Smilelove vs Candid vs SmileDirectClub — three of the most popular low-cost teeth aligners that are battling out for the best in this area. Yes, these brands may be cheap, but the quality of their products is impressive.
Let’s face it, having a beautiful, white, and straight teeth is an asset.
Some people specifically women don’t mind not wearing the luxury fashion brands or the latest fashion trend, or spending so much on make-up as long as they have amazing teeth.
Hands up if you are one of them!
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Our desire to having beautiful, flawless teeth is like a personal statement. We’ll do anything just to make sure we have a good set, right?
No wonder why in an article published by The Baltimore Sun, it says that according to a report from the American Association of Orthodontists there are about 4.5 million people in the United States who have braces. Out of these Americans with braces, about 20 percent are older than 18 years old, and that 70 percent of these are women.
In the same article, an orthodontist named, Kerry White Brown, says that this the data may probably have something to do with the fact that people today especially women are more concerned about how they look. Let’s admit it, one of the best assets any woman can have is a perfect smile, right?
And to be able to achieve such perfection, you have to do the right things to make your teeth as lovely as it can be.
In recent years, slowly, clear orthodontic aligners have hit the market. With how it looks – it’s transparent – plus the comfort it gives, more and more people have changed from the traditional metal braces to this.
In fact, in an article published by Forbes, it says that there are five million patients who have gotten clear dental tray trays instead of metal braces over the last 20 years. More so, one of the leading brands providing clear aligners has prescribed see-through dental trays to 931,000 people in 2017 alone at a cost of $3,000 up to $8,000 each.
We know what you are thinking. That is so expensive! But hang in there, because there are cheaper alternatives! Thank goodness!
Companies like Smilelove, Candid, and Smiledirectclub are actually providing clear aligners that are way cheaper than those of the more popular brands.
Now, to help you decide which among these cheaper alternatives is the best, we’ll do a comparison review. Yes, it’s Smilelove vs Candid vs Smiledirectclub
But before that, let’s talk about clear aligners is all about first.
WHAT are CLEAR ALIGNERS?
Clear orthodontic aligners or clear aligners are a new alternative to the traditional braces that are used to move teeth. It helps transform a person’s smile without so much interference to her daily life.
Clear aligners are removable trays that are made of clear plastic material, which is essentially invisible.
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, before treatment begins, orthodontists will have to examine the patient first. In addition, diagnostic records like -rays, photographs, and impressions or digital scans of the teeth will have to be taken.
Based on the result of these tests, the orthodontist will be able to arrive at a diagnosis. After that, he will then “work within the aligner software to design your smile and plan the treatment process – which tooth moves where, and in what order – guiding teeth into healthy positions”.
The goal of placing clear aligners is not just so a person can have a perfect smile, but more so, so she can have a “healthy bite”. Meaning, top, and bottom teeth fit together properly.
According to AAO, “moving teeth is a complex biological process and needs start-to-finish supervision by an orthodontist”. Usually, people visit their orthodontist for a check-up about every six-to-ten weeks.
Taking the end goal into consideration, AAO says that “a series of plastic aligners are created using the patient’s initial impressions or digital scans as the starting point.”
Experts highly recommend wearing clear aligners 22 hours a day or as prescribed by your orthodontist.
Meanwhile, the total number of clear aligners depends on the needs of each patient. Just like braces though, you will need to wear retainers once your teeth have reached their new positions.
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF USING CLEAR ALIGNERS?
We find it necessary for anyone considering using clear aligners to be aware of the pros and cons of using them according to experts.
Thus, according to AAO, here are some of the pros and cons of using clear aligners:
PROS
- It is removable, which means you can take them out when eating, brushing and flossing. You can even take them off for short periods of time.
- It uses tooth-colored attachments to help aligners move the teeth. These treatments, however, are removed once treatment is done.
- The aligners are not embarrassing to use since they’re clear. Since it is clear, it looks invisible that people usually do not notice you have something in your teeth when in fact you are wearing an aligner.
- Aligners can fix cosmetic as well as functional issues.
- They are proven to work way faster as compared to braces.
CONS
- You need to take extra care when drinking while aligners are in. Except for tap water, everything else must be avoided. Colored drinks, in particular, can stain not just the aligners, but the teeth also since liquid drinks can seep into the aligners, and stays there until aligners are removed.
