Invisalign vs Smile Direct Club: Choose the Ideal Treatment
Invisalign vs Smile Direct? You’re here to consider the different treatments, as aligners offer a comfortable and discreet alternative to conventional braces. Invisalign and Smile Direct Club use clear plastic trays to force tooth movements gently and bring joy back into your daily life.
At Bexley Dental in Sydney, Australia, our team of experts are famous across the region. We’re on hand to help you decide with life-changing potential. Claim your free 30-minute assessment today or book an appointment now if you’re a returning customer.
Smile Direct vs Invisalign: Find Your Treatment Today
Schedule Your FREE 30-minute Assessment With Bexley Dental.
During your smile teeth straightening assessment, Dr. Theo Spyrakis™, Dr. Breeze ,or Dr. Kazzi will examine your teeth and take an OPG panoramic scan (valued at $140). We include this as part of your free assessment so he can determine if Invisalign is right for you. This is part of an orthodontics plan and every assessment includes:
- 30 minutes with Dr. Theo Spyrakis, Dr. John Breeze or Dr. Joseph Kazzi
- A FREE 3D Panoramic scan of your teeth and jaw
- Recommended Orthodontics Plan to get your smile back on track
Book a FREE Invisalign Assessment. We will examine your mouth, eliminate all risk factors and assess the correct course of treatment.
Invisalign Comparison With Smile Direct
Traditional braces use brackets cemented onto the teeth and attached by wires to apply a gentle yet constant force on the teeth. Aligners, in a similar way, use consistent pressure to move teeth.
However, instead of brackets, they use a series of custom-made trays for each patient based on impressions. Aligners are removable for teeth to be cleaned and are almost invisible, offering a discreet treatment option.
Invisalign: Treatment Steps
- Visit dentist for a suitability assessment
- Dentist takes digital scans, custom treatment plan is created
- Custom aligners are made and sent to the dentist
- Regular in-person checks with dentist to monitor progress
Smile Direct Club: Treatment Steps
While most remote aligner treatments openly inform patients that they treat mild to moderate cases, they don’t fix all bite issues or severe alignments. Invisalign works not only to straighten teeth but also to correct an overbite, underbite, and crossbite.
Aligners offer a more comfortable and discreet alternative to conventional braces. In this respect, both Invisalign and Smile Direct Club are the same, involving a series of clear plastic trays to gently force tooth movements. However, there are some distinct differences between the two brands.
The Difference Between Invisalign and Smile Direct
When considering Invisalign vs Smile Direct Club, remember they use transparent aligner trays to straighten teeth, they are not administered the same way. There are three significant differences.
Supervision
Australian licensed dentists and orthodontists supervise Invisalign through regular visits to the dentist. Smile Direct Club, while still using Australian registered dentists and orthodontists to oversee the treatment, the patient is never required to attend an in-person consultation. Subsequently, the treatment progress is supervised by a dentist remotely, which suits those not want to visit their dentist in person.
Case Types
On the Smile Direct Club website, their aligner is marketed to straighten teeth, which is what they do. They openly inform customers that their transparent aligner system is designed for minor to moderate teeth misalignment and some bite correction. While this is suitable for some cases, it doesn’t account for complex issues or severe misalignments that need resolving. Conversely, Invisalign works to straighten mild, moderate, and severe teeth misalignments while correcting problems with the bite.
Cost
The cost of Smile Direct Club is lower than that of Invisalign. This can be tempting. However, further consideration is needed. With Smile Direct Club, you complete your treatment without regular in-person supervision from a dentist or orthodontist. All supervision is done remotely, which is convenient if you are happy not seeing a dentist throughout the entire treatment. But if you are apprehensive about straightening your teeth without in-person supervision from a dentist, you might be more comfortable with Invisalign.
Smile Direct Club vs Invisalign: Considerations for a Clear Aligner
While the key differences between Invisalign and Smile Direct Club are how the treatment plan is delivered and the cost, there are other factors to consider behind these smile aligners.
Will The Aligners Work For Your Circumstances?
When choosing an aligner, you will need to consider your circumstances and the issue that needs to be solved. If your bite is incorrect or your teeth are severely misaligned, you need to be sure that your treatment, whether with Smile Direct Club or Invisalign, can treat these issues.
Smile Direct Club addresses minor to moderate teeth misalignment and some bite correction. However, they do not market themselves as treating severe misalignments. A Smile Direct Club dentist will use the telehealth platform to assess your suitability for treatment and let you know whether a remote platform can treat your issues. Invisalign, on the other hand, can treat mild, moderate, and severely misaligned teeth. It can also fix overcrowding, can counter overbite, underbite, crossbite, and open bite.
There is also the issue of what happens once your teeth move. Will your bite change and, if it does, could it wear down your tooth enamel and create cavities? Ultimately, aiming to straighten your teeth, without addressing your bite, both before and after, could impact your oral health moving forward.
When choosing a clear aligner, it’s essential to consider its impact on both your misalignment and any bite issues. This is why an initial consultation for either treatment option is needed, so that your circumstances are accurately evaluated, and, ultimately, you establish whether your teeth misalignment or bite issues can be addressed.
Are You Comfortable Having Remote Treatment?
While orthodontic treatment is safe, there is always the possibility that your teeth won’t move the way they should. Not only will your smile not be perfect, but this could cause problems with your jaw, gums, and teeth. That’s why treatment with Smile Direct Club and Invisalign involves regular supervision by your treating dentist.
Which type of treatment supervision works best for you? The convenience of having your clear aligner treatment from the comfort of your own home with Smile Direct Club, while being able to request a check-in at any time during treatment.
