Are there Different Brands of Clear Aligners?

Long Beach, CA – Clear aligner therapy is gaining in popularity as an orthodontic treatment option for a variety of reasons. Clear aligners are comfortable, removable and almost invisible, so you can get the smile you’ve always wanted without it being super noticeable to others. It’s also more affordable than ever before and can often be very similar in cost to standard orthodontic treatment.

But are there different brands of aligners? How can you be sure you’re receiving the best care possible?

You have probably heard a few different names of clear aligners. Before choosing one, it’s important to understand them.

Let’s start by first exploring one very big difference – at-home aligners and in-office aligner therapy.

More companies are popping up who offer the ease of clear aligner therapy from the comfort of your home. You’ve probably heard the name SmileDirect Club and seen their ads all over social media. There are a few others who are also advertising the same concept. Candid, Easysmile, Dandy, Byte, SmileLove, and SnapCorrect are a few of the names you might find in your research.

Please be aware that these are completely direct-to-consumer treatment options and do not involve visits to an orthodontist (or even a dentist) to be seen in person. Your treatment will be completely remote, even relying on impressions taken by you to diagnose your issue and create your aligners. That means if you take an inaccurate impression, your aligners will not be created properly. And that could mean your teeth won’t move as you envision them.

Results from these at-home aligner companies have been shown to be mixed, and in some cases, have actually caused even more problems for patients. The American Dental Association and American Association of Orthodontists advise strongly against using these mail-order companies due to the inability of them to make a proper diagnosis, which can only be achieved with a full set of dental records including photographs, x-rays and dental models (or digital scan models). Without a dental professional assessing these records, serious issues can result including, but not limited to, tooth mobility and loss, bite changes, gum recession and teeth chipping. 

The good news is, there are wonderful in-office options for invisible treatment options using clear aligners. The most commonly used and most technologically advanced option is Invisalign.

Invisalign

Invisalign created the world’s first clear aligner therapy and has taken the orthodontic world by storm ever since. This is probably the name you are most familiar with. Having been around for nearly two decades, Invisalign is the most widely used clear aligner brand. 

Invisalign has come a long way since it was first introduced and can be used in most cases to provide beautiful, long-lasting results. The price has also become much more palatable, and in many cases, Invisalign treatment costs nearly the same as traditional treatment. Invisalign offers a reliable, invisible way to move your teeth, and can sometimes even work faster than metal braces.

When Invisalign was first introduced, the most ideal results could only be achieved on mild to moderate cases. But today, thanks to Invisalign’s extensive research and development of Smartforce attachments and advanced plastics, their aligners can be used to correct more severe cases. Invisalign boasts an average treatment time between 12 and 18 months. 

Invisalign can be offered by both dentists and orthodontists. We recommend trusting your tooth alignment to a certified orthodontist. While dentists are very capable and skilled at what they do, they don’t straighten teeth every day. An orthodontist does, and went to 2-3 years of extra training to do so, so an orthodontist will understand the intricacies involved in creating a beautifully straight smile with a properly functioning bite. If you are looking for a comfortable, reliable and almost invisible way to straighten your smile, Invisalign is a great option. Discuss with your orthodontist if you are an ideal candidate for clear aligner therapy.