In This Article

Overview

Invisalign is a treatment process for straightening teeth with a series of clear, removable aligners that work over time. According to research, the use of Invisalign was associated with a variety of positive effects; patients were extremely pleased with the significant improvements in their appearance. Patients also noted improvements related to comfort and oral hygiene while eating and chewing.

Why The Dental Industry Experiences Rising Demand For Alternatives To Invisalign
Best Invisalign Alternative

Invisalign invisible braces have changed many people’s lives, especially teenagers who want to boost their self-esteem by smiling confidently because it provides more comfort with less pressure on the teeth.

However, Invisalign is still inaccessible to many due to its steep price. That being said, just as with many other industries, the COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a crucible for new developments in the dentistry industry – creating a surge in viable competitors that offer similar at-home treatments for a fraction of the price.[1]

Competition for Invisalign

The main development in the orthodontics industry that has created the most competition for Invisalign is the ability of recently created distance-delivered services to provide access to highly qualified dentists and dental labs to those in remote areas. This breakthrough has allowed numerous companies to allow patients to closely consult with dentists regarding their treatment.

The types of treatment can be divided into two categories: “in-office” and “at home.”. The former category, which includes the likes of Invisalign, requires office visits to fit the aligners that shift your teeth over time, whereas the latter category can be applied completely from your own home. In this way, home aligners provide additional convenience at a reduced cost.

Demand is rising for these “at-home” alternative to Invisalign, mainly because they cater to the majority of people.[2] Moreover, such treatments are ideal for mild-to-moderate dental misalignment, which will cover the broadest spectrum of cases. “In-office” treatments will thus always remain relevant for the same reason, since they are required for the effective treatment of more severe cases, demand for them will always persist.

Although these at-home options can work for some, they will not work for everybody, and like anything that doesn’t have the doctor’s complete care, there’s an increased chance of errors and infections occurring. And when this happens, you may not be covered by insurance, so you will shoulder any mishap that may incur additional medical treatments.

Top Invisalign Alternatives

Below are two “at-home” alternatives that will be suitable for the vast majority of people.

SmileDirectClub

This is currently one of the most eminent “at-home” aligner brands, and for good reason: it was one of the newcomers to enter the market and go above and beyond to provide the most convenient treatment. Their establishment of over 300 physical shops across the US is a representation of the growth of their presence within the industry.

The main advantages of using this service are that its impression kits allow customers to begin alignment as quickly and conveniently as possible, yet its cost is less than half the price of Invisalign’s at $1950. That being said, as is often the case with these “at-home” treatments, this service cannot treat the same scope of cases as Invisalign; it is limited to mild and moderate cases of crowding or spacing.

If you have a severe case of teeth misalignment, don’t attempt to try this option because not only will it not work, but it might also cause you pain and discomfort. Hence, it’s essential to take their candidate assessment first to determine if your teeth condition can be fixed by their aligners. Minor spacing and moderate crowding may be remedied. However, when it comes to overbites and underbites, you may need to consult with an orthodontist to correct them for you.

AlignerCo

Another home teeth aligner, AlignerCo, offers an even more affordable price than SmileDirectClub, with prices that begin at $1145. It boasts the lowest price in the entire industry and compounds this affordability with many financing plans to fit a variety of schedules.

Their entry plan also does not require a credit check for a financing plan, so it is available for anyone to use. On top of this, its customer service is highly regarded for its responsiveness and tailor-made support, despite the fact that it is entirely remote. However, treatment will usually take longer than the other alternatives, typically taking 6–11 months (though this is still faster than Invisalign).

One great thing about AlignerCo is its refund policy. If their team failed to provide accurate advice and incorrectly assessed the condition of your teeth based on your impression kit, they will refund your money. This way, you’re assured you will only have the best results for your teeth.

Six Month Smiles

Similar to Invisalign, Six Month Smiles provides its aligners in coordination with an in-office dentist, which necessitates frequent office visits. However, it shares the short timeframe of home aligners, with an overall treatment time of around six months on average. The brand initially began by offering clear braces but has since extended to clear aligners too.

This brand offers many benefits. Since they take roughly half as long as the typical Invisalign treatment program, fewer office visits are required, which drives the price down far below that of Invisalign. Further, because they offer both clear aligners and braces, the best option can be selected for each individual patient at their dentist’s behest.

The drawback of this shortened time frame is the limited range of cases it can treat as a consequence; severe cases, such as tooth and jaw misalignment (e.g., overbites and underbites), cannot be treated with this service. Furthermore, whilst they are cheaper than Invisalign, they are still significantly more expensive than at-home alternatives, yet they don’t offer significantly better results (i.e., the ability to treat these more severe cases).

Byte

As a comparatively young company, it would be easy to overlook Byte as a viable option for orthodontic treatment, but this would be a big mistake. The company has achieved great success in its short lifespan, including the effectiveness of treatment, convenience, and an extremely short time frame.

The most obvious benefit of choosing this provider is the incredibly short time frame: around 3–4 months for full treatment. This is almost half that of their competitors in the at-home aligner industry and completely leaves Invisalign’s twelve-month window in the dust. On top of this, the “Byte for Life” guarantee ensures the smile is covered for the long haul—new aligners can be created even if teeth move after treatment.

Closing Remarks

On balance, the development of this new frontier of dentistry has produced fierce competition from a range of new alternative for invisalign, which SmilePrep has evaluated in depth.[3] The solutions mentioned above may represent the future of dentistry for those hoping to improve their smile. A broader range of options has been produced to allow customers to choose a treatment plan that is optimal for them, more severe cases may require “in-office” treatment plans, while mild and moderate cases can use “at-home”.

Beyond this general recommendation, it is difficult to provide a specific solution for each person reading as it will be unique for each case. We hope that this article can act as a foundational resource from which to begin your research into the optimal treatment plan for you. For a more expansive and detailed list of all the alternatives available to you, it is wise to conduct research.

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We review published medical research in respected scientific journals to arrive at our conclusions about a product or health topic. This ensures the highest standard of scientific accuracy.

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Dr. Steven Lin, B.D

Dr. Steven Lin is a dentist, speaker, and author of the upcoming book, The Dental Diet (January 18’). His work aims to bridge the gap