- When drinking sugary or acidic drinks, you have to make sure to brush thoroughly before putting your aligners back.
- Since aligners are removable, some patients may be tempted to remove them when they experience discomfort.
Now that we have already discussed what aligners is all about, as well as its pros and cons, let’s move on to comparing the three low-cost teeth aligners brands. These are Smilelove, Candid, and SmileDirectClub.
If you want an honest opinion about the use of clear aligners from some of the most famous brands in the industry, we highly suggest you watch this video by Scott Voiers, a dentist himself:
SMILELOVE VS CANDID VS SMILEDIRECTCLUB: COMPANY OVERVIEW
First off, let’s get to know more about each brand. We find it important, as a buyer, that we know or at least have an idea about the brand before we even deal with them. This helps build our trust in the brand – more so, in using their product.
SMILELOVE
Smilelove claim to be “the most affordable aligner treatment on the market, matched by the company’s supreme quality and customer service”.
Smilelove offers a Smilelove guarantee, which means if you do not like their product or your orthodontist finds out you are not a candidate for aligners, they will refund your money in full. Furthermore, unlike other companies that charge you for your first set of retainers, Smilelove gives it to you completely FREE.
The free stuff does not end there, they also include free teeth whitening with your Smilelove treatment. To top it all, they offer different ways to pay — you can either choose to pay in full, or take advantage of their 100% approval and 0% APR financing to break it up and make it more convenient for you.
When it comes to the quality of their product, Smilelove boasts its ClearComfort technology, which means you will get to have a truly visible and custom fit teeth aligners.
Smilelove makes it more convenient for you as they ensure everything you need for your treatment is mailed directly to you.
As mentioned, they are proud to say that they have best-in-class customer service who are ready to assist you before, during, and after your Smilelove journey.
CANDID
Candid’s mission is to eliminate barriers to orthodontic treatment and provide the highest standard of care possible. The company aims to empower people by changing their lives, and that it starts with straighter teeth.
Candid takes pride that they only work with orthodontists and not general dentists, which means there is a prescribing doctor on the other end who is responsible for designing your treatment/
Candid promises to be with you every step of the way. The company is “100% committed not just to delivering great outcomes, but to making sure you feel cared for throughout the process“. Thus, the company offers what other companies don’t — that is remote monitoring by an orthodontist, and he is none other than the very same orthodontist who designed and prescribed your treatment plan.
The company offers a patent-pending treatment protocol that was specifically designed for teledentistry, which “completely eliminates the need for interproximal reduction, or IPR: the practice of filing down your teeth to create room for movement between steps“.
Candid’s aligners are durable, stain-resistant, and BPA- and phthalate-free. Meanwhile, their whitening foam is gentle enough to use any time of the day. More so, the company’s care team is always ready to work around your schedule should you have questions.
SMILEDIRECTCLUB
SmileDirectClub or simply Smile was founded by Alex Fenkell and Jordan Katzman. The company was founded back in 2014, and today, it represents 95% of the doctor-directed at-home clear aligner industry.
The company takes pride in having helped transform the smiles of more than 750,000 people.
Each customer of SmileDirectClub receives teeth aligners that are BPA-free, custom-made, and tight-fitting, which helps gradually shift their teeth into the supposed position, which is a process that usually takes 4 to 6 months.
SmileDirectClub takes pride in providing teeth aligners that are 60% less than the price of other teeth straightening options. Needless to say, it does not require any office visits.
SmileDirectClub is backed by Camelot Venture Group, which according to their website is “a private investment group that has been pioneering the direct-to-consumer space since the early 90s, particularly in highly regulated industries”.
