If you’re an adult or teen who wants to straighten your teeth, now is the best time to be alive. You’re no longer constricted to only getting metal braces, as sleek and discreet clear aligner treatments have become easily available and been shown to deliver reliable results. Of course, you have choice in this realm as well, primarily between SmileDirectClub and Invisalign in Westerville. How are they different, and which one would be best for you? We put them side by side in today’s blog so you can make a confident decision.
3 Weeks vs. 3 Years
One of the main benefits of SmileDirectClub is that you can basically get everything you need without ever stepping foot into a dentist’s office. You simply take a smile assessment online, get your teeth scanned at a local SmileShop, and then a dentist will evaluate your smile and send you your aligners in the mail.
For Invisalign, however, you’ll need to visit a certified orthodontist in Westerville. They’ll give you a brief exam, scan your teeth, and you’ll be able to pick up your aligners a week or so later.
While SmileDirectClub might seem more convenient, there is a major difference in the expertise of the doctor you’ll be working with. A general dentist can become qualified to prescribe SmileDirectClub after just 3 weeks of training, while an orthodontist has to complete a 3 year fellowship in addition to dental school. When it comes to your smile, who would you trust more? A dentist who has never met you and spent less than a month learning about the treatment, or a specialist who has seen your smile in person and helped countless patients before?
What Kind of Problems Can They Correct?
Invisalign is able to address mild to complex issues with the teeth and jaws, including crowding, spacing, gaps, overbite, under bite, and cross bite. SmileDirectClub, however, can only handle minor issues with the spacing and orientation of the teeth. Basically, SmileDirectClub is very limited in what it can accomplish. If you’re looking to straighten your teeth with a single treatment so you never have to think about it again, Invisalign is able to offer a more reliable solution.
The Big One: Cost
Yes, it’s true that SmileDirectClub is notably cheaper than Invisalign, but as they say, “You get what you pay for.” With SmileDirectClub, you might be paying less, but you’ll also have less access to a dentist if things go wrong. What happens if an aligner breaks or gets lost? What if you have questions? Does something feel odd about your teeth? Try getting those questions answered in an email! While you’re waiting for a response, your treatment can easily get off track, which will extend it and force you to end up paying more overall.
With Invisalign, however, you have an orthodontist who is completely familiar with your case and located right in your neighborhood. They’ll see you every few weeks for progress checkups to ensure your treatment stays on track, and if an issue pops up, they are always just a phone call away.
Plus, due to the lack of training associated with SmileDirectClub, many patients end up having to get another orthodontic treatment because it wasn’t done correctly the first time, which can literally add thousands in expenses.
The Decision is Clear
While SmileDirectClub offers a cheaper option that enables you to get everything through the mail, it simply isn’t able to deliver the same kind of dependable results as Invisalign. Plus, it often ends up costing patients more in the end because, we can’t stress this enough, dentists only need 3 weeks of training to prescribe it! When it comes to straightening your teeth, trust what the experts have to say, and you’ll find that they all recommend Invisalign.
About the Author
Dr. Jeffrey Shirck is a certified orthodontist in Westerville who is also an Elite Invisalign Provider. If you have any other questions about your options for straightening your teeth, he invites you to give him a call, or better yet, schedule a FREE consultation in person.