ClearCorrect Review: Everything You Need to Know

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Virtually everyone is familiar with Invisalign, but fewer people have heard of ClearCorrect, a clear aligner brand offered by dentists across the country. ClearCorrect hit the market in 2008 and has since stood out by delivering the same teeth-shifting power as Invisalign, often for slightly lower prices.

However, ClearCorrect isn’t the only alternative to Invisalign, and it’s certainly not the perfect choice for everyone. So, how do you decide if ClearCorrect is right for you? In this review, we’ll dive into the pros and cons, compare it to other clear aligner brands, and help you decide whether it’s the right fit for your smile goals.

How Does ClearCorrect Work?

ClearCorrect’s procedures are very similar to Invisalign’s. Before getting started, your dentist will evaluate your teeth and take a 3D scan to confirm that you’re a suitable candidate. If so, they will take impressions of your teeth before sending everything off to ClearCorrect’s dental lab.

ClearCorrect has multiple treatment options — Flex, Mini, One, Two, Three, and Unlimited. The Flex plan is an a la carte “pay as you go” option, which is best for customers with mild alignment issues who don’t need extensive treatment.

Your dentist will collaborate with ClearCorrect to create your customized clear aligners and treatment plan. You’ll even be able to see before and after models of your smile during the process. So, your dentist can make any necessary changes before ClearCorrect manufactures your aligners. Once they confirm your treatment plan, ClearCorrect will mail your custom aligners to your dentist. Then, you can make an appointment to pick them up and try them on before starting treatment.

During your pick-up appointment, your dentist will also review essential instructions for wearing clear aligners. Most importantly, you should keep them in for 22 hours per day and only remove them to eat, drink, or brush your teeth. Your teeth will shift gradually over the next 12–18 months until they’ve reached the desired position.

Is ClearCorrect a Good Option? Our Perspective.

ClearCorrect has become a popular alternative to Invisalign because of its price, which is often less than Invisalign Full — though it is comparable to Invisalign Express and more than at-home aligners like SmileDirectClub and Byte.

As a comprehensive in-office treatment, ClearCorrect can treat many dental or jaw misalignments, even severe ones. Their aligners are thinner than Invisalign, but their new material, ClearQuartz, is generally stronger than the plastics used by at-home clear aligner companies.

In this guide, we’ll evaluate ClearCorrect based on five elements: scope of treatment, affordability, convenience, appearance, and customer support. We’ve provided a lot more detail on how ClearCorrect stacks up category by category, but here’s a quick summary of the biggest pros and cons:

Scope of Treatment

Orthodontic treatment is always a significant investment. Before you very much put your money where your mouth is, you want to be certain the system you choose can address your alignment concerns. ClearCorrect is an in-office system that can address a wide range of issues, matching Invisalign in treatment scope and coming close to what braces can deliver.

ClearCorrect has six treatment plans, some of which are for simple cosmetic changes and others for severe misalignments.

According to ClearCorrect, their Flex, Mini, and One plans are for mild or aesthetic corrections. Their Two plan is for moderate corrections, Three for moderate-to-severe ones, and Unlimited for the most severe cases the company can address.

So, what can ClearCorrect treat?

• Crowded Teeth: ClearCorrect can address most forms of tooth crowding. The only limit is whether the aligners can get a good enough grip to generate the force needed for movement.
• Teeth Gaps: ClearCorrect can close the vast majority of tooth gaps, but if yours is larger than 6 mm, you might need to use braces first, then switch to aligners.
• Overbite: Overbite is when the upper teeth extend too far over the lower ones. ClearCorrect can address any overbite that is strictly dental in nature, as well as many cases that have a skeletal component.
• Underbite: This condition is essentially the reverse of an overbite, where the bottom teeth protrude too far forward. Once again, ClearCorrect can address pretty much any dental underbite, as well as many with skeletal components.
• Crossbite: If some of the upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth, it’s called a crossbite. ClearCorrect can address both simple and mixed crossbites. Only a few cases fall outside of their scope, usually due to jaw abnormalities.
• Open Bite: When the jaws are closed but the teeth don’t touch, it’s called an open bite. ClearCorrect can help with mild-to-moderate open bites, especially when they involve the anterior teeth. Posterior open bites are more difficult to address, and severe ones might require jaw alteration.
• Snaggletooth: This is a condition where one or more teeth are rotated in place, often because of crowding. The degree of rotation ClearCorrect can make depends on the tooth. Their aligners can rotate incisors as much as 30 degrees, while molars are limited to 15.
• Midline Misalignment: Midline misalignment is when the middle of the upper front teeth don’t align with the midline of your face. Whether ClearCorrect can address a midline misalignment depends on its cause and severity.