Alternatively, you might prefer the idea of seeing your aligner dentist face-to-face in a dental practice and being comforted in knowing that you can physically visit your dentist, at any time. Whether you choose Smile Direct Club or Invisalign, you select a team of teeth straightening experts who will work on your smile.
What Are the Aligners Made From?
The materials used for clear aligners are vital to their success. That said, no evidence indicates either Smile Direct Club or Invisalign aligner material is more beneficial than the other. We can’t make any comparison between the two aligner materials. However, both brands have recently introduced new aligner technology. Below we highlight how both brand’s new aligner innovations differ from their previous aligners.
The Smile Direct Club aligners are made of BPA-free plastic that won’t irritate your cheeks and gums like traditional metal braces often do. In January 2021, Smile Direct Club introduced Comfort Sense. Comfort Sense features laser technology that precision-cuts their aligners for a smoother fit.
By gradually increasing the thickness of the aligner, patients can start their treatment with lighter movements. This means that, compared to their previous plastic aligners, patients now experience a more comfortable fit, and their new plastic aligners make it easier to follow the ‘wear requirements’ of the treatment plan.
Invisalign replaced their previous single-layered EX30 plastic aligners with an innovative SmartTrack material. Invisalign’s previous plastic aligner would relax and lose energy after a few days.
The new SmartTrack material is a multi-layered, highly elastic material specifically engineered to produce a gentle yet constant force. Compared to its previous generation aligner, Invisalign’s new SmartTrack option fits more snugly around the teeth and is easier to put on and take off.
Will the Aligners Be Painful?
The other consideration regarding material, as well as its ability to do the job, is comfort. With both Invisalign and Smile Direct Club making recent changes to their aligner technology, they now claim to be more comfortable than their earlier generation. Again, while we have no evidence to support either aligner being more relaxed than the other, below we explain how the comfortability of both brand’s aligners is achieved.
Invisalign’s new SmartTrack aligner is more comfortable than its previous EX30 plastic aligner. That’s because, with Invisalign’s previous aligner material, it would lose some energy to exert the necessary forces and could start slipping. To compensate for this, the aligners could sometimes be fitted more tightly, making it slightly more painful each time a new aligner was used.
They could rub against the cheeks and gums and cause sores or further discomfort if they become loose. Compared to their previous plastic aligner, Invisalign’s new SmartTrack aligners are highly elastic, conforming more accurately to tooth morphology for increased control and comfort. Each aligner is trimmed to the gum line for optimal comfort, precisely matching the shape of the teeth to minimise gum irritation.
With Smile Direct Club, due to its Comfort Sense laser technology, aligners are cut to give a smoother fit. The aligners are not trimmed around the gum line. Instead, it is shaped straight across the top of the aligner to deliver a greater turning force. The aligner also utilises variable thickness to help gradually ease patients into treatment. As a result, their new aligners allow patients to experience a more comfortable fit.
How Fast is the Treatment?
The treatment times for Smile Direct Club and Invisalign are faster than those for conventional metal braces. Precise aligner treatment times are influenced by several factors, including your ability to adhere to the treatment guidelines and the severity of your misalignment.
The average treatment times advertised by Smile Direct Club are shorter than Invisalign (between 4-6 months). Invisalign treatments are longer and can complete mild to moderate malocclusion in as little as six months.
Ultimately, treatment times vary depending on the severity and complexity of your case and must be determined by the dentist.
Invisalign vs Smile Direct and Making Your Decision
While you can undoubtedly straighten a mild to moderate case with Smile Direct Club and some bite issues, they do not claim to correct more severe cases.
Invisalign can be an excellent solution for adults and teens to fix nearly all common teeth-straightening and bite issues, from simple to complex. Both Invisalign and Smile Direct Club are successful treatment methods.
The suitability of Invisalign vs Smile Direct treatment depends on your case and personal preferences. Only you can make the decision, but don’t go it alone. By consulting with a certified, transparent aligner provider, you will know exactly what you need and which treatment will be best for your long-term oral health.
Invisalign in Review: Everything You Need to Know
Whether choosing Invisalign or Smile Direct, you entrust your oral health to a professional. The difference is that Invisalign offers in-person treatment, while Smile Direct Club offers remote treatment.
Both treatments correct the cosmetics of your smile, and with Smile Direct Club, they can fix some bite issues, too. With Invisalign, you can treat most bite cases and severely misaligned teeth.
Meet Dr. Theo Spyrakis™ Sydney’s Trusted Dental Expert
For almost 20 years, Dr. Theo Spyrakis™ has focused his continuing education exclusively on Implant Dentistry, travelling internationally to study with the most respected clinicians in Australia–including Professor Paolo Malo, the founder of the All-on-4 technique.
Every year, Dr. Theo places over 550 dental implants, making him Sydney’s most experienced (and trusted) Implant Expert. Dr Spyrakis is committed to helping his patients regain their confidence and improve their quality of life.
With Dr. Spyrakis™, your new smile will look natural, and your implants will feel like your teeth. No more pain or discomfort when eating. And finally, you can eat your favourite foods again!
To find out more, come in for a free Invisalign assessment where we’ll review your oral health, take a 3D scan of your teeth and assess your suitability.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does Invisalign Treatment Cost?
Smile Invisalign cost is similar to that of braces. Your doctor will determine the cost of your treatment based on how complex your case is and how many aligners you need. There are several options to make Invisalign treatment more affordable for you, from using health insurance to a monthly payment plan.
Do I Get All My Aligners at Once?
No. You’ll be provided enough aligners to last between visits to your dentist. Your progress will be reviewed every 6-8 weeks, and new aligners will be given to you at these appointments.
Do I Need to Wear Aligners All Day?
Is Invisalign Treatment Painful?
Does Smile Direct Club Work?
To schedule your Assessment, simply pick up the phone
and call us at (02) 9567 4151 today