Have you ever wanted to get your teeth straightened, but you just don’t know how to go about it, or what the options are? You’ll be pleased to know that there are several companies that offer home teeth straightening kits that don’t involve regular office visits for check-ups with a dentist.
That means you can straighten your teeth from the comfort of your own home, while you connect virtually with professional doctors who will map out and manage your treatment plan. You can get started with aligners by using a kit to make impressions of your teeth at home and then if you’re a candidate, you will get sent a set of aligners which you’ll wear to straighten your teeth incrementally.
In this review, we’ve summarised and ranked 3 of the top home teeth straightening kit companies. We’ve also summarised the pros and cons of each to give you a comprehensive overview and to highlight their differences and unique benefits.
#1: Byte: Best for shortest treatment time and overall value for money
#2: Candid: Best customer service & remote monitoring
#3: SmileDirectClub: Most experienced aligner company and commitment to innovative design
Best Home Teeth Straightening Kits
It can be very time-consuming to research all the different aligners for home teeth straightening, so we’ve tried to make it easier for you to compare the brands by summarising the pros and cons of each. Our aim is to help you make an informed decision about which teeth straightening option would be best for your needs and your budget – and to point out some of the key differences to make you aware of your options.
We’ve also provided a short overview of each brand in terms of aligner costs, impression kit costs, the price of retainers, what the monthly payment plan amounts are, whether they offer free scans, how long the average treatment time is, how extensive their network of doctors is, whether they have any physical locations for consultations, and whether they offer both day and night aligner options.
Byte
Overview of Byte aligners for home teeth straightening
Home teeth straightening kits costs: $1895 (All-Day aligners), $2,295 (All-Night aligners)
Home impression starter kit costs: $95
Retainers price: $129 (first pair included free)
Flexible payment plan: Yes. $83 a month for 29 months with a $349 down payment (All-Day option); $99 a month for 29 months with $449 down payment (All-Night option)
Free in-office consultation and 3D scan: No
Treatment time: 3 – 6 months
Doctor network: over 200 dentists and orthodontists
Physical locations: None
Day and night treatment options: Yes
Detailed review of Byte pros and cons
We have ranked Byte as the top home teeth straightening kit option, because it offers the fastest treatment plans and has great customer service, as well as the fact that its aligners are FDA-cleared and it has a lifetime guarantee to ensure your treatment works if you stick to the treatment plan. One drawback is that there’s no 3D scan option, and this may be a significant safety issue.
Below we’ve summarised the main pros and cons to using the Byte clear aligner system to straighten teeth.
Pros to using Byte aligners
- Free HyperByte device: Byte include s this innovative vibrational device free with aligners, which is valued at $800 to $900. Using it for 5 minutes each day helps to dramatically speed up treatment time and it also eases discomfort.
- Free retainers: You get your first pair of retainers free, worth $129.
- Fastest results: Byte offers the shortest treatment times averaging 3 to 6 months.
- Discounts: Byte offers discounts for military and students.
- Lifetime guarantee: if you wear your aligners and retainers as directed, you get a lifetime guarantee.
- Good customer support: Byte is also registered with the Better Business Bureau.
- Cheapest aligners: compared with Candid and Smile Direct Club, Byte is the least expensive aligner option.
Cons to using Byte aligners
- No 3D scan in-office option: Byte doesn’t have any physical locations unlike some other clear aligner teledentistry companies (like Candid and Smile Direct Club) which means you won’t get to see a doctor in-person at all.
- Newcomer: Byte began operating in 2018, so it’s a new company that doesn’t have a long track-history compared with some more of the more established aligner companies like Invisalign. It does however have a Better Business Bureau A+ rating .
Candid
Overview of Candid aligners for home teeth straightening
Home teeth straightening kits costs: $2400, $2800 for teens
Home impression starter kit costs: $95
Retainer price: $99 (free premium whitening foam included)
Flexible payment plan: Yes. Monthly payment of $99 over 24 months with a $399 downpayment
Free in-office consultation and 3D scan: Yes
Treatment time: 6 months
Doctor network: Exclusively orthodontists
Physical locations: 22 Candid Studios
Day and night treatment options: Only day time aligners
Detailed review of Candid pros and cons
We’ve ranked Candid 2nd overall – this is due to its good customer service and remote treatment monitoring. Candid has a small network of doctors, compared with Smile Direct Club. However, all of Candid’s doctors are orthodontists which ensures a high level of expertise – setting it apart from Byte and SmileDirectClub. Candid has a longer treatment time than Byte and is the most expensive of the 3 alignment treatments reviewed here.