ClearCorrect can move all the teeth, depending on the nature of the misalignment. This differs from most at-home aligner companies, which typically can only move the social six — the frontmost six teeth in either arch. However, it isn’t great at moving small or pointed teeth. If ClearCorrect can’t treat your particular issue, you may need braces or surgery instead.

ClearCorrect can tackle more complex misalignments by using various attachments.

The most important of these attachments are what they call engagers. These supplemental attachments are small, tooth-colored “buttons” that function like handles. This gives the aligners better grip, making it possible for ClearCorrect to treat more complex issues. The engagers can improve retention and tooth movement, and require in-person care, so home aligners can’t use them.

But can ClearCorrect address your misalignments? To know, you have to see a provider.

This visit should include a visual assessment of your smile, photos, X-rays, and a digital scan. Using that information, ClearCorrect and your dentist can determine if clear aligners are a good option for you. You can find a provider by entering your zip code or city on ClearCorrect’s “Find a Doctor” page.

Regular appointments with your dentist or orthodontist ensure hands-on care and consistent oversight.

During your ClearCorrect treatment, you’ll have office visits around every 4–10 weeks. During these visits, your dentist can evaluate your progress, make sure your teeth are moving as planned, and alter your plan to better suit your needs. This regular oversight allows your dentist to keep you on track and head off any issues before they become serious.

Certain aligner services, like Candid and NewSmile, employ remote monitoring systems where you’ll upload photos of your teeth for their teams to review every few weeks. That might provide some peace of mind, but there’s only so much they can do from afar. It’s not quite as intensive as regular hands-on care.

ClearCorrect uses state-of-the-art materials and technology to design your aligners.

To craft their aligners, ClearCorrect uses a premium tri-layer plastic called ClearQuartz, which they say has superior durability, power, and comfort. While both have their benefits and drawbacks, it’s a worthy competitor for Invisalign’s SmartTrack material.

ClearCorrect also gives providers access to software called ClearPilot, which was developed based on feedback from real dentists. It gives them significant control over your treatment design, customizing it to your unique conditions.

Affordability

Some cosmetic dental treatments can be a significant financial burden. And although ClearCorrect is cheaper than other in-office aligners, it’s not quite as affordable as at-home aligner services.

Of course, that cost gets you a powerful treatment and the reassurance of in-person oversight throughout the process. Plus, insurance coverage and financing might help make the price much more reasonable.

ClearCorrect has a few different pricing models, and you can choose the most cost-effective one for your condition.

The Unlimited model is the most comprehensive, providing as many aligners and revisions as you need for five years. As such, it’s also the most expensive. However, if you have a milder condition, you can go with one of their flat-rate plans. Mini gives you 12 sets of aligners, One gives you 24, Two gives you 48, and Three gives you 72. These plans often cost less than Unlimited, if your dentist offers them. Or, you can opt for the Flex plan, where you’ll pay per aligner, potentially saving money if you only need a few sets.

These plans are similar to Invisalign Express, which costs less than their standard treatment and is best suited for mild cases. At-home aligners usually just have one pricing option.

ClearCorrect treatment typically costs $3,000–$6,000, largely depending on the severity of your case.

The higher cost of in-office clear aligner treatments mostly comes from your regular dental visits. Home aligners save you this added cost by offering treatment entirely from home —  no office visits required. So, if you don’t mind working with a dentist remotely, home aligners are a much cheaper alternative. However, if your top priorities are choosing your own dentist and having the option of in-person appointments, or if you have a severe misalignment, you might consider it worth the price.

Fortunately, ClearCorrect is typically more affordable than other comprehensive in-office treatments like Invisalign. Plus, ClearCorrect’s Unlimited, One, Two, and Three plans include free retainers. Unfortunately, ClearCorrect’s Flex and Mini options don’t include aftercare retainers, so you’ll need to purchase them from your dentist separately. The retainers usually cost about $100, and are crucial to prevent your teeth from shifting after you finish treatment.

Many dentists offer payment plans or financing for ClearCorrect, but they often require a credit check.

Like Invisalign, your dentist will likely offer a financing or payment plan for ClearCorrect. These plans allow you to stretch out the cost of treatment over time. However, they typically require a down payment and a credit check, so if your credit is an issue, you may not be approved. That’s why it’s nice that some at-home aligner treatments — specifically Byte, AlignerCo, NewSmile, and SmileDirectClub — provide in-house financing plans that don’t require a credit check.

Interest rates for financing programs can also be pretty hefty, especially if your credit is below average. To get a better sense of your options, compare dentists and their financing programs to make treatment more budget-friendly.

