
Adults who want straighter teeth might dream of a movie star, photo-ready smile. But the sheer time and money it takes to complete traditional orthodontic treatment make it nothing more than wishful thinking. The office visits required for braces and Invisalign can drastically increase their prices. But by delivering treatment directly to you, home aligner companies cut out these expenses entirely. The result? Lower prices and superior convenience.
With home aligners’ rise in popularity, new companies wanted part of the action. Now there’s a crowded market full of attractive options like SmileDirectClub, NewSmile, and AlignerCo. The only question left is: which one should I pick?
We’re here to help. We’ve reviewed & ranked the three best Canadian at-home teeth straightening services for cost-conscious adults. Read on as we outline the important details that set these clear aligner companies apart, discuss the pros & cons of at-home treatment, and help you find the right option for you (and your budget)!
Best Canadian Home Clear Aligners (Ranked)
#1: SmileDirectClub
SmileDirectClub was one of the first companies to offer at-home clear aligner treatment and continues to be a highly popular option. Founded in 2014, SmileDirectClub has raised over $60 million from investors and has treated over 1.5 million patients. They expanded from the U.S. to Canada in 2018 and have been steadily building a presence there, most recently by opening SmileShops in select Canadian Walmart locations.
The price might be different, but SmileDirectClub keeps their treatment process relatively the same in each country. If you’d feel most comfortable with the most experienced company, this is it.
SmileDirectClub Advantages
- They have experience serving over a million customers, so they’re familiar with a wide range of dental conditions, questions, and complications.
- SmileDirectClub maintains retail locations in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, including stores inside Walmarts across Canada. You can visit one of these centers to have your teeth scanned and get approved for treatment. Other providers require you to mail in an impression of your teeth — a slower and more cumbersome process.
- They offer guaranteed treatment financing over 26 months through their SmilePay plan, which doesn’t require a credit check.
- SmileDirectClub’s Nighttime Clear Aligners option only requires ten consecutive hours of daily wear, while standard daytime options require 22 or more.
- SmileDirectClub offers prorated refunds for unused, unopened aligners throughout treatment. If you’re prone to cold feet, this may offer some peace of mind.
- SmileDirectClub puts a lifetime guarantee on your smile. If your teeth ever shift after treatment, SmileDirectClub will provide you with free aligners to correct it. Just stay on top of wearing and replacing your aftercare retainers to stay eligible.
SmileDirectClub Drawbacks
- SmileDirectClub has a mixed track record in service quality and customer support. Some online reviews have warned of long shipping delays and inconsistent communication when issues arise during treatment.
- SmileDirectClub costs more than some other top at-home aligner companies, and they charge $125 per set of aftercare retainers, while other companies include one set for free.
#2: NewSmile
NewSmile hit the scene in 2020 with low prices and quality care, but they’re not as inexperienced as they might seem. They previously had a franchise partnership with Smilelove to sell to Canadian customers under the Smilelove brand, although they had their own operations, dental team, customer service, and more. In 2020, the team decided to branch off and start a new company under their own brand, NewSmile.
Their $1,899 price is lower than most of the competition, and they offer financing to all customers. They also have a nighttime-only treatment option, and their NewSmile Monitoring App helps to streamline communication and ensure your results.
NewSmile Advantages
- NewSmile’s standard $1,899 price is the second-lowest among at-home aligners in Canada.
- If you reach the end of your treatment and your smile doesn’t look like the one in your treatment preview, NewSmile will “work with you to determine what the issue may be, and will help you achieve the results of your original Treatment Preview,” according to their website.
- The NewSmile Aligner Monitoring App lets you upload photos and videos of your teeth so the company’s dental team can monitor your progress and keep your smile on track.
- NewSmile also offers nighttime-only treatment (for $200 more than their daytime aligners).
NewSmile Drawbacks
- NewSmile’s nighttime-only aligners cost an additional $200, even though you’ll receive the exact same clear aligners as you would for all-day alignment.
- NewSmile doesn’t have many unsponsored online reviews yet (we assume these will come with time), so it’s tough to evaluate the average customer experience.
#3: AlignerCo
AlignerCo made a splash in the home aligner market in 2019 by promoting the industry’s lowest sticker prices. Since then, they’ve attracted a growing customer base of budget-conscious buyers and bargain hunters while maintaining an admirable level of quality.
They’ve established operations in the U.S. and Canada, although their treatment is similar in both countries. They don’t work with local Canadian orthodontists like some competitors, but they’re the most affordable option no matter where you are.
AlignerCo Advantages
- At $1,635, AlignerCo’s aligner package is significantly less expensive than all of its competitors. Plus, they occasionally run sales that discount that price even further.
- AlignerCo’s SmileFlex Easy plan doesn’t require a credit check, so everyone qualifies
- You are welcome to submit photos of your teeth with every aligner change for monitoring.
- AlignerCo offers a NightOnly treatment for anyone who doesn’t want to wear their aligners all day.
- They make their aligners with plastic from Essix, an experienced and well-respected dental products company.
AlignerCo Drawbacks
- AlignerCo’s refund and warranty policies aren’t as extensive as some of their competitors. They don’t offer refunds after you’ve started treatment, and if you need refinement aligners at the end, you might have to pay extra.
- They don’t have physical locations that provide professional teeth scans, so you’ll need to purchase an impression kit to get started.
AlignerCo: The Bottom Line
If you like the idea of getting the lowest-cost clear aligners available without compromising on treatment quality, check out AlignerCo.
Special Offer: Get $375 off AlignerCo treatment (Early Black Friday Sale).
