499 for all-day aligners, it matches EZ Smile, although it’s still slightly pricier than SmilePath.
- NewSmile offers more bonus items than many competitors. They include their impression kit in the cost and also offer a whitening kit and the first set of aftercare retainers at no extra charge.
- They claim their all-day aligners plans last 4–6 months on average, and their nighttime-only plans take 8–10 months, since you wear the aligners for fewer hours each day.
- NewSmile’s nighttime-only plan lets you only wear your aligners for just ten hours per day, eliminating the need to manage them during the day and keeping your treatment as discreet as possible.
- Depending on the financing option you select, you can get monthly payments without a credit check. So even if you have poor credit, you can correct your smile on a tight budget.
NewSmile Cons
- At the moment, NewSmile doesn’t have any Australian retail locations for in-person scans. This means you have to make your own impressions, which can be messy and intimidating.
- Most NewSmile reviews are for other countries since their Australian branch was only launched recently. While the details are pretty similar no matter the country, it’s nice to get feedback from customers in your own region.
So, Do The Pros Outweigh The Cons?
On the whole, we think so. NewSmile delivers effective clear aligner treatment for mild-to-moderate misalignments, and it’s much more convenient and affordable than braces or Invisalign.
Effectiveness
Orthodontic treatment is always an investment of time and money. You don’t want to reach the finish line and feel like everything was a waste. If a treatment works, your investment paid off, and NewSmile usually delivers the results their customers seek.
NewSmile can only make cosmetic corrections to the front six teeth, closing small gaps or adding space.
This means NewSmile can make cosmetic changes that enhance your smile and improve your overall oral health, since it makes your teeth easier to clean. In limited cases, it can correct minor bite issues as long as the root cause is dental, not skeletal.
This might make you feel like NewSmile isn’t very effective, but at-home aligner companies across the globe have these same limitations — though those offering a combination of remote and in-person care can sometimes address more complex cases. The good news is that if your case is too complex, NewSmile won’t approve you for treatment and will issue a refund.
Treatment design and remote oversight from a team of dentists and orthodontists will help keep your treatment on track.
You’ll take your impressions, send them off, and then NewSmile will let you know if you are an ideal candidate for treatment. If so, a mixed team of dentists and orthodontists will design your treatment plan, and you’ll have a chance to review it before you officially sign on.
If you like what you see, give your approval and NewSmile will produce and ship your aligners. Every fortnight, you’ll upload photos and videos of your smile using the NewSmile app. Their dental team will then review these and make sure you are progressing as expected, and if not, address the problems they see. It’s not as robust as getting in-person care every few weeks, like you would with traditional orthodontics, but it still ensures consistent oversight.
NewSmile doesn’t share their manufacturing details.
Knowing where your aligners are made and the exact type of plastic they contain isn’t essential; as long as they’re made well and from dental-grade materials, everything should be fine. Still, we prefer a little transparency. NewSmile doesn’t disclose who makes their aligners or the exact plastic they use, although they do state that their materials are free of BPAs and phthalates. Based on their positive customer reviews, we assume they’ve established quality manufacturing processes.
Affordability
Even affordable orthodontic treatment takes a bite out of your bank account. If you’re going to drop thousands of dollars on aligners, you want to feel confident that they represent a solid investment. In our opinion, NewSmile does.
NewSmile costs just $2,499 for all-day treatment or $2,599 for their Night Aligners.
This is a highly competitive price point. The only Australian aligner company we reviewed that has a lower sticker price is SmilePath. It’s hundreds less than well-known at-home aligner companies like Byte and SmileDirectClub and often thousands less than in-office options like Invisalign.
Most at-home aligner companies will include bonus items in the cost of treatment, and NewSmile throws in three.
For the treatment price, you get your plan, all the aligners you need, and remote monitoring. That’s standard. But NewSmile also includes the impression kit, premium whitening solution, and first set of retainers. Many companies will include one of these items in the cost, but it’s rare to cover all three.
While it represents a great value, not everyone can afford NewSmile outright.
