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Notice: On December 8, 2023, SmileDirectClub announced the ‘incredibly difficult decision to wind down its global operations, effective immediately’. Unfortunately, aligner treatment is no longer available for new customers — any orders that have not yet shipped have been cancelled. In addition, customer care support is no longer available for existing customers and the Lifetime Smile Guarantee no longer exists. SmileDirectClub suggests that customers looking to continue treatment outside of their platform should consult a local dentist regarding future alignment treatment. Visit smiledirectclub.com for more information.
Maybe you didn’t have the funds or desire for a straighter smile in your youth. Or perhaps it’s only now as a teen or adult that you’re prioritizing perfectly aligned pearly whites. Either way, dental aligners could be a good fit for you.
SmileDirectClub is one popular, at-home option. It’s a teledentistry company that sells kits of multiple aligners you wear at home for a recommended amount of time. But is SmileDirectClub the right choice for you? Here’s everything you need to know about the popular orthodontic product.
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What Is SmileDirectClub?
We don’t all have the same access to orthodontic treatment. According to the AAO’s 2017 Orthodontic Workforce Report, there are about 3.27 orthodontists for every 100,000 people[1]. This statistic, based on findings by the American Dental Association (ADA), highlights why a teledentistry company like SmileDirectClub appeals to consumers looking for a remote care option for a straighter smile.
Established in 2014, SmileDirectClub is a teledentistry company that provides products and services for straightening your teeth at home. It caters to people looking for an affordable alternative to aligning products, like braces, or people who don’t have access to a nearby orthodontist.
SmileDirectClub’s product lineup includes a variety of items to improve your smile, from a pro whitening system to brighten your teeth to accessories like fluoride toothpaste and water flossers. Their main product line, though, is their aligners, which are custom-made and consist of BPA-free, clear, plastic trays, according to the company. The aligners are designed for minor to moderate teeth correction.
SmileDirectClub offers two types of aligners: Nighttime Clear Aligners you’ll wear for 10 hours per night for the time period prescribed by a dentist or orthodontist assigned to you by SmileDirectClub, or the standard Clear Aligners, worn 22 hours a day for four to six months.
How Does SmileDirectClub Work?
The SmileDirectClub process begins by capturing the current status of your smile. This step is typically completed in person with a 3D photo of your bite at one of the company’s SmileShops, which has locations in 34 states, typically in city-central locations such as Atlanta, Boston, New York, Honolulu, Sacramento and Miami. If you don’t live near a SmileShop, the company will mail you an at-home impressions kit.
One of SmileDirectClub’s state-licensed dentists or orthodontists will then review your 3D image and approve your custom treatment plan, according to the company. Next, all of your clear dental aligners (based on the image or mold of your teeth) are sent to your home all at once, with instructions on when to wear an aligner and for how long.
As you progress, you send in photos of your smile when requested for a virtual check-in. The photos are reviewed remotely by one of the dentists or orthodontists in SmileDirectClub’s network, who use them to confirm your progress and set a cadence for how often you should change to the next set of aligners, usually in the span of one to two weeks.
As your teeth shift incrementally, you wear new sets of prescribed aligners, each progression taking you to the next stage of your smile. Typically, the total treatment time for SmileDirectClub aligners is four to six months.
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How Much Does SmileDirectClub Cost?
SmileDirectClub is typically more affordable than traditional braces. While braces can range in price from $800 to $8,000, the average range for traditional braces is $4,400 to $5,500, says Rajendra Rana, director of orthodontics at Montefiore Health System in New York and an assistant professor of dentistry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
Meanwhile, SmileDirectClub currently costs no more than $2,500 (for either the nighttime aligners or the standard aligners). That $2,500 price tag includes a remote impression kit or a 3D image made in person at a SmileShop, which itself costs $59. There are two payment options for the bulk of the treatment: You can complete a one-time payment of $1,950 or put down a deposit of $250 and pay $89 a month for 24 months (which comes to $2,386 in the end). Once the treatment is over, you can purchase a retainer to preserve your smile, which costs an additional $99.
You can use your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) funds to cover the cost of SmileDirectClub. Additionally, SmileDirectClub says it’s in the network of a number of insurance providers—so be sure to contact your provider to see if you qualify for any savings.
Pros and Cons of SmileDirectClub
There are several pros and cons when it comes to important factors like cost, maintenance and effectiveness.
Procedure
A clear aligner is very appealing to many adults. Compared to traditional braces, it has many pros, the main one being that it’s removable. You can wear the aligner during the day or at night (per your dentist’s recommendations), and it resolves some common braces-related issues like getting food stuck in your smile, as there are no brackets for food to get snagged on.
The at-home process that SmileDirectClub provides may be straightforward and convenient, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the best option when making permanent decisions about your teeth, according to experts.
It’s important to note that in 2017, the American Dental Association (ADA) passed a resolution stating that it, “believes that supervision by a licensed dentist is necessary for all phase of orthodontic treatment including oral examinations, periodontal examinations, radiographic examinations, study models of scans of the mouth, treatment planning and prescriptions, periodic progress assessments and final assessments with stabilizing measures.”
Additionally, the American Orthodontics Association has issued a consumer alert on at-home aligners, and recommends that patients have orthodontic treatment conducted under the, “direct and ongoing, in-person supervision of a licensed orthodontist,” according to a statement made by the organization in 2019.
As for whether SmileDirectClub requires in-person consultations, the company’s website states that, “most SmileDirectClub customers don’t need to make any additional visits to a dental office during their clear aligner treatment, aside from regular dental cleanings.”
“Orthodontists provide patients with a variety of options, including metal braces, ceramic braces, lingual (on the inside of teeth) braces, aligner therapy, hybrid therapy and more…” says Mairaj Ahmed, co-director of the orthodontic program at Montefiore Health System in New York. “Providing more options—in the form of bypassing the appropriate health care provider—is not so much more important than sound clinical advice and treatment.”
Cost
SmileDirectClub is a very affordable option for aligning your bite. It’s more affordable than traditional braces and other dental-aligning procedures that an orthodontist does in their office.
Maintenance
Once your treatment is complete and your dental professional gives you the green light, you have the option to purchase a set of affordable retainers for $99 from SmileDirectClub that you only need to wear at night.
Effectiveness
While SmileDirectClub boasts over 50,000 reviews with an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars on its website, it has an average rating of 3.97 out of 5 stars on its Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile. Specifically, customers who filed complaints with the BBB against SmileDirectClub allege that they had incurred dental problems following SmileDirectClub treatment.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that the company has been ensnared in multiple legal battles over its product and marketing tactics with organizations including the ADA, and various state dental boards.
Is SmileDirectClub Worth It?
The accessibility and affordability of this company’s model of teledentistry is very convenient, and people who are only seeking a minor adjustment to their smile and don’t have access to an orthodontist might benefit from SmileDirectClub.
But the service has been criticized by multiple dental organizations—including the ADA and the American Association of Orthodontists—and many orthodontists emphasize that seeking in-person care, at least for some of your consultations, is critical.
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