Invisible Braces 2024: These Companies Offer Them at Home, So You Can Skip a Dentist Visit – CNET [CNET]

March 17, 2024 Amanda Capritto technology

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Aligning your teeth has traditionally been a rather complicated process. While you may think of metal braces as the only option, they’re not. It’s 2024, and you no longer need to have a mouthful of clunky metal to align your teeth properly. Invisible braces will leave you with a straighter smile and no brace residue. The best part is that no one will ever know you’re wearing braces unless you tell them.

We’ve put together this list of the different brands of invisible at-home braces, and how how they may work for your teeth. We also discuss whether you need to see an orthodontist, cosmetic dentist or other dental professional to discuss the best path for your teeth-straightening needs before you go ahead and spend a couple thousand dollars on Invisalign-style teeth aligners. Spoiler alert: You should.

Compared to traditional metal braces or ceramic brackets, a clear aligner is more appealing to many people. Most people won’t notice that you’ve got braces on, and you can easily take them off if you want to eat something sticky. It’s the ideal solution for folks who are self-conscious about their smile and don’t want the taste (or feel) of metal in their mouth all the time. As far as cosmetic dentistry goes, a clear aligner is low-key.

Editors’ note, Dec. 14, 2023: SmileDirectClub was removed from this list because the company shut down. Read on for more information.

Where to get mail-order invisible aligners

In a world where you can get birth control online, get a medical diagnosis by phone and even take a hormone panel through the mail, it should come as no surprise that several mail-order invisible braces companies now exist. Here are five places to get clear aligner braces without visiting an orthodontist.

Hyperbyte — a vibrational frequency tool that supposedly pushes your teeth into place faster — for an average treatment time of three months.

Insurance: Accepts FSA, HSA, CareCredit and eligible dental insurance providers.

Method: Buy the impression kit (currently $30, and fully refundable if you’re not a good candidate), ship your impressions back and wait for Byte to ship your invisible aligner set.

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Byte’s impression kit.

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Byte’s impression kit.

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Byte’s impression kit.

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Cost: $1,895, or $82 a month for 24 months.
Length: Five months on average. You can opt for the Hyperbyte — a vibrational frequency tool that supposedly pushes your teeth into place faster — for an average treatment time of three months.
Insurance: Accepts FSA, HSA, CareCredit and eligible dental insurance providers.
Method: Buy the impression kit (currently $30, and fully refundable if you’re not a good candidate), ship your impressions back and wait for Byte to ship your invisible aligner set.

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online assessment, complete an impression kit at home and get your aligners mailed to your door. If it turns out that the Invisalign aligners will not work for you, get a full refund on the impression kit.

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SnapCorrect clear aligners.

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SnapCorrect clear aligners.

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SnapCorrect clear aligners.

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Cost: $1,749 or payment plan options with Affirm.
Length: Three to 18 months.
Insurance: Accepts FSA and eligible insurance.
Method: Take an online assessment, complete an impression kit at home and get your aligners mailed to your door. If it turns out that the Invisalign aligners will not work for you, get a full refund on the impression kit.

CandidPro network for a consultation to see if you are a candidate for Candid aligners.

Candid previously offered at-home kits and the option to visit a Candid Studio to get a consultation, but the company is now only offering its product through dental offices. If you’ve already bought an at-home kit, you have until the end of March to use it to create impressions of your teeth and buy the aligner kit from Candid for $1,895.

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Candid clear aligners.

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Candid clear aligners.

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Candid clear aligners.

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Cost: Most providers charge around $3,500 for treatment, which includes the aligners.
Length: Six to 11 months.
Insurance: Check with your Candid provider — you should be able to use FSA and HSA funds, and insurances that have an orthodontic benefit may cover the cost of treatment.
Method: Visit a dentist who is part of the CandidPro network for a consultation to see if you are a candidate for Candid aligners.

You might be wondering why Invisalign, arguably the most popular provider of clear aligners, isn’t on this list. That’s because Invisalign isn’t a direct-to-consumer company. You have to go through an orthodontist to get fitted for the Invisalign aligner system and treated with Invisalign invisible braces. You are required to attend periodic check-up appointments at your orthodontist’s office with Invisalign. Candid, which originally offered mail-order aligners, is now also working directly with dentists to offer its aligners.

Those are drawbacks if you’re looking purely for a mail-order clear plastic aligner option that allows you to complete treatment at home, but the Invisalign treatment does offer some benefits.

For example, regularly seeing an orthodontist in person ensures that your clear aligners are working like they’re supposed to and that you’re on track with your Invisalign aligner for straighter teeth. Your orthodontist can also check for any new issues that arise with your Invisalign braces, such as a gap introduced by the aligners or gum erosion. It can also ensure your invisible braces aren’t causing damage to your teeth by moving them too fast or incorrectly.

gettyimages-1144663001 — Real braces certainly aren’t the most pleasant thing, but they’re necessary for many orthodontic conditions.

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Invisalign, a brand name that seems to have become a generic term, like Windex and Kleenex.

Invisible braces do the same thing as traditional metal braces and dental braces — slowly adjust the tooth movement to straighten them and fix bite problems — except they’re clear braces, made of plastic and removable. Unlike with lingual braces, you can take clear plastic aligners out to eat and brush your teeth, and you’ll never cut the inside of your cheek on a sharp metal bracket like you can on regular braces (something all metal braces-wearers are familiar with).

Most direct-to-consumer clear aligners involve a mail-order impression kit. You send the impression kit back to the company, where a dentist or orthodontist analyzes it and creates a custom set of clear aligners based on an analysis of your teeth.

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“Invisible braces” is another term for what are really called “clear aligners.” It’s also common for people to refer to all clear braces and aligners as Invisalign, a brand name that seems to have become a generic term, like Windex and Kleenex.