That’s why they have two financing options: one through Humm and one directly through NewSmile. The Humm plan is $479 down plus $28.04 per fortnight over 36 months if you get the all-day system. The NewSmile option requires a $599 down payment plus $73.08 per fortnight for twelve months. Humm requires a credit check, but NewSmile doesn’t, so you can get financing no matter your score.
Convenience
Price is usually the main barrier between adults and the orthodontic treatment they need, but convenience is a close second. Attending office visits every 4–8 weeks? That’s tough when you have a busy schedule. At-home options like NewSmile have soared in popularity because they offer a more streamlined road to straighter teeth.
NewSmile is a fully remote treatment: from your diagnostics to your check-ins, you’ll do everything at home.
This is great for a busy schedule. It’s typical with in-office treatments to have up to 15 office visits throughout treatment, and each one takes about an hour plus travel time. Eliminating those appointments gives you time back, which is incredibly valuable for most adults.
NewSmile says their average treatment plan is 4–6 months long.
Six months is the average timeline for remote aligner treatment in Australia, assuming you are using an all-day system (nighttime-only aligners take 8–10 months in most cases). This means NewSmile isn’t exceptional compared to other at-home options. If you compare it to the 12–24 month average for in-office treatments, it looks pretty fast. Just remember that in-office options typically take on more severe cases, which take longer to correct.
You can choose between all-day and nighttime-only aligners, both of which deliver satisfying results.
This gives you flexibility in your treatment. All-day aligners don’t take a long overall, but you need to wear them for 22 hours a day, removing them when you eat or drink anything besides plain water. This also means you need to clean both the aligners and your teeth frequently.
Nighttime-only aligners require just ten hours of wear, but you can’t remove them at all during that window. It’s more convenient during the day, but you’ll be in treatment about twice as long.
NewSmile has a slightly less convenient startup process than some of their at-home competitors.
They don’t offer in-person scans, while several of their competitors do. Making your own impressions isn’t time intensive, but it can be difficult and messy. Most people would rather get a digital scan. Even though it requires an appointment, it ensures you’ll get accurate images on the first try. Plus, you won’t have to mail packages back and forth.
Appearance
Clear aligners always look more natural and discreet than braces. But clear doesn’t mean invisible. They can be noticeable, especially if people know you use them and can’t help looking for them. Some design choices can help better conceal your aligners.
NewSmile’s aligners are transparent and smooth. The company claims they are nearly invisible, but the surfaces can look unnaturally shiny.
Why do we say “unnaturally?” Chances are you haven’t thought too deeply about your enamel, but it’s naturally porous and matte, not smooth and shiny. It’s also slightly translucent, allowing for a unique depth of color (one of the reasons even excellent false teeth often look fake).
Smooth, fully transparent aligners can reflect light, creating a shine that natural teeth don’t have. It can also alter the perception of color, making people realize something is off.
NewSmile scallops their aligners to follow the gum line.
Aligners can be cut in two ways: scalloped to flow along the gum line or straight across, so they overlap the gingiva. Straight cuts generate greater force but are more visible. Scalloped cuts hide the edge in the natural shadow of the gum line, helping keep treatment discreet.
NewSmile doesn’t use attachments like buttons or elastics, so these won’t make their aligners more visible.
Attachments add power and control to in-office aligners, but aren’t an option with fully remote treatment. That’s a good thing if you want your aligners to be as discreet as possible. While they are typically tooth-colored, these attachments can make it easier to see the aligners.
Customer Experience
Before purchasing clear aligners, you need to do your homework. You already know that; it’s why you’re reading this article. But no matter how much you dig into the details, you can’t know with 100% certainty that everything will go perfectly. Even quality treatments have hiccups, and that’s why customer support and company policies matter.
NewSmile’s support team is responsive and helpful, though it’s less personalized than in-person care.
You can reach their support representatives by email and webchat, or by phone Monday-Saturday: 9:30 am–4:30 pm and Sunday: 10:30 am–3:30 pm. During our research, we’ve reached out to the NewSmile team and found them to be highly responsive during office hours. They never hesitated to answer our questions and seemed very informed. It can’t match the personalization you get with in-person care, but we think they work hard to support their customers.
Just keep in mind that, like most at-home aligner companies, their refund policy is somewhat limited.
