One of the primary expenses involved with orthodontic treatment is office visits. After all, dentists’ time and facilities cost money. By cutting in-person checkups out of the equation, at-home clear aligner companies have made teeth straightening treatment more affordable than ever. And Straight My Teeth is the most affordable of the bunch.
Straight My Teeth has the lowest price point of any provider in the U.K., making treatment widely accessible. But when it comes to your teeth, price isn’t the only factor to consider. In this Straight My Teeth review, we’ll walk you through everything you should know before deciding whether or not they’re the right fit for you.
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Straight My Teeth: Low Prices, High Quality
If you’re after the most affordable aligners on the market, look no further. Straight My Teeth may not offer all the bells & whistles some other providers do, but they still deliver top-quality results.
Bottom line, if you’re looking for an affordable and reliable clear aligner service, Straight My Teeth is tough to beat. At £999, their price point is hundreds lower than at-home competitors, and thousands less than traditional in-office options like Invisalign.
What is Straight My Teeth?
Straight My Teeth is a relative newcomer to the home aligner game. They hit the market in 2018 and made waves right away thanks to their industry-best pricing. Since then, they’ve built a solid customer base and enhanced smiles for thousands of happy customers.
They’re just one in a recent wave of new companies offering at-home aligner treatment, including upstarts like Straight Teeth Direct and industry pillars like SmileDirectClub, and they’ve wasted no time building a customer base. They’ve even expanded to the U.S. with a brand called AlignerCo that boasts similar affordability.
What really sets Straight My Teeth apart is their incredibly affordable prices, which beat every other home aligner company by at least £300. Plus, they provide convenient financing plans to make that price even more accessible. But their cheap prices don’t mean you’ll get a cheap product. Straight My Teeth doesn’t sacrifice safe and high-quality treatment in the name of lower prices, so you can be confident in the care you’ll receive.
Like other home aligner treatments, Straight My Teeth is mainly for mild and moderate cases of crowding and spacing. They can also treat minor bite issues, but this depends on the specific condition. If your condition is severe or involves complex tooth and jaw movements, you might look at in-office treatments like Invisalign instead.
How Does Straight My Teeth Work?
To get started, you’ll need to send Straight My Teeth images of your teeth by completing an impression kit or visiting their Smile Studio in Staines for a free teeth scan. They’ll use these molds/scans to determine whether you’re a good candidate for treatment and, if so, create a treatment plan. Then, they’ll send you a digital preview of how their aligners will move your teeth. If you like what you see, approve the plan and they will get started on your aligners.
Once your aligners arrive, it’s showtime. You’ll wear them for 20-22 hours per day only removing them to eat, drink, brush, and floss or ten hours per day with their NightOnly option. Over the course of several months, your teeth will gradually migrate to their new positions.
Pros & Cons of Straight My Teeth
Straight My Teeth’s prices are attractive — there’s no doubt about that. But we always recommend examining both sides of the coin before diving into treatment. Straight My Teeth takes the #2 spot on our home aligner rankings, but that’s not an arbitrary placement.
We’ve been across the Internet and back researching Straight My Teeth, and we’ve distilled our findings into a simple pros and cons list:
Pros
- Straight My Teeth easily has the lowest prices on the market. You’ll only pay £999 for your full treatment (or less if you catch a sale). That’s not just lower than in-office options like Invisalign, but it’s also lower than their at-home peers.
- The £999 sticker price includes your impression kit, all of your aligners, one set of aftercare retainers, and all shipping costs — everything you need to transform and maintain your smile.
- Each Straight My Teeth aligner is manufactured with plastic from Raintree Essix, an established and reputable dental supply company.
- Online reviews consistently praise their customer service staff, noting their responsiveness and professionalism.
- Average treatment times of just 4–6 months, which is average for at-home treatments, but usually much faster than traditional orthodontics.
Cons
- Straight My Teeth doesn’t provide any oversight during treatment, while other at-home providers monitor your progress via virtual check-ins and in-office treatments require in-person office visits.
- If you reach the end of treatment and you’re unhappy with your results, refinements cost an extra £150.
- They only have one office (in Staines) where you can get teeth scans instead of using an impression kit. Other companies have offices across the UK.
So, Do the Pros Outweigh the Cons?
