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Last Updated: September 10, 2020
With the cost of Invisalign and other orthodontic teeth straightening treatments being so expensive, it has led many people to look for cost-effective alternatives. Smile Direct Club entered the market with the value proposition of offering clear aligners for up to 60% less than traditional braces [1].
While there is no standard set cost for braces and it can depend on many variables, the average cost is anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 [2] – and in most cases, that’s something insurance isn’t going to cover, so expect to pay out of pocket for your braces.
For anyone who is looking to get their teeth straightened without the exorbitant price tag, you will likely turn to Smile Direct Club which promises to straighten teeth from home for as low as $85 per month.
Throughout this Smile Direct Club review, we will be going over some pertinent details about the Club in order to help you decide whether or not it is right for your teeth straightening or teeth whitening needs.
What is Smile Direct Club?
Contents
Smile Direct Club is a company that offers customers the ability to get fully customized teeth straightening solutions for a much more affordable price than the alternatives in the marketplace. With it, everything is done completely online cutting out the need for in-person visits to your orthodontist.
You will get a complete 3D mapping of your treatment plan to allow for the most minor adjustments. Best of all, throughout the entire journey, you will be able to check up on your progress online without leaving your house.
You will also have 24/7 access to the club’s dental care team either by phone, real-time chat, live video chat, or by email.
Product Overview: Aligners, Whitening, Toothbrushes
1. Smile Direct Club Clear Aligners
This is Smile Direct Club’s bread and butter. They have come up with a cost-saving solution for people to be able to get customized teeth alignment treatments at a fraction of the cost of getting traditional braces or other clear aligner solutions on the marketplace.
Not only do their aligners provide cost-saving measures against traditional braces, but they cut out the inconvenience of having to make in-person visits with your orthodontist.
Instead, you will be having virtual check-ins with one of over 250+ state-licensed dentists or orthodontists to ensure that your treatment is going as smoothly as possible.
2. Whitening
Smile Direct Club also happens to offer affordable yet effective teeth whitening solutions for anyone who is looking to brighten their smile. Unlike other professional whitening treatments, you can get your teeth whitened with their kits for a fraction of the price.
Their teeth whitening kits come with everything you would need to get your teeth a few shades whiter whether your teeth are stained from drinking too much coffee in the morning or red wine at night.
The kits come with whitening pens, LED light for brightening your teeth on-the-go, and the same enamel-safe whitening agent that is regularly used by dentists who charge a lot more for the same treatment.
3. Toothbrushes
Smile Direct Club also happens to offer its own affordably priced electric toothbrush. Instead of paying nearly $100 or more on an electric toothbrush, Smile Direct Club offers one with all of the bells and whistles without the same high cost you are used to.
In fact, their toothbrush comes in at the low price of $25 with $5 replacement heads. Their electric toothbrush promises to clean your teeth up to 50% better than using a manual toothbrush.
The brush head is angled in a way to improve your ability to clean hard to reach surfaces.
How it Works: Their 3 Step Process
1. Dental Impression
In order to get started with the program, you first need to get a full impression done on your teeth. Smile Direct will either send out an at-home impression kit that you can do on your own or you will visit an in-store SmileShop in order to get it done.
Once you get your 3D impression completed, they will be able to customize aligners and an entire treatment plan to get your teeth properly aligned.
2. Customized Aligners
Smile Direct Club will utilize the 3D impressions they have made of your teeth to produce aligners that will gradually shift your teeth into proper alignment. They will be able to utilize the 3D impression to create a mapping of your treatment plan.
Each aligner will be meant to make slight adjustments to your teeth and their respective position until they are all eventually in optimal alignment.
Each treatment plan will be monitored and reviewed by a state-licensed dentist or orthodontist.
3. Wear Them
They make it as easy as possible to follow the treatment plan. Instead of having to make in-person visits and adjustments like you would traditionally with an orthodontist, they will ship the aligners to you.
All you have to do is pop them in your mouth and wear them for the set period of time each day.
Once you are due for a new aligner, you will simply replace the old aligners with the new ones and continue until you reach an optimal alignment.
Smile Direct Club Benefits
1. Affordability
Perhaps the greatest benefit that Smile Direct Club offers is the cost. To get the same customized teeth alignment program with other providers, you could expect to pay north of $5,000.
With this one, you are only paying a fraction of the price. With this program, you can either choose to pay a single payment of $1,895 or a monthly payment plan of just $85 per month for 24 months [1].
2. Convenience
As mentioned, you won’t have to constantly plan for in-person visits. This is one of the drawbacks of traditional braces. Your orthodontist will constantly have to check up on you in order to make in-person and manual adjustments to your braces to increase or decrease the tension of your wires. This process is completely eliminated with clear aligners and the entire process is mapped out ahead of time and facilitated by the use of custom staged aligners.
3. Quicker Treatment
Because of the 3D mapping technology, Smile Direct Club is able to expedite the entire process. The average treatment plan for braces is actually 3x longer than the average treatment plan for Smile Club Direct [1].
If you are looking to avoid the long and tumultuous process that is involved with achieving optimal alignment with braces, it is likely one of the benefits that will sell you on the service.
4. Guarantee
With Smile Club Direct, you have a money-back guarantee. If the dentist or orthodontist determines that you aren’t a good fit for the treatment plan, you will be able to get your money back. Also, if within the first 30-days of your treatment you aren’t satisfied with your experience, you will be able to get a complete refund.
5. Professional Dentists and Orthodontists
With the cost savings that you will be able to benefit from, you might assume that you won’t be getting professional assistance. Smile Direct Club has partnered with over 250 dentists and orthodontists who are state-licensed.
Therefore, you don’t have to worry about getting a treatment plan or going through a teeth alignment process without getting access to professionals in the industry.
You will get the same professional treatment that you would with other options including braces or other clear alignment treatment plans for a fraction of the cost.
Price: How Much Does Smile Direct Club Cost?
Teeth Aligner Cost
- Single Pay: $1895 (lowest price: save up to $395)
- Monthly: $85 for 24 months
See all pricing options for their whitening kits and aligners at their website.
Who Should Join?
If you are a candidate for teeth alignment with Smile Direct Club and you are looking to straighten your teeth, you will absolutely want to choose their treatment plan.
Not only is it significantly cheaper than the alternatives available, but it offers many other benefits that make it much more likely you will be able to achieve the end result of having straight teeth.
Not everyone is going to be a candidate for treatment with Smile Direct Club. However, because they offer a money-back guarantee, you will be able to get 3D scans to see if you are a candidate.
Therefore, there is no risk if you aren’t someone who is well suited for this treatment plan.
You should join Smile Direct Club if…
- You want straight teeth and you are a candidate
- You want whiter teeth for an affordable price
- You want the convenience custom aligners are able to offer and you don’t want to pay the high price-tag of other treatment plans
- You want high-quality yet affordable electric toothbrushes and brush heads
Review Summary
Overall, Smile Direct Club has made a lasting impact on the marketplace. They managed to bring down the total cost of custom clear aligners without sacrificing the quality of the treatment.
They have made it possible for everyone to get straighter and whiter teeth without putting themselves in a mountain of debt. If you are looking to get your teeth straightened and you want to get a whiter and much more attractive smile, you should join Smile Direct Club.
The entire treatment is much more convenient and quicker than traditional braces and you will save a lot of money.