Pros to using Candid clear aligners
- Exclusively orthodontists: Unlike Byte and Smile Direct Club, Candid only works with qualified orthodontists who are specialists in tooth movement (not with any dentists). On average their orthodontists have 20 years of experience and are experts in clear aligner treatment.
- Dental monitoring app: As a teledentistry company, Candid offers remote monitoring of patients and they have developed their own remote monitoring app which allows patients to connect with orthodontists and track their home aligner treatment progress.
- In-office initial consultation: Candid offers a free 3D scan of your teeth done in-person at a Candid Studio if you don’t want to make your own set of home teeth impressions.
Cons to using Candid clear aligners
- More expensive than Byte and SmileDirectClub: Candid aligners are a few hundred dollars more expensive than Byte and Smile Direct Club aligner systems, although their retainers are slightly cheaper than Byte’s.
- Treatment time: Candid’s treatment time is shorter than many competitors, but still longer than Byte’s.
- Age 16 upwards: Candid only allows treatment for people over the age of 16 years. By comparison, Byte and Smile Direct Club offer treatment from age 12 upwards.
Smile Direct Club
Overview of Smile Direct Club aligners for home teeth straightening
Home teeth straightening kits costs: $1950
Home impression starter kit costs: $59
Free in-office consultation and 3D scan: Yes
Retainers price: $99
Flexible payment plan: Yes. $89 a month for 24 months with a $250 deposit
Treatment time: 4 – 6 months
Doctor network: hundreds of certified dentists and orthodontists in addition to its large Partner Network of doctors
Physical locations: a few hundred SmileShops and over 1,000 Partner Network dental offices
Day and night treatment options: Yes
Detailed review of Smile Direct Club pros and cons
Smile Direct Club is the most established company of the 3 reviewed here and has created innovative products and designed its aligner to maximise comfort and minimise treatment times. Their home teeth aligners cost a little more than Byte aligners, although their impression kit and retainers are less expensive. Its treatment time is longer than with Byte and on par with – or slightly shorter than – Candid. Its main downfall is the feedback from customers about poor service, which is why we’ve ranked it 3rd in our review.
Pros to using Smile Direct Club aligners
- Many SmileShops & large Partner Network: there are a few hundred SmileShop locations and over 1000 Partner Network dental offices to choose from, which makes it very likely that you will find a conveniently located doctor to treat you using aligners.
- Remote and face-to-face treatment options: Smile Direct Club started as a teledentistry company and recently expanded to offer office visits for in-person treatment. Many of the other clear aligner companies like Byte and Candid don’t offer this flexible service approach.
- Experience and innovation: Smile Direct Club has been in existence since 2014 and has gained significant experience in the field of teledentistry using home teeth aligners. They have also innovated many of their own products and have done extensive research and development on their aligners to ensure comfort and precision treatment.
- Lifetime guarantee: they include a lifetime guarantee as long as you follow the treatment plan and purchase two sets of retainers each year.
Cons to using Smile Direct Club aligners
- Complaints about customer service: although the company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, we’ve seen quite a lot of complaints which mostly are connected with their poor service, although some also mention issues with treatment results and pain.
- Longer treatment time: their average treatment time is longer than with Byte and longer or equivalent to Candid’s.
Straight My Teeth (UK)
With Straight My Teeth, you have the option to wear them during the day or nighttime only. Nighttime only will be more discreet if you don’t want anyone to notice you wearing aligners, but it will be a longer process.
Something that Straight My Teeth points out about their teeth aligners is that they are handcrafted and trimmed to the gum line. This ensures a very snug fit as well as helps them be more comfortable to wear. That’s a big deal considering the amount of time you are wearing the aligners every day.
You are sent an impression kit so that you can create your dental impressions in the comfort of your home. The kit comes with enough impression trays to take up to 5 impressions, as well as disposable gloves, cheek retractor, and a pre-paid return label. They really make it as easy as possible to get the impressions done and returned back to them.
Once the impressions are received, your custom treatment plan is developed. Then, you just need to start wearing your aligners! There will be no in-office visits, so if you aren’t a fan of going to the dentist, then this is probably a good thing for you.
On average, most teeth are corrected between 6 and 14 months.
Pros
- Option to wear during day or night
- Aligners are trimmed to the gum line
- Includes gloves, cheek retractor, and return label
Cons
- Can be a length process, especially if you choose nighttime only
AlignerCo
AlignerCo is another home teeth straightening kit, offering a cheaper option that doesn’t include office visits. You will order an impression kit in order to get the process started.
Once you receive the kit, you will take your dental impressions at home, mailing it back in to AlignerCo so that they can create your custom aligner treatment plan for you. The aligners are not only customized for you, but are also handcrafted and trimmed to the gum line, which really optimizes their comfortability while you wear them. Since you need to wear them 20-22 hours a day, comfort is key here.
