Table of Contents
- About Smile Direct Club
- How does Smile Direct Club work?
- Does Smile Direct Club offer Night-only aligners?
- How much do Smile Direct Club aligners cost?
- What makes Smile Direct Club an attractive option?
- What limitations can you face with Smile Direct Club?
- What are the customers saying?
- Is Smile Direct Club an effective choice?
- Smile Direct Club vs other at-home clear aligner brands
- What will make you choose Smile Direct Club?
- FAQs
About Smile Direct Club
Smile Direct Club is another direct-to-consumer-based aligner manufacturer in Australia which provides convenient treatment within the comfort of your home. Designed to treat minor to moderate cases of crowding or spacing, SDC has proven to be effective in what they do.
Before that, teeth straightening relied on traditional metal braces and in-office aligners offered by Invisalign which were extremely expensive mainly because of their frequent office visits. Smile Direct Club, however, put an end to this.
Though you still need to opt for traditional metal braces or Invisalign for severe bite issues as Smile Direct Club is considered a cosmetic treatment and can only fix minor bites.
However, if you are a suitable candidate, SDC clear aligners are considered an effective way of fixing your teeth conveniently and affordably.
How does Smile Direct Club work?
With Smile Direct Club, you can effectively achieve your goal of flaunting a perfect smile in three easy steps. Get your dental impressions done, approve your digital treatment plan and receive your clear aligners.
Before deciding to embark on this journey with Smile Direct Club, it is better to assess if you are an eligible candidate for their clear aligners. For this purpose, you can take the 30-second assessment test on their website.
If you prove to be an eligible candidate for Smile Direct Club’s aligners, you then need to get your dental impressions done. For that, you can either order an initial impression kit from their website or book a free dental scan from there.
The impression kit will cost you $79 and will be delivered to your doorstep overnight. You can take moulds of your teeth by following the instructions and mail them back to the experts at Smile Direct Club.
In case you do not want to get tangled in the process of taking your impressions, you can book a free scan from SDC’s website and go for a 3D digital scan at one of their nearest SmileShops.
Once your dental impressions are done, your case will be reviewed by a licensed orthodontist and if you are suitable for Smile Direct Club’s clear aligners, a digital preview of your treatment plan will be created.
This plan will then be shown to you for approval. Once you approve your treatment plan, the next step will be the production of your clear aligners. You can start wearing those aligners as soon as you receive them.
You will need to wear these aligners for at least 22 hours a day. The treatment will last for an average of 4 to 6 months which is another benefit they have over traditional metal braces which can take an average of 18 months to align your teeth.
The aligner kit will have several aligner trays. The trays need to be changed after some days. Each tray is straighter than the previous one. These trays will gradually apply light pressure to align your teeth.
You need to order retainers by calling SDC’s customer support, 6 to 7 weeks before your treatment ends. You need to wear these retainers 24 hours a day for the first two weeks and just for the night after that.
We recommend you change the retainers after every 6 months. These retainers will make sure that your new smile remains intact and your teeth stay perfectly aligned for life.
Does Smile Direct Club offer Night-only aligners?
Smile Direct Club is not the only brand to offer Night-only clear aligners but they do offer affordable Nightime aligners which can be effectively used by you to straighten your teeth without disturbing your daily routine.
Nighttime aligners are also custom-made from BPA-free plastic. Getting them requires the same process as the regular aligners. If you are suitable for Nightime clear aligners, you can easily order them without any shipping cost.
You can get these aligners in two easy ways. You can either make a one-time payment of $2825 or make an initial deposit of $299 and monthly payments of $199 for 24 months.
Nighttime aligners should be worn for 10 hours at night and take an average of 10 months to align your teeth. Similar to when the treatment ends with regular aligners, you would need to wear retainers probably for the rest of your life.
How much do Smile Club Direct aligners cost?
Smile Direct Club clear aligners cost 60% less than traditional metal braces. In Australia, braces can cost up to $9000 but Smile Direct Club with its flexible payment options paved an easier path towards a bright new smile.
