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Clear aligners are a popular, discreet way to straighten teeth, especially for adults who want to avoid the look and feel of traditional metal braces.
After the recent exits of SmileDirectClub and Byte, it’s more important than ever to choose a brand that balances convenience with safety.
Everything We Recommend
The Best Invisible Aligners:
This guide covers the top clear aligner options in 2025, how they differ, and what to know before you commit. Each pick was tested using real-world methods and reviewed for cost, support, and clinical oversight.
Top Picks at a Glance
These four aligner systems stood out in our tests for value, safety, and convenience:
Choose one pick to explore first.
We use real-world tests to assess each aligner system. These include:
Tests help flag comfort issues and quality gaps, but they don’t replace a dentist’s role in your treatment. Always confirm your candidacy with a dental professional.
Use our methods to compare brands.
The most affordable aligner kit we tested. In our tests, we logged one minor displacement event during the chew test, and comfort scored 7/10 after two hours of wear.
Typical price (as of Aug 20, 2025): $795 to $995
What customers say: Low prices stand out, but delays and refinement fees frustrate some.
“The price point is unbeatable!” vs. “I bought aligners 6 MONTHS AGO!! No updates.”
Why We Like It
What to Know
Specs
Treatment time: 4–8 months
Monitoring: Limited (app does not alert provider)
Retainers: 1 set included
Age: 13+ with all adult teeth
New Year Sale: $795 for aligners with free aligner cleaner.
Great flexibility with daytime or nighttime wear and single-arch options. In our tests, daytime aligners preserved clearer speech (