Convenience

Aside from the cost, one of the biggest barriers to pursuing cosmetic dentistry is the long time commitment of traditional orthodontics. Invisalign and ClearCorrect might be able to tackle severe misalignments, but they also often take a year or more to do it, and they require office visits every step of the way.

We think these office visits, plus longer treatment times, make ClearCorrect less convenient than fully remote options like Byte and SmileDirectClub, although ClearCorrect has a streamlined startup process.

The average ClearCorrect treatment takes about 12–18 months to complete.

With a treatment time very similar to Invisalign, ClearCorrect is a great option if you’d prefer to see a dentist in person during treatment. However, there are quicker treatments on the market. Home aligners only take about six months to correct most misalignments. This difference is often because dentists use ClearCorrect for more severe conditions, which take longer to correct, while at-home aligners are normally only viable for minor misalignments.

Also, keep in mind that if you have a mild condition and choose one of ClearCorrect’s flat-rate models, your treatment might not be as long.

We think getting started with ClearCorrect can be easier than getting started with home aligners.

Your first step will be to schedule an appointment with a dentist to begin treatment. However, you won’t need to take any impressions or photos of your teeth yourself, like you would with most at-home aligner services. Your dentist and their team of technicians will take your photographs and scans or impressions in-office, ensuring that they are accurate and precise. So, they’ll handle the hard work for you.

Your dentist will send the diagnostics off to ClearCorrect’s lab to create your custom treatment plan. It typically takes a few weeks to produce the aligners and ship them to your dentist. Then, you can schedule an appointment to pick them up and begin treatment. You’ll have a chance to try on your aligners before leaving the office, and your dentist can make any necessary changes or request a new set if you aren’t happy with the fit.

ClearCorrect doesn’t offer a nighttime-only plan, so you’ll need to wear your aligners for 22+ hours a day. 

If you’re hesitant to wear your aligners out in public, or you don’t like the idea of removing and replacing them whenever you eat, you might prefer a nighttime-only aligner plan. A few at-home services offer these plans, but unfortunately, ClearCorrect doesn’t, so you’ll need to wear your aligners for at least 22 hours a day.

Appearance

Many adults think the best-looking orthodontic option is the least visible one. Since they’re completely translucent, all clear aligners are much less noticeable than braces, so they often score well in terms of appearance. ClearCorrect is no exception. Their aligners are very inconspicuous, so most people won’t even notice you’re wearing them.

However, not all clear aligners are exactly the same. They all use transparent, BPA-free plastic, but variations in manufacturing processes cause each brand to look slightly different.

ClearCorrect aligners are frosted and textured, which we think helps them blend in with your naturally matte teeth.

Our teeth are porous, which makes their surfaces appear matte. Some home aligner brands use a smooth plastic material, which can reflect light and, in our opinion, look artificially shiny, so frosted aligners might be more discreet. Still, some customers actually like the shininess of other brands, as they feel it gives their smile a gleam. It’s an entirely personal preference.

ClearCorrect cuts their aligners straight across the top, so they overlap the gums.

Companies can cut their clear aligners two different ways: straight across or scalloped to match your gum line. Most home aligner companies cut theirs straight across, which allows them to apply greater force, and that includes ClearCorrect.

ClearCorrect can add attachments and elastics for more power, but they will also make your aligners more visible.

As we mentioned earlier, your dentist may need to supplement your ClearCorrect treatment with Engagers, tooth-colored buttons that blend in with your teeth fairly well, similar to Invisalign’s SmartForce attachments. They can make your aligners more noticeable, but it’s important to keep in mind that no brand of clear aligners is entirely invisible. At-home aligner systems can’t incorporate any attachments, which makes their aligners less powerful, but also more discreet.

Like other clear aligner brands, you should remove ClearCorrect aligners before eating and drinking to avoid staining.

All clear aligners are susceptible to certain stains, so we wouldn’t recommend drinking coffee, red wine, or other dark liquids while wearing them. To be safe, you should only drink water while wearing your aligners.

Patient Experience

Now you’ve got a general idea of how ClearCorrect works and how much you might pay, but what about everything in between? Customer service, office procedures, satisfaction guarantees, and quality assurance are equally important parts of the process.

As any in-office clear aligner brand, the level of service can change across providers, but we think that in-person care is usually helpful and highly individualized.

Typically, you can call your dentist’s office anytime (during their business hours) and get personalized assistance. Plus, if you have any serious concerns, you can schedule an office visit where your dentist can address them directly.

Compare this to at-home aligner companies, which use teams of remote support representatives instead. They can still provide good customer service; but in our opinion, it isn’t as thorough or streamlined as in-person care.

ClearCorrect’s consistent oversight can help address problems mid-treatment to keep your smile on track.