Smile Direct Club offers payment plans which have made it easy on your pockets.
For teeth straightening, Smile Direct Club offers two different options at the same price. The payment plans for both of these options are similar as well and can make it convenient to pay for them.
SmilePay is a one-time payment option for Smile Direct Club clear aligners. You can make a payment of $2825 and get your clear aligners shipped to you without any shipping cost. They do include a premium-free whitening kit with the aligners.
In case you are reluctant to pay the full amount beforehand, Smile Direct Clubs introduces you to SimleaPay™ which gives you the advantage of making a downpayment of $299 and $119/mo. for 24 months after that.
With this option, you can pay every month, without putting a strain on your pockets. The clear aligner kit includes several sets of aligner trays, a premium whitening kit and two sets of retainers.
These payment plans apply on both the Regular as well as the Nighttime clear aligners. You will get a free premium whitening kit if you go for either of these plans. At an additional cost, retainers are available in the instalment option.
If you go for the one-time payment option, Smile Direct Club also lets you buy a set of retainers for $165 after your treatment has been completed. These retainers should be changed after every 6 months.
Smile Direct Club might not be the cheapest but is a reasonably good option.
Smile Direct Club started selling at-home aligners and they do it at a reasonable price but they are not the cheapest option available as other brands also sell direct-to-consumer aligners at a competitive price in Australia.
SmilePath is an Australian brand that sells custom-made at-home clear aligners for $1499, making them the most affordable in the market. Wondersmile is another brand, offering clear aligners at $2907.
Smile Direct Club might cost a little more than these brands but what made it an interesting option when it first came, was that it cost less than the traditional metal braces and Invisalign, which can individually range up to $9000.
Smile Direct Club might cost less than traditional metal braces or Invisalign but they do cost a lot more than the most affordable clear aligner brand in Australia, SmilePath.
What makes Smile Direct Club an attractive option?
Smile Direct Club introduced at-home clear aligners which can be directly delivered to your doorstep. They might not be your most affordable choice in clear aligners but they do hold several advantages of their own.
- Smile Direct Club offers financing plans that make them different from traditional metal braces and Invisalign.
- SmileShop is an interesting advantage offered by Smile Direct Club. You can always book a free scan from their website and visit one of their nearest SmileShops to get the scan done and approve your treatment plan.
- Smile Direct Club is a well-established brand and requires no regular office visits. It lets your dentist monitor your treatment virtually. You can track your progress by sending them pictures after every few weeks.
What limitations can you face with Smile Direct Club?
Smile Direct Club is the pioneer of at-home clear aligners and has been offering them at a much more reasonable price than traditional orthodontics but there are certain limitations that you can face with them.
- Smile Direct Club charges an additional fee for the retainers after your treatment ends. It does not offer the retainers for free with the clear aligner kit like some of its competitors for example SmilePath and Byte.
- There have been complaints about the customer support service of Smile Direct Club. Customers normally have issues regarding inconsistent communication with the support, in case they face any issue during treatment.
- Smile Direct Club does not offer any office visits during the treatment and their remote monitoring is known to be less reliable than the one offered by their competitors.
- Smile Direct Club does not make their aligners with clear plastic as SmilePath does. Their material is cloudier.
What are the customers saying?
Smile Direct Club has been selling at-home clear aligners longer than the other companies. It has treated numerous patients during this time and most of them have been satisfied with the quality service, they were provided.
Some customers appreciated Smile Direct Club for enhancing their loved ones’ or their confidence.
“So nice and easy for my 13yr son. He had a great experience and has a lot more confidence now. He’s proud to show his smile. Thank you!!”, exclaimed Katherine S.
Mary C. was extremely satisfied with the results as well as the way she was helped throughout her treatment process. She appreciated SDC by writing,
“After confirming with my Dentist that braces were safe for me, I looked into my options. SDC was perfect for my mild crowding and fit my budget. I’m extremely happy with my results and was relieved with how easy the process was. Customer Service was great and handled all my concerns.”