Each set of aligners is worn for two weeks, at which point you change to a new set that will help to gradually correct the alignment of your teeth. Typical treatment time for patients is 6 to 12 months.
Pros
- Less expensive
- Handcrafted and trimmed to the gum line
- Impression kit includes cheek retractor, gloves, practice putty, and a pre-paid shipping label
Cons
- Longer treatment time
New Smile
To determine your treatment plan with New Smile, you will order an impression kit that allows you to create dental impressions at home.
You can video chat with an impression specialist from New Smile that will help you with step by step instructions to make sure that you are doing it properly.
And, if you choose to just purchase the impression kit before purchasing the whole kit, you will have the option to get a full refund if the New Smile orthodontist determines that you aren’t eligible for treatment, based on your impressions.
You’ll also get to see a 3D treatment preview of what your teeth will look like once they’re corrected. What’s nice about this is that you have the opportunity to approve it before your custom aligners are made.
In addition to receiving the aligners, which are made from Raintree Essix plastic, you also get retainers and teeth whitener, too, as part of the package. Most people see results with corrected teeth between 4 to 6 months after wearing them.
Pros
- Video chat to walk you through the impression process
- Fully refundable impression kit
- Retainers and teeth whitener included
Cons
- Have to wear the aligners 22 hours a day
Home Teeth Straightening Kit Guide
What’s the cheapest way to straighten teeth?
Straightening teeth is a precision science. You can straighten teeth using braces or clear aligners, but your choice may be limited if you have complicated teeth alignment and bite issues. Most aligner treatments are available to people with mild to moderate alignment issues, but for more challenging cases like cross bites, overbites, underbites and open bites, you may need to look at braces or aligner companies like Invisalign which can treat these types of complex cases.
Braces are notoriously expensive and are permanently affixed to your teeth, which makes aligners quite attractive. Most clear aligner treatment is less expensive than braces, but some like Invisalign can be as pricey because of the complexity of cases that they can treat.
If you’re a candidate for most clear aligner treatment, then one of the cheapest options is Byte’s aligner system at $1895 for its All-Day aligners. Many aligner brands also offer affordable monthly payment plans and some insurance companies will cover costs of aligners.
It’s important to also consider what additional costs you may face after aligner treatment, as most people have to wear retainers to maintain their new smiles. Retainers often need to be replaced every 6 months and can cost around $99 a pair or more, depending on the brand. Some companies include free retainers and free tooth whitening gel in their aligner treatment.
Do home teeth straightening kits work?
Clear aligners straighten teeth by applying pressure in the correct places to gently and incrementally shift the teeth into new positions, guided by a specialised plan that is created by expert doctors.
There are thousands of before and after photos showing how people have transformed their smiles and teeth using aligners and many blog interviews showcase inspirational stories of how that has impacted people’s lives significantly.
To get a sense of whether home teeth straightening kits work, you can also ready many reviews like this one.
There is a whole science behind straightening teeth and the doctors who are responsible for aligner therapy generally (if its a reputable company) take 3D scans (or you’ll get a home starter kit to do your own teeth impressions) that are used to create a virtual treatment plan showing how they will shift a person’s teeth into alignment over time. The initial step is to check whether you’re an eligible candidate for teeth straightening with aligners.
Am I a candidate for straightening my teeth myself?
Would you be willing to let a friend perform open-heart surgery on you? Probably not. The same concept applies to dentistry – it takes an expert with a wealth of knowledge to know how to precisely shift your teeth into alignment and how to manage the process safely and with optimal results.
If you want to effectively and safely straighten your teeth, then you’ll need to choose a reputable company that offers teeth straightening for your exact teeth conditions. Doctors who are trained in teeth straightening using invisible aligners can give you the advice you need about how best to address your dental issues and fix your teeth. They can also create a custom-made treatment plan and monitor your progress throughout the treatment process to ensure the correct results and keep you safe.
Can you straighten your teeth without braces?
Traditionally, people would get braces to treat any orthodontic misalignment issue. Nowadays, there are other options that allow more flexibility, are less expensive, offer faster treatment times and provide the same results. However, braces are still one of the primary options for the treatment of serious misalignment and bite issues, together with some highly specialised aligners like Invisalign.
There are many clear aligner brands that offer teeth straightening for mild to moderate teeth alignment issues and many of these are far more affordable than braces and can effectively align your teeth within 3 to 6 months. If you’re an eligible candidate, clear aligners also come with the added advantage that they are removable so you can take them out to brush teeth, floss, eat and drink – and some even allow you the flexibility of just wearing them at night while you sleep.