The only full refund NewSmile offers is if they review your impressions and decide you aren’t a good fit for their treatment. If you place your order, then decide you don’t want to use their aligners, they will refund you your money minus the cost of the impression kit.
Once you approve your smile preview and the company manufactures your aligners, there are no standard refunds, so don’t expect any money back at that point. That said, if your finished smile doesn’t match the one in your treatment preview, they’ll create more aligners to get you there.
What Are NewSmile Customers Saying?
Whenever you’re evaluating providers, it’s always a good idea to see what their past and current customers are saying; it’s the clearest glimpse into your future. However, this is difficult with NewSmile since it only recently launched in Australia.
With that said, their reviews in other countries are, on the whole, quite positive, and the same can be said for the few Australian reviews currently available. Customers praise their quality, effectiveness, and value. Complaints mostly concern slow processing and the occasional manufacturing defect, but these aren’t common.
For a realistic look at the NewSmile customer experience, check out these unbiased video reviews we’ve gathered from our readers at various stages of the treatment process:
NewSmile vs. Other Aligners
NewSmile is a great option for Australians looking to make cosmetic changes to their alignment. But they aren’t the only choice you have. There are many other reputable companies out there, and below are three we think you should consider.
Invisalign
If your case is too complex for remote treatment or you just want the aligners with the longest track record, Invisalign is a solid option. It’s somewhat expensive and requires frequent in-office visits, but it can address pretty much any misalignment, including those that involve the jaw.
Byte
Byte is our top choice for at-home aligners in Australia. They started in the U.S. in 2018 and have since expanded their service area to include Australia. They are known for excellent results, innovative technology, flexibility, and value. Byte also has a solid support team, which is a great confidence boost, as is their lifetime guarantee.
EZ Smile
If you’re most attracted to NewSmile’s price, consider EZ Smile — it comes with the same sticker price (for all-day treatment, at least). They’re also the first company to bring at-home aligners to Australia. They’ve always focused on delivering effective treatment and backing it up with good customer service.
Is NewSmile Right for You?
NewSmile combines low prices with convenience and solid customer service. Although they have downsides, just like any other company, they are a high-quality option for at-home alignment.
Our top choice, Byte, costs a bit more, but they include a high-frequency vibration device that they claim can reduce discomfort and accelerate dental shifts. Paired with their guarantee and customer service, we think it’s an excellent option for anyone with a mild or moderate misalignment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does NewSmile offer discounts?
Not always, but they often offer money off the cost of treatment. You can see their discounted prices listed on their website. Usually, they are around $100 off.
Can NewSmile correct my condition?
If your misalignment is cosmetic in nature, doesn’t involve skeletal irregularities, and is limited to the front six teeth, they should be able to correct your smile.
What about Invisalign?
Invisalign will likely forever be one of the best aligner treatments money can buy — but it’s a lot of money. If you are looking to make cosmetic changes and are a candidate, NewSmile and similar companies might offer a better fit for your needs and budget.
How much will I end up paying?
NewSmile costs just $2,499 for all-day treatment or $2,599 for nighttime only. The only company we reviewed that has lower prices is SmilePath, though EZ Smile matches them in price.
How do I get started?
Go to the NewSmile website and select either the all-day or nighttime-only aligners. Then, just place your order, complete the impression kit, ship back the molds, and wait for your smile preview.
How long will it take?
It depends on which system you choose, the complexity of your misalignment, how your body responds to treatment, and if you follow the instructions. Most people will take about 4–6 months to achieve final results with all-day aligners or 8–10 with nighttime treatment.
What is the most effective clear aligner company?
Invisalign, ClearCorrect, 3M Clarity Aligners, and SureSmile are all highly effective in-office treatments. They can use attachments and treat a wide range of misalignments.
Do clear aligners hurt?
They should never cause injuries unless they are sharp at the upper edge, but you can easily file them down with a nail file. However, aligners move the teeth by exerting force on them. This can cause soreness, especially to bite pressure the first few days of treatment, and it might return for a few hours with each aligner switch.
Is home aligner treatment safe?
Yes! Just like any major purchase, you should do your research, but at-home alignment has been in use for nearly a decade and has been proven safe.
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