Our Recommendation
Which Clear Aligner Option is Best for You?
You’ve got options. The good news is that you really can’t go wrong. All three of these companies will give you stunning results at affordable prices. But if you want our opinion, SmileDirectClub and NewSmile are your best bets. They offer quality products, convenient in-person scans, and affordable treatments, so we think they’re great choices for almost anyone.
Choose SmileDirectClub If:
You want the experience of the at-home aligner industry’s biggest brand, plus retail locations offering free teeth scans and a lifetime warranty.
Choose NewSmile if:
You’re looking for a budget friendly price tag that doesn’t sacrifice quality, or want to start treatment off with an in-person scan.
Pros & Cons of Home Teeth Straightening
Faster treatment? Lower prices? Better looking? All of this might have you saying “sign me up.” But no teeth straightening method is perfect, and home aligners aren’t ideal for everyone. People with more severe conditions, for example, might be better off with an in-office treatment. This is an important decision, so make sure you examine your options from all angles before diving in.
To help you decide if home teeth alignment is right for you, take a moment to evaluate these pros and cons:Pros
Cons
Frequently Asked Questions
How do online clear aligner companies prepare my treatment plan?
After you submit your dental impressions or teeth scans, a dental professional will analyze them and use specialized software to create digital models of your teeth and aligners for every stage in the process. The company will send you digital images of the treatment plan for your approval before beginning production.
How long does at-home clear aligner treatment take?
For most companies, the average treatment time is six months. However, your treatment might be longer or shorter depending on your condition’s severity and how diligently you follow your prescribed wear schedule.
How do I get started with home teeth straightening?
You will need to order an impression kit from your chosen home aligner company. The kit includes putty and trays, which you’ll use to make molds of your top and bottom dental arches, before mailing them to the company. This process can sometimes be difficult, so SmileDirectClub and NewSmile offer professional teeth scans.
Which conditions can at-home clear aligners treat?
Home aligners are primarily designed to treat mild-to-moderate cases of crowding and spacing, along with some mild bite issues. If your case is severe or includes a jaw misalignment like overbite or underbite, home aligners might be unable to induce the larger tooth and jaw shifts you’re after.
How often do I need to wear my home teeth aligners?
You’ll need to wear your aligners for at least 22 hours per day, removing them only to eat, drink, brush, and floss. If you choose SmileDirectClub, NewSmile, or AlignerCo’s nighttime options, you’ll only need to wear them for ten consecutive hours each night.
What if my treatment doesn’t go as planned?
Each home aligner company has different refund and warranty policies. In most cases, you cannot receive a refund after you begin treatment, although the company may work with you to adjust your plan and develop new aligners.
Are financing/payment plans available?
Most home aligner companies offer both financing and payment plans. A few partner with third-party companies that provide financing but require credit checks to qualify. SmileDirectClub, AlignerCo, and NewSmile all offer in-house financing options that don’t require a credit check, so everyone qualifies.
What are home teeth aligners made of?
All the clear aligner companies we reviewed use clear, BPA-free plastic to make their products.
What happens after my home aligner treatment is complete?
At the end of your home aligner treatment, you’ll receive custom-fit retainers to keep your teeth from shifting back to their original positions. Providers recommend wearing these retainers for close to 24 hours per day for about 2 weeks. After that, you’ll only have to wear them at night. Some providers include retainers with the initial cost of treatment, while others charge an additional $80–100 for them afterward.
Does it hurt to wear home teeth aligners?
Customers often report experiencing tightness or discomfort during the first 1–2 days wearing a new set of aligners, after which the discomfort subsides. Some companies provide “chewies” or other devices to help ensure a more comfortable aligner fit.
Mel says
Hi, I can’t afford to do the $7000 the orthodontist wants to fix my son’s crossbite. Is it possible to just do the expander and then get the aligners online through one of these companies? Or can we just do the expander and have a retainer to keep the jaw straight?
Smile Prep says
Hi Mel,
Unfortunately that’s a rather difficult question to answer, and would depend on the type of crossbite your son has and the level of severity. Keep in mind: while these at-home companies are quite capable of improving the visual appearance of most smiles, in general they are not ideally suited to correcting moderate/severe bite disorders. If you do decide to consider at-home treatment for your son, here are a couple of suggestions:
(1) You can typically have these companies create a treatment plan/preview for free or for a very low cost before you commit. I’d strongly encourage you to review your treatment plan with your orthodontist before committing, to confirm your son is a good candidate for this type of treatment.
(2) Consider opting for company that is able to scan your son’s teeth (e.g. SmileDirectClub) instead of sending in a dental impression. It’s more difficult for these companies to model how the teeth come together (occlude) when they only have impressions to work with, which is especially important important with bite disorders.
For a bit more context, you can check out our article on treating crossbite with at-home aligners.
Erin says
Hi there, I’m doing research into the best option for me. I was recommended to do Invisalign by my dentist but I don’t want to pay that much. I’m considering one of the 2 options you list in this article (either NewSmile or AlignerCo, but want to ensure that either option would allow me to use my Health Spending Account (benefits through work) and if it qualifies for the medical expense deduction for income tax purposes for 2021 in Canada. I believe Invisalign does qualify for both of these so I want to ensure these other options do as well. Thank you!
Sheena says
Hi Erin!
Thanks for your question and we’re happy to assist! NewSmile Aligners are eligible to be covered by your HSA, and would depend on your coverage as this varies from company to company. Please contact us at team@newsmilelife.ca if you need assistance finding out how to check your company coverage amount.