Some customers also appreciated the remote monitoring process of Smile Direct Club.
Joanna O. writes, “Loved the fact that I didn’t have to make incessant trips to see the dentist. On the few occasions I needed to speak to someone, the team bent over backwards to help me. I will recommend smile direct any time any day and anywhere. Last but not least I’ve achieved a beautiful smile.”
Smile Direct Club has proven to be a satisfactory choice for customers who preferred it to traditional orthodontics but it is still more expensive than SmilePath.
Is Smile Direct Club an effective choice?
People have been trusting Smile Direct Club with their teeth straightening journey. It is an established brand which provides reasonable payment plans and has been effectively serving customers for a lot of years.
Smile Direct Club clear aligners’ design can be an extra aid to effective teeth straightening.
Smile Direct Club design their clear aligners in a way that they do not scallop your gums but sit straight across the gum line and overlap the gums. These aligners apply more pressure to move your teeth.
Smile Direct Club’s overall treatment process might not always be a suitable option.
Smile direct Club clear aligners can only treat mild to moderate cases of malocclusion. If you are a suitable candidate, your aligners will be fabricated after you approve your digital treatment plan.
The treatment for Smile Direct Club is remote with only the virtual check-ins by your dentist after every 90 days which can be termed a slow monitoring process.
Smile Direct Club’s treatment is limited to only mild to moderate conditions and their remote monitoring process is less frequent which makes them less effective than brands like SmilePath.
Smile Direct Club vs other at-home clear aligner brands
There are some other well-known at-home clear aligner brands in Australia. They only started producing direct-to-consumer aligners after Smile Direct Club first introduced them but they hold their advantages as well
Let’s take a look at what makes SDC better than the other at-home clear aligner brands.
SmilePath
SmilePath solely gives you the option to get the impression kit from their website and create the mould of your teeth on your own. However, SDC gives you the option to visit their nearest SmileShop and get your 3D dental scans taken without any charge but SmilePath is still the most affordable clear aligner brand in Australia.
Wondersmile
Wondersmile is another brand which provides at-home clear aligners in Australia at a reasonable price and they offer the option to get a free scan done from one of their physical locations as well but Smile Direct Club holds the advantage of being the oldest and a guaranteed brand which has treated a lot more patients than Wondersmile.
Byte
Byte is the newest addition to the at-home clear aligner market and is one of the most talked-about brands as well. It provides you with an effective treatment in just 4 months, however, they too do not offer any option to get your 3D dental impressions done in an onsite location.
What will make you choose Smile Direct Club?
Are you thinking of getting your teeth aligned but are you someone who hesitates to try new things because you are unsure of the outcomes, no matter how many times people try to convince you otherwise?
Then Smile Direct Club might be a great option. Known as the pioneer of at-home clear aligners, SDC has established a good reputation for itself in the market. So, if you trust experience over everything, you should choose SDC.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes me a candidate for Smile Direct Club clear aligners?
The treatment process with SDC starts with a free assessment on their website. In case you are suitable for the treatment, you will need to either get a remote impression kit from their website or book a free 3D scan appointment at one of their SmileShops to determine if you are a candidate or not.
Can I get a refund for my impression kit?
Upon receiving the moulds of your teeth, if SDC experts think that you are not a suitable candidate for at-home clear aligner treatment, you will be refunded the cost of your initial impression kit. You can claim this cost by contacting their support.
How long will it take for me to get a new smile?
The treatment plan designed for you will determine the length of your treatment but SDC regular clear aligners can take an average of 4-6 months and the Nighttime aligners can take up to 10 months to align your teeth.
What if I am not satisfied with my treatment?
If for some reason, you are dissatisfied with your clear aligner treatment, you can return it in the first 30 days, starting from the time the aligners were shipped to you and all the cost, if applicable, will be refunded to you.
Can I get an impression kit for someone else?
You can purchase impression kits for your friends and family under an account associated with a different e-mail address. Right now multiple purchases cannot be made from a single account because it makes tracking and monitoring the treatment a bit difficult.