SMILELOVE VS CANDID VS SMILEDIRECTCLUB: COMPARISON REVIEW
Now that we already have an idea about what these companies are, and what they have to offer when it comes to clear teeth aligners, let’s compare using below table:
| ITEMS FOR COMPARISON | SMILELOVE | CANDID | SMILEDIRECTCLUB |
| Cost of Aligners | $1895 (less $400 on Black Friday) | $1900 | $1895 (less $100 with code AFF100) |
| Cost of Retainer | Included with $1895 bundle | Not specified | $99 |
| Cost of Starter Kit | Free at-home starter kit, or in-person studio visit in Murray, Utah | Free at studio, or $95 for at-home starter kit (minus 65% with code NEWYOU65) | Free at studio, or $49 for at-home starter kit (minus 50% with code AFF100) |
| Payment Plan | $66/month | $88/month | $85/month |
| Time Spent Each Day | 22 hours | Not specified | 22 hours for regular aligners or 10 hours for night-time aligners |
| Time Frame of Optimal Results | 6 months | 6 months | 6 months for regular aligners or 10 months for night-time aligners |
| Review by Professional | Licensed orthodontist | Licensed orthodontist | Licensed dentist or orthodontist |
| Whitening Included? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Refund Policy | Full refund if you don’t like the preview or if the doctors say you’re not a fit | Full refund if the doctors say you’re not a fit | Full refund within 30 days |
Based on the above figures, cost-wise, it’s pretty obvious that Smilelove is the cheapest among the three brands, while SmileDirectClub comes second, and Candid as the most expensive among them all.
When it comes to the starter kit, all of the three have pretty good offers. In fact, they are almost the same. Although, Smilelove still stands out among the three.
Smilelove vs Candid vs SmileDirectClub are all reviewed by licensed orthodontists, although SmileDirectClub also includes licensed dentists.
With regards to the refund policy, we also have to give it to Smilelove with their Smilelove guarantee, which means you can return and be refunded should you not like the preview or your dentist says you are not a candidate to use teeth aligners. Candid, meanwhile, gives full refund also only if your doctor says you are not fit for aligners. As with SmileDirectClub full refund may be requested within 30 days after purchase only.
SMILELOVE VS CANDID VS SMILEDIRECTCLUB: CUSTOMER REVIEW
Of course, our comparison will not be complete without the customers’ reviews. We have compiled a few customer reviews for Smilelove, Candid, and Smiledirectclub for your reference. Here’s what they have to say:
“I would highly recommend Smilelove over any of the other competitors. I did heavy research on them all before I picked one, and it’s rare to come across a company where you can just check out their website and do your minimum due diligence, and know that they are the ones. I went with Smilelove and I have no regrets.
Excellent customer service and friendly people, a simple process (extremely simple), and the clear aligners are nice, high quality. Oh… and the best price out of everybody that I found, by far.”
-Jacob R. (Published in Smilelove website.)
“I loved these aligners and Candid Co! My teeth now meet and I can chew! I feel better because I am digesting my food better. For me getting aligners was a health issue, not a cosmetic one. My dentist had told me for years I needed them, but I couldn’t afford them…Candid Co was the solution! Candid Co is a wonderful company-very responsive and supportive!
I love that they have reduced prices for aligners and are also doing good in the world. They took a careful scan of my teeth and produced aligners designed by a dentist. They had a local dentist in case I had problems. Well done! This is an AWESOME product!”
– Ann (Published in Candid website.)
“My teeth aren’t 100% perfect but for the price and time frame, this was a pretty amazing adventure. Yes your teeth will hurt, yes you will feel discomfort and irritation. Just keep clean and do what they tell you to do and you will be fine. The hardest part was starting new retainers and having to take them out to drink coffee or eat.
They are a pain to get off at first but when your teeth start to shift it become way easier. So I say, compared to what I had before, I actually enjoy smiling now. I can’t thank SmileDirectClub enough!”
– Sage S. (Published in SmileDirectClub website.)
SMILELOVE VS CANDID VS SMILEDIRECTCLUB: THE VERDICT
It’s hard to choose based on the cost alone. Of course, if we will base our verdict on that, it has to go to Smilelove. But let’s face it, we should not base the efficiency of the product based on the cost.
At the end of the day, well, at least for us, what works best for your teeth is the winner. It could be Smilelove, Candid or SmileDirectClub.
The thing is, it’s nice knowing that there are cheaper alternatives than the more popular brands in this industry that are really costly.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON SMILELOVE VS CANDID VS SMILEDIRECTCLUB
Having a beautiful smile is not just a necessity for most of us, especially women, but it’s like a way of life. Needless to say, it sometimes affects how we see ourselves or how others see us. That is why it is not surprising that a lot of people are working really hard to ensuring they have the best set of teeth. Thus, the use of products like braces, or the now more popular one, clear orthodontic aligners.
How about you? Do you have problems with your teeth alignment? Have you tried using clear aligners yet? How do you find them? What brand did you go for?
As for those who haven’t tried it yet, here’s what we have to say.
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