I’m sure you’ve seen commercials from Smile Direct Club about straightening your teeth. I bet, like me, you’ve been curious to know if it works, how much it is, and if it’s worth it. Ever wish you could talk to someone who has used them instead of just reading reviews? In this post, I’m going to try to answer all of your burning questions about Smile Direct Club
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I’ll be compensated at no additional cost to you. I ONLY promote products and services that my family and I both use and love.
A few years back, my daughter was told she needed braces. She is 14 years old. We were very hesitant to get her braces for a few reasons. 1. The cost we were quoted by one local orthodontist was over $5,000! 2.We weren’t sure she REALLY needed them. Her teeth only seemed a little crooked. She had no overbite, no underbite, etc. Nothing major. 3. Insurance would not cover ANY of the cost. So, we waited.
Fast forward two years, and we started seeing ads for Smile Direct Club. We had priced some brand name invisible aligners before and had some major “sticker shock” seeing the cost. It was about the same cost as braces: Around $5,000.
Abby was interested in checking out Smile Direct Club, since the reviews we read were pretty positive. I liked that they did a free exam with no obligation to buy. So, we booked the free, in house exam and consultation. FYI: You can do a consultation at home, but you have to order and pay for the kit. I personally prefer to err on the side of caution, so we chose to book an in-person consultation. Our nearest location was an hour away, which seems reasonable to me.
What to expect at the consultation: We drove the one hour distance and easily found our Smile Direct Club office. We entered a small office to check in. The staff was very friendly and professional. Then, we were led to the room for the actual examination. They took multiple high definition images of the interior of her mouth. With those photos, they were able to create a “mold” that they use to make a series of aligners custom fitted for her teeth.
Plus, you even get to see how they will transition and become straighter over time. Pretty impressive! I, being a mom, had lots of questions. They answered each one and did their best to explain everything we would experience if we chose to purchase the aligners.
Then, finally, they show you the cost and explain payment options. They offer a one time payment or a monthly plan. I was not “sticker shocked” this time, because the entire cost was HALF of the cost of braces. Plus, no further visits were needed. The biggest PLUS is the short time that the treatment takes. The average time for the entire teeth straightening process is 4-6 months. Are you kidding me? No. She will be out of her aligners before school even starts back this FALL. Crazy!
We went home that day with a free teeth whitening kit that uses light to whiten your teeth. Abby liked that you can use it straight from your smart phone. It plugs into the jack on the phone. A few days passed and we started receiving emails. The emails explained the cost, the process, how a dentist supervises the the teeth straightening process, how you can order a retainer after you finish the process, and so on.
Pretty informative. I waited a few days before deciding and they even sent me a coupon to close the deal. Once we committed to pay, they started making her custom aligners. We were told they would arrive in about three weeks. Happily, Abby received them in only one week. We also decided to have a permanent retainer for her lower teeth done at a local dentist office. So, now she just uses the upper retainer to sleep in.
What you get: Each kit comes in a large, purple box. It includes all of your aligners, chewy things to help you push the aligners on your teeth, teeth whitening gel, a case, a tool to take them off of your teeth, chapstick, and a brochure/cards with details for use. Each aligner is labeled by name and date.
How to wear the aligners: Each set is supposed to be worn day and night. You only take them out to brush, or eat or drink anything but water. Abby doesn’t need the tool to pop them out. She just uses her fingers. She also doesn’t use the chewy things to push them onto her teeth. She uses her fingers and then bites together to snap them on. Each month has three sets of aligners and looks like this: Week 1: wear 1st set, Week 2: wear 2nd set, Week 3 and 4: wear 3rd set. The third set is the tightest because you wear it two weeks.
Some pros and cons:
Pros:
1.They work very quickly to begin straightening your teeth. Abby was really impressed with seeing her results so fast.
2.They are so much cheaper than traditional braces. Half of the cost!
3.She will be done in 5-6 months.
4.They are fairly comfortable.
5. They don’t prevent you from falling asleep even though you must sleep in them.
6.Most of her friends didn’t even notice she was wearing them until she told them. They are pretty invisible, and as she likes that.
Cons:
1.One set was cutting her gums. We called customer service straight away and they were very helpful. Those told us that we could trim that edge down with nail scissors or file it down smoothly. We followed their instructions and it solved the issue. I was very impressed with the customer service. I think even called on a weekend and had a live person answer. Pretty nice!
2.Days 1-3, Abby experiences a little soreness. Because it is a new set, it is pretty tight, so she sometimes says her mouth hurts or her head hurts. It is mild and usually isn’t a daily or hourly pain. But, by day 4-7, she has zero complaints.
3.The third set of the month is her least favorite, because you wear it the longest. Her biggest fear there is losing it. Because she takes them out to eat, she is afraid she’ll forget and accidentally lose them. Smile Direct Club sends you a case, but she doesn’t have it with her at school during lunch. So far, we haven’t lost a set.
My Conclusion:
If you can’t tell already, we like Smile Direct Club. So much so, I contacted them about sharing this experience and promoting their products. I try to be completely honest in all of my blogging posts, so I felt it prudent and responsible to share both the pros and cons. Hopefully, that helps you make a better informed decision if you or your child is considering alternatives to braces.
I like reading reviews before I make a major purchase, and this experience was no different. I like how the customer care employees at were so helpful and never pushy or aggressive in their sales approach. I do not respond well to pushy salespeople, and that would have been a huge turnoff.
We never had that experience either in person or by phone or email. All in all, it has been such a positive experience, my husband is now considering getting aligners for himself. Lol. I guess it’s never to late to improve your smile!
If are interested in checking out Smile Direct Club click on this link and give them a try.
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