The Harmful Effects of At-Home Aligners

Nothing quite boosts our confidence like a big, beautiful, straight smile. What used to be an expensive or age-defined treatment is now readily available to people of all ages and can be very affordable. In fact, working professionals are excited because they can straighten their teeth discreetly with nearly invisible aligners – like Invisalign. Unfortunately, not all clear aligners are created equal, and some may cause more problems than they solve.

Third-Party Dangers

Many businesses have now seen how they can make a buck by promoting ‘at-home aligners’. These companies – like Smile Direct Club or Candid Co. – have numerous patients who have reported needing to keep coming back for realignment at the cost of the patient. Many people have complained about the high failure rates as well. In addition, you may need to get impressions redone multiple times at your own cost and pay for the retainers after your alignment series is complete. Sites like the Better Business Bureau have listed the complaints from these companies and you can read firsthand about the consequences that come from using these ‘at-home aligners’.

With these companies, there are no dentists that are checking your progress and making sure your teeth are moving. In fact, many people complain that after wearing these for months – their teeth haven’t moved or changed. We have had two recent patients that have come into our office after using Smile Direct: not only were there no results or noticeable alignment but one patient may end up losing a tooth because of it, and both patients are fighting for refunds.

Safety, Convenience, and Discretion

If you are truly seeking a way to straighten your teeth successfully and discreetly, our team at Alrez Family Dentistry can talk with you about our Invisalign options. We typically only need to get one set of impressions to make your custom aligners, and our reviews speak for themselves. After your initial appointments, you can straighten your teeth with your aligners from the comfort of your home: just continue to check in with Dr.Alrez so we can monitor your progress directly! Straightening your teeth under the guidance of a licensed and educated dentist is always the safer move.

In addition, we offer payment plans and financing to help with the cost, but you may find that we are actually more affordable than the third-party ‘at-home’ alignment companies and we care about your results. If you know a family member or friend that is thinking about using an at-home alignment system, please send them our way first! They’ll get better treatment with better results and you’ll get $100 cash if they begin Invisalign in our office. If you have any questions about straightening your teeth or the options we offer, please contact us or schedule an appointment today.