After noticing my teeth shifts in my adulthood, I decided to get clear aligners. Here are the three contenders - SmileDirectClub, Candid, and Byte - and why I chose the company I did to help me achieve my perfect smile.
Like many children of the early 90s, I flaunted those traditional (but sadly hideous) metal braces for almost two years when I was young. I remember dreading the orthodontist visit every month or so when my doctor would tighten the braces and cause incredible amount of pain. In addition to the pain that kept me awake, I also disliked not being able to indulge in my favorite sweets - caramels - because they would get stuck all over the teeth.
After two years of metal braces, I graduated to a less conspicuous, but still bothersome, retainer that I had to wear every day except when eating. It was such a nuisance, and I inevitably lost the retainer a couple times - finally I decided to forego the retainer altogether and convinced myself that I was old enough that my teeth would stop moving - oh, how wrong I was!
Though you can't see it happening, your teeth are always on the move. In fact, your teeth will continue to shift ever so slightly throughout your life. My teeth were no exception. I have always had a slight overbite (who else sucked their thumb when they were little?) but it became more pronounced as I got older. In addition to my "bucktooth," my teeth were also getting more crowded. While I wanted to fix my teeth (again) to achieve that perfect smile, I also didn't want to go through yet another years of metal braces. And that's when I found out more about clear aligners.
Clear aligners are transparent dental braces that slip over the teeth. While clear aligners are not as effective as metal braces, they are far less intrusive and also a better fit for me personally given my teeth just needed a relatively minor adjustment. The best known clear aligner brand is Invisalign, but there is also a high price tag that comes with it. After research, I narrowed down to three candidates: Smile Direct Club, Candid, and Byte
SmileDirectClub
SmileDirectClub has been around the longest (founded in 2014), and offers regular clear aligners that you wear 22 hours a day as well as nighttime clear aligners for 10 hours of continuous wear - both priced at $1,950. You can either visit a SmileShop for an in-person scan or use the at-home kit to create impressions, which will be then inspected by a licensed dentist or orthodontist to create a custom treatment plan.
Candid
Similar to SmileDirectClub, Candid also offers the option to get impressions of your teeth at home with a starter kit or by visiting one of their Studios. One unique benefit of Candid is that they only work with orthodontists who specialize in tooth movement, and provides remote monitoring technology that makes it easy to track your progress and send scans of your teeth to an orthodontist, all from home. It also has the highest price tag at $2,400.
Byte
The final contender - Byte - does not have the option for an in-person scanning, but it offers an easy-to-follow impression kit. Byte boasts the shortest average treatment time, thanks to its HyperByte aligner seating technology that helps to improve the accuracy of teeth movement, reduces discomfort when switching trays, and straighten the teeth in up to half the time. There are two plans to choose from - the All-Day ($1,895) or At-Night ($2,295).
...and drumroll please!
After carefully assessing the pros and cons of SmileDirectClub, Candid, and Byte, I decided to go with...Byte! In addition to Byte being the most cost friendly option (for the day aligners), I also liked that it has the shortest timeframe due to the HyperByte technology. While it would be easy to just walk in to a studio to get my teeth scan, especially since the studios are readily available in NYC, I also appreciated the convenience of doing it at home and not risk COVID exposure.
On top of everything, I read through many raving customer reviews and testimonials - ranging from satisfaction with the treatment (look at these before and after photos!) to exceptional customer service. I also love the company's mission of making the inaccessible, accessible, and providing customers with an easier and affordable way to get the smile and confidence they dream about.
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