It’s almost impossible to find that one person who doesn’t need any sort of correction in their teeth alignment. All our teeth are imperfect in some way, but sometimes the imperfections get a little too much that they affect our quality of life.
If the imperfections aren’t too severe, then clear aligners are good options to fix your teeth without the hassle of metal braces.
In this article, we’ll show you the best teeth aligners you can find, their pros and cons, and how to use them.
Teeth Aligners: What You Should Know
Before going any further, you need to set up the appropriate expectations and understand how teeth can be moved back to their original position.
The concept behind braces, in general, is applying certain forces on the teeth which can remodel bone accordingly. That being said, you can always move your teeth using the aligners we’re about to show you, but you won’t always be able to restore your teeth to their place.
That’s because, in most cases of crowded teeth, the crowding comes from the lack of space in the mouth. This could be caused by small jaws, big teeth, or both.
In other words, if you don’t have enough space to restore your teeth in place, and you don’t extract any teeth to provide that space, then teeth aligners won’t work for you.
You’d then be referred to as a (non-candidate for teeth correction), at least until you visit a dentist and gain some space.
With that in mind, let’s get to our selection.
Here’s our selection of the best aligners currently available:
Invisalign (Best Quality)
It’s difficult to talk about teeth aligners without mentioning Invisalign. They have over 20 years of experience in the field, and you can’t get your hands on one of their kits unless you’re receiving treatment from a dentist.
Additionally, the dentist should have practiced using the kits since they aren’t exactly user-friendly.
That being said, Invisalign clear braces will correct most of the teeth issues present in the mouth, as long as the space is available.
For the treatment to be effective, you have to use the aligners at least 22 hours a day, for around 15 months. You’ll need to visit your dentist every 5 weeks to get a new aligner.
Pros
- Provides the best possible result yet among all competitors
- It utilizes digital impressions, which are a lot more accurate than normal impressions
- You can easily determine If you’re a candidate on their website
Cons
- Overly expensive
- The treatment often takes longer than the expected time
Byte (Shortest Treatment Time)
Byte is a remarkably cheaper option compared to Invisalign, with results that, on paper, aren’t too far behind.
Unlike Invisalign, Byte isn’t a clinic-based treatment. You won’t have to visit a dentist every time you get your new braces. You will, however, need to change the aligner every week which can be inconvenient.
The good thing is that Byte promises a short treatment period of 2–4 months, which is the shortest on our list and possibly the shortest out there.
Once again, you’ll need to keep the braces on for around 22 hours a day, taking them off only to clean and eat.
Pros
- Short treatment period (2–4 months)
- Much cheaper than most options on our list
- Dental supervision isn’t mandatory
Cons
- Results are a bit questionable because of the extremely short treatment time
- The one-week brace change can be bothersome
ALIGNERCO (Highly Flexible)
Alignerco is sort of the middle ground between Invisalign and Byte. You’ll get fairly affordable aligners for a fairly moderate treatment time of 4–6 months.
You also have a flexible treatment option; either by using the 20–22 hours aligners or by settling for nighttime aligners only. You also have the option of using 8–10 hours aligners.
Note that using night-time aligners will extend the treatment time depending on the case.
Much like Byte, there’s no involvement of a dental professional. However, we do recommend checking your progress just in case.
Pros
- Affordable price
- A suitable treatment period for most people
- Acceptable results
Cons
- The relatively short period may not be enough for optimum results
- Some users reported occasional tearing of the aligner
Candid (Highly Comfortable)
Candid managed to bridge the gap between the comfort of home treatment and the assurance of dental supervision.
The company provides you with a remote monitoring service through a small device that you attach to your phone. Using that device, you can scan your teeth and send the results to your orthodontist without having to take a trip to the dental clinic.
This process should be done over 14 days, you’ll usually have to change your aligner after that period.
Much like Invisalign and Byte, you’ll need to keep the braces on for around 22 hours a day.
Pros
- A comfortable treatment plan that provides supervision at home
- A flexible 14-day interval for convenience
- Refundable if you’re not a candidate
Cons
- Relatively expensive (cheaper than Invisalign)
- Some people reported poor results
ClearCorrect (Attachment-free)
So far, every single type of clear aligner we mentioned needs some sort of attachment. The aligner would need to snap or clip onto something to keep itself in place.
ClearCorrect decided to extend the aligner to, not only cover the teeth, but also a part of the gum. This eliminates the need for attachments and keeps the aligner in place by the means of a friction grip.
Much like Invisalign, your dentist will monitor your progression. You’ll also follow the same 22-hour daily plan.
Unfortunately, the cost is a bit on the high end (but still cheaper than Invisalign). Furthermore, the extension of the aligner over the gum causes irritation for some people, which makes the treatment difficult for those who have thin gums.
Pros
- Minimal or no need for attachments
- You get monitored by your dentist
- The price is still somewhat affordable
Cons
- May cause gum irritation
- You still have to visit your dentist for periodical adjustments
The Verdict
There you have it, 5 of the best clear aligners in the market right now. If money is no issue and you want the best possible treatment, Invisalign is for you.
Candid, Alignerco, and Byte are affordable aligners with various flexible options to get you started.
If you don’t like the snappy feeling of the aligner attachments, then ClearCorrect can be good for you