In many cases, yes. Straight My Teeth offers a quality product at a super-low price point. So if affordability is at the top of your priority list, Straight My Teeth might be your perfect match.
Effectiveness
Perhaps the best thing about Straight My Teeth treatment is that their low price doesn’t come at the expense of quality. The company takes measures to deliver consistent results while cutting your costs.
Like we mentioned above, Straight My Teeth is primarily intended for mild and moderate cases of crowding and spacing. Their aligners can’t correct severe misalignments or most bite issues like Invisalign and other in-office treatments can, but their dentists and orthodontists will need to evaluate your smile to see if you’re a good candidate first.
If they approve you for treatment and you’re on board, you can be confident that you’ll receive quality products and effective treatment.
Straight My Teeth treatment plans are created by GDC licensed dentists, but they don’t monitor your progress.
When you submit your impressions or teeth scans, they go to Straight My Teeth’s clinical team, which consists of GDC licensed dentists. These professionals will determine whether their treatment can correct your particular misalignment, and if so, design your treatment plan.
However, that’s effectively the end of their involvement. In-person treatments like Invisalign involve office visits throughout the process, and some at-home providers attempt to replicate this oversight by having you submit photos of your teeth every few weeks, allowing their dentists to monitor your progress. Straight My Teeth, however, doesn’t require any oversight. If something seems off during treatment, contact their support team, who can get a dentist involved. But otherwise, you’re administering treatment on your own.
Straight My Teeth treatment plans are created by orthodontists and general dentists.
Does it matter who creates your treatment? Absolutely. Orthodontists spend years of postgraduate training on the specific science of teeth movements. Dentists are totally qualified to design and administer clear aligners too, but they’re not as specialized as orthodontists.
Since Straight My Teeth uses both orthodontists and general dentists, you might not get an orthodontist on your case. By contrast, some other companies guarantee that your treatment will be designed and monitored by an orthodontist.
Straight My Teeth uses plastics from RaintreeEssix to manufacture their aligners.
Quality materials mean quality products. Straight My Teeth creates durable and effective aligners with plastic from RaintreeEssix, whose premium materials have been a staple in the clear aligner industry since 2005. This ensures that your aligners will be sturdy and long-lasting, able to convey the results you were promised.
So, you can be confident that the aligners you receive will be durable, reliable, and crafted from high-quality materials.
By trimming their aligners to match your gum line, Straight My Teeth has made them slightly less effective.
When designing aligners, the company can either cut them straight across or “scallop” them to follow your gums. A scalloped cut is less visible, but a straight cut lets the aligners grip your gums and apply more force, moving your teeth more effectively.
Affordability
We’ve already harped on Straight My Teeth’s affordability, but there’s more to it than low prices. You’re already getting treatment for less than the competition, but you’ll probably want to know the ins and outs of your expenses.
Because they’ve eliminated expensive office visits, all at-home aligners are fairly cost-effective options, but Straight My Teeth has truly made affordability a priority. Not only have they set exceptionally low prices, they’ve used creative financing plans to help home aligners fit into almost any budget.
The £999 Straight My Teeth price tag is the lowest you’ll find.
On average, home aligner treatment is £1,300–£2,000, which is already more affordable than traditional orthodontics. But Straight My Teeth doesn’t stop there. They offer full aligner treatment for just £999, hundreds less than their competitors. And they’ll occasionally run promotions and sales that drop that price as low as £699. For this sticker price, you get your aligner package, your impression kit, and one set of aftercare retainers, which other companies sell separately for around £99.
If you choose the NightOnly aligner plan, you’ll pay £1,049 instead, but you’ll only need to wear your aligners for 10+ hours per night.
Straight My Teeth has a financing plan that’s available to every customer, regardless of credit score.
Of course, if you have £999 ready to go, you can pay it all in one go. Straight My Teeth calls this the “SmileAdvantage” plan, and it’s the cheapest way to pay.
Can’t pay all at once? No worries. You can opt for the SmileFlex Easy plan instead. This plan doesn’t require a credit check, so everyone is eligible. You’ll make a £295 down payment, then pay £67/month for 12 months. This option is slightly more expensive (a total of £1,099) but the convenience of spreading your costs over a whole year is worth it.