With appointments every 4–10 weeks, your treatment will have hands-on care built in. During office visits, your dentist can make changes to your ClearCorrect aligners on the spot. So, you won’t need to wait if your treatment is not going according to plan.

If you’re not happy with your results, ClearCorrect can provide refinements for no extra cost.

If you’re on ClearCorrect’s Unlimited plan, you’ll receive as many aligners as you need for five years. The typical treatment only lasts 12–18 months, so you have some leeway for further adjustments. If your results don’t match what you initially expected, your dentist can rescan your teeth and order refinement aligners for no extra cost. So, you can be confident that you’ll get the smile you want.

The Mini and One plans each include one refinement in the price, the Two plan includes two, and the Three plan includes three. If you choose the Flex plan, however, you’ll need to pay an additional fee for each refinement aligner.

Best Alternatives to ClearCorrect

We think ClearCorrect is a great choice if you’re looking for a clear aligner treatment that’s similar to Invisalign, but not as expensive. But even though they’re a highly reputable clear aligner brand, they’re hardly the only option.

From comprehensive in-office clear aligner competitors to at-home options that emphasize convenience, there are a lot of excellent clear aligners out there. In the end, the best fit for you depends on your unique condition and priorities, but here’s a rundown of three of our favorite ClearCorrect alternatives.

SureSmile ($2,000–$6,000)

SureSmile is one of the oldest clear aligner companies on the market. They got their start making intuitive archwires for lingual braces before releasing aligners in 2007. Like ClearCorrect, they offer similar products and care to Invisalign, but often for lower prices. And they offer two different treatment plans — the comprehensive Complete option and the pay-as-you-go Select option — so you can use the one that best suits your condition and budget.

Plus, they give dentists more ways to customize your treatment, and they don’t force doctors to use a specific intraoral scanner, making their treatment more accessible. At $2,000–$6,000, they have a similar price range to ClearCorrect, although they’re still usually pricier than at-home alternatives.

Want a closer look? Read our in-depth review of SureSmile.

Invisalign ($3,000–$8,000)

This is the brand that sparked the clear aligner revolution. And today, Invisalign is still the most established and widely used aligner brand in the US. Through regular office visits and supplemental orthodontic attachments, their aligners can treat just about any dental misalignment you throw at it, just like ClearCorrect.

Invisalign is the longest-standing clear aligner brand, but that comes with a price, and it’s typically slightly more expensive than ClearCorrect. Still, we think it’s tough to beat Invisalign’s power, support, and versatility. Plus, they have a lot more providers than ClearCorrect, so it could be easier to find one in your area.

Want a closer look? Read our in-depth review of Invisalign.

Byte ($2,099)

One of Byte’s most unique features is their HyperByte device, which they include in the cost of their aligner package. This high-frequency vibration device uses gentle micropulses that the company says can help provide a more comfortable aligner fit. Certain studies reviewed by our non-clinical team suggest that similar devices might also encourage faster dental shifts — and Byte advertises average treatment plan lengths of 4–5 months.

At just $2,099, Byte is also typically much more affordable than ClearCorrect. Plus, they offer the option to straighten your teeth while you sleep with their premium Byte At-Night aligners, which only require ten hours of wear per day. However, this option costs a bit more ($2,499).

Finally, unlike ClearCorrect, Byte treatment comes with a lifetime guarantee, called Byte for Life. If your teeth ever shift out of place, Byte will send you new aligners for free to realign them, as long as you’ve been replacing your retainers once per year and wearing them as directed.

Want a closer look? Read our in-depth review of Byte.

Candid ($3,500+)

Unlike Byte or ClearCorrect, Candid offers a unique blend of in-office and at-home care. You’ll start your treatment in a local dentist’s office (there are 800+ in Candid’s network). After that, you’ll complete most of your aligner plan at home, submitting photo check-ins every 14 days, so your dentist can collaborate with Candid to keep you on track. We think this CandidMonitoring model is more robust than at-home aligners, yet more streamlined than ClearCorrect.

At $3,500+, Candid is often around the same price as ClearCorrect, but you’re likely to have fewer in-person appointments — without entirely sacrificing hands-on care. We think their hybrid model could be a great fit for anyone who likes the convenience of teledentistry, but also likes the idea of having some face-time with their dentist.

Want a closer look? Read our in-depth review of Candid.

Summary: Is ClearCorrect Right For You?

ClearCorrect is best if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to Invisalign with the same level of intensive hands-on care. However, if you don’t mind administering the entire treatment remotely, and you have a mild or moderate misalignment, home aligners are more affordable and less time consuming.

To get a better idea of which option might be the best fit for you, we encourage you to check out the resources below.