Convenience
Think about trying to fit monthly office visits into your current schedule. It might stress you out. By shipping the aligners directly to your home, companies like Straight My Teeth have taken a big step forward in convenience. This means you can use that time you would have spent in the patient chair to see a friend, wrap up a big work project, go on a date, take a nap, or anything else. Most home aligner companies guarantee treatment completion in half a year or less, compared to the typical 12–18 months for most in-office options.
This streamlined treatment time means that Straight My Teeth is unquestionably more convenient than Invisalign or traditional braces. Their treatment times and nighttime-only option make them more convenient than some of their peers too.
Straight My Teeth offers free teeth scans, but they only have one scanning location.
Impression kits can be intimidating, especially for anyone who’s never used one before. Some customers find it difficult to make accurate impressions and end up having to order another kit, which can be frustrating and cost more money. That’s why many home aligner companies have retail locations where a trained employee will scan your teeth for free.
Straight My Teeth offers a similar solution. However, they only have one office (called a “Smile Studio”) located in Staines. If you live in or near Staines, this is a simpler way to get started. But if you live elsewhere, you’ll need to order an impression kit. Anyone who finds the impression kit difficult can also schedule a video call with a Straight My Teeth representative who will walk you through the process.
Start to finish, your treatment will take 4–6 months.
Straight My Teeth offers average treatment times of around 4–6 months for all-day wear aligners, and 6–8 months for NightOnly treatment. Your total treatment time will have a lot to do with the severity of your particular condition, as well as how diligently you follow your wear schedule.
Get Straight My Teeth’s NightOnly Clear Aligners and you only have to wear your aligners overnight.
These premium aligners only require 8–10 hours of overnight wear instead of the usual 22+. If you think it might be difficult to wear your aligners all day, every day, this is a more convenient option. It will, however, extend your treatment timeline to an average of 6–8 months. Still, if you’d rather not wear your aligners out in public, nighttime-only treatment might be appealing.
Appearance
Many adults shudder at the thought of wearing metal braces to work, school, or social engagements. There’s no question that clear aligners are much less noticeable than brackets and wires. But which aligners look best?
Believe it or not, not all clear aligners look the same. Sure, they’re all clear, discreet, and made from BPA-free plastic, but differences in materials and manufacturing processes make each company’s aligners slightly different. And in the end, which look best depends on your unique tastes and preferences.
Straight My Teeth claims to have the “world’s clearest” aligners.
Their aligners certainly are clear and smooth. But whether this makes them less visible is another question entirely. We actually think that the textured or “frosted” aligners produced by some competitors (like SmileDirectClub and Invisalign) are less noticeable.
Why? Because your teeth are naturally textured, not smooth and shiny. Therefore, textured aligners can look more natural, while smooth and transparent ones can be reflective and too shiny. If you like the idea of a little “gleam” on your teeth, go for it! But if you prefer aligners that mimic your natural teeth, some other options do it better.
Aligners from Straight My Teeth are handcrafted and trimmed to match your gum line.
There are two ways to cut an aligner: scalloped to follow the gum line or straight across the top. Straight-cut aligners slightly cover your gums and observant friends could spot this overlap in close quarters. Aligners that are trimmed to your gums won’t have this overlap, so they’re a little more discreet.
However, they’re a little less effective too. Straight-cut aligners can leverage your gums to exert more power on your teeth, but scalloped aligners can’t.
Straight My Teeth aligners cannot incorporate attachments, maintaining their low profile.
One reason Invisalign and other in-office aligners can treat such severe misalignments is because they can incorporate attachments like elastics or buttons that they affix to your teeth. These attachments make them a lot more powerful, but also more visible.
Dentists can only place attachments during office visits, so home aligners like Straight My Teeth can’t use them. But that also means there are no extra bumps or hardware on your teeth.
You should take out your aligners before eating and drinking to avoid stains.
All clear aligners are susceptible to stains from food and beverages — that’s why it’s important to remove them before eating or drinking anything other than plain water. Our current understanding is that Straight My Teeth aligners are reasonably resistant to staining, although we certainly wouldn’t recommend drinking coffee or red wine while wearing your aligners.
Customer Experience
Dental treatment is expensive, and you only have one set of teeth. So it’s important to feel confident and secure in your treatment provider. You want to be sure that they will care for you and have your back if anything goes wrong.
Hands-on care is the gold standard for customer satisfaction. It’s personalized, responsive, and can address issues in person right away. That said, Straight My Teeth has put together a fairly effective system of remote customer support.
Straight My Teeth are responsive on multiple communication channels.
Chances are you’ll have questions during your treatment. When they arise, you can contact Straight My Teeth by phone, email, or webchat. Based on the customer reviews we’ve read, their representatives are responsive and helpful on all three. It appears that they will also reply to customers on social media too. If you need answers, you should be able to get them relatively quickly.
Straight My Teeth offers refinements, but they cost extra.
Let’s say you get to the end of your treatment and your smile doesn’t match the one they sent you in your initial treatment preview. This doesn’t often happen, but it’s possible. In this case, you would be eligible to apply for a refinement — extra aligners that will finish the job. It’s not free, though. Each refinement costs an extra £150. Other companies (like Straight Teeth Direct) will provide refinements at no extra cost.
They don’t issue refunds for impression kits either.
Most companies will refund your impression kit costs if they determine you’re not a good candidate for treatment, but Straight My Teeth won’t. If you pre-paid for your aligners and you’re not eligible for treatment, they’ll refund the amount you pre-paid minus £49 for the impression kit.
What are Straight My Teeth Customers Saying?
When we review a company like Straight My Teeth, our first move is to dig through customer reviews to understand common customer issues and desires.
As we mentioned earlier, Straight My Teeth is a relatively young company. There aren’t a ton of legitimate customer reviews and testimonials, but the ones that they have are excellent. Straight My Teeth customers generally feel positive about their experience. Many seem to have chosen Straight My Teeth because of the low price point but were equally pleased with their results and customer service.
There are some complaints, however, and many concern the refinement policy. Customers are usually happy with their end result, but when they aren’t, it’s bothersome that they need to pay extra for additional aligners. Some customers have also said going back and forth with the support team to get refinements can be frustrating.
But again, this is based on a small sample size of reviews. As Straight My Teeth continues to grow, they’ll accumulate more and we’ll get a fuller picture of their customer experience.
Straight My Teeth vs. Invisalign
One of the main differences between at-home clear aligners like Straight My Teeth and in-office ones like Invisalign is cost. Invisalign is, on average, about four times as expensive as Straight My Teeth. That said, there’s another important difference to keep in mind: Invisalign can correct much more severe cases of misalignment than Straight My Teeth.
With Invisalign, you’ll receive hands-on care, so your dentist can incorporate elastics and other attachments into your treatment plan to achieve more advanced and intricate teeth movements. Unfortunately, this isn’t possible with Straight My Teeth.
For severe cases of crowding, spacing, or bite issues, in-person care can’t be beat. But if you’re simply looking to correct a mild-to-moderate dental misalignment, an affordable at-home provider like Straight My Teeth can achieve the results you’re after.
Straight My Teeth vs. Other At-Home Clear Aligners
While Straight My Teeth is a reputable and affordable brand, there are a few other home teeth straightening companies worth considering before settling on a provider. Let’s see how Straight My Teeth stacks up against some other top-ranked home teeth aligners:
Straight My Teeth vs. Straight Teeth Direct
Straight Teeth Direct uses an app for remote monitoring throughout treatment, so your dentist can make sure you’re staying on track. This app also provides near-instant access to their customer service team.
And if your smile doesn’t match the initial treatment preview by the time you’re done, they’ll provide extra aligners for free. Straight Teeth Direct’s constant oversight and generous satisfaction guarantee have left numerous customers grinning.
For a closer look at Straight Teeth Direct, check out our in-depth review.
Straight My Teeth vs. PlusDent
PlusDent prides themselves on excellent oversight. They’ll monitor your treatment remotely and provide in-person teeth scans to take the place of the impression kit. In fact, they require every patient to start their treatment at one of their 30 UK practices — they don’t sell impression kits. This provides a nice personal touch, but it also makes it difficult if you don’t live near one of their locations.
Interested? Read through our complete PlusDent review.
Straight My Teeth vs. WonderSmile
WonderSmile works exclusively with orthodontists to prepare their treatment plans (unlike Straight My Teeth), which helps ensure treatment quality and safety. Plus, they have more offices throughout the U.K. where you can start your treatment with a teeth scan, and they’ll monitor your progress with monthly virtual check-ins. Like Straight My Teeth, WonderSmile provides financing plans with no credit check and a nighttime-only treatment. But their aligners are a few hundred more expensive (£1,399).
Learn more about WonderSmile in our complete review.
Straight My Teeth vs. SmileDirectClub
SmileDirectClub stands out as the largest and most popular at-home clear aligner brand. They also offer retail locations, which makes it easier to get the ball rolling, depending on where you live. They’ve also transformed over a million smiles so far, making them the most experienced home aligner company on the market.
Straight My Teeth isn’t quite as experienced or convenient, but we think that their significantly lower prices make them a slightly better option. If your priority is proven results and a long track record of good reviews, however, check out SmileDirectClub.
For more on SmileDirectClub, check out our full review.
Summary - Is Straight My Teeth Right for You?
If you like the idea of straightening your teeth without making too big of a dent in your budget, we highly recommend Straight My Teeth. At £999, they’re the most affordable service in the clear aligner space (by a landslide). And more importantly, they offer a high-quality product and solid customer support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Straight My Teeth offer discounts?
Occasionally. But Straight My Teeth’s starting price is already lower than other companies’ discounted prices, so you’re still getting a great deal. But if you’re lucky, you might catch a deal on their website that brings that price as low as £699. On top of that, they have a referral program. If you refer a friend, they’ll receive £50 off their Straight My Teeth treatment and you’ll get £50 cash (if they purchase aligners).
Can Straight My Teeth correct my condition?
It depends. Straight My Teeth is extremely effective in treating mild and moderate cases of crowding and spacing, but it might not be able to correct jaw misalignments like overbite, underbite, crossbite, etc. The only way to know for sure is to complete an impression kit or visit their Smile Studio. After evaluating your teeth, Straight My Teeth’s dental team will let you know if their aligners can make the shifts you’re after.
How much will I end up paying?
If you purchase the SmileAdvantage package, you’ll receive an impression kit and your first set of aftercare retainers included in the £999 price. But you only get this price if you pay upfront. If you choose the SmileFlex Easy payment plan, you’ll pay £1,099 over the course of 12 months, which is still cheaper than the competition. And if you go with the NightOnly aligners, you’ll pay £1,149.
How do I get started?
To determine your treatment candidacy and develop your aligner plan, Straight My Teeth’s dental team will need to analyze your teeth. Order, complete, and submit an impression kit and they’ll respond with a treatment plan that shows every step in the process. Or, if you live near Staines, you can visit their office for a free teeth scan.
How long will it take?
In most cases, Straight My Teeth treatment takes 4–6 months to deliver the desired results. This depends primarily on the severity of your case and how diligently you follow the prescribed wear schedule.
Does insurance cover Straight My Teeth’s treatment?
Public health care, unfortunately, won’t cover home aligner treatment. But if you have private health care, you might receive coverage. It all depends on your provider. Contact them to find out for sure.
What is the cheapest home aligner service?
Straight My Teeth, and it’s not even close. Their £999 price tag is hundreds less than other home aligner companies and thousands less than traditional, in-office treatments. Plus, they offer flexible payment plans to make their aligners even more accessible.
What is the most effective clear aligner company?
It’s tough to beat the power and versatility of in-office options like Invisalign, ClearCorrect, SureSmile, and 3M Clarity Aligners. They can all treat severe misalignments and even bite issues.
What about Invisalign?
The clear aligner originator has its own set of unique benefits, most notably in-person care. During regular face-to-face checkups, your dentist or orthodontist can make adjustments to your treatment and add attachments that allow Invisalign to treat a wider scope of cases. Straight My Teeth is cheaper, but Invisalign is a great option if your condition is severe or you’d prefer to meet with your dentist in person.
Do clear aligners hurt?
When you switch to a new aligner set every two weeks, you might experience some discomfort for the first day or two, but after that, you’ll hardly notice them.
Is home aligner treatment safe?
Yes! While administering treatment from home might seem daunting, the process is very safe. Home aligner companies use state-licensed dentists and orthodontists to create your treatment plan and design your aligners. Even though you won’t meet with them in-person, each company offers robust customer support services if something doesn’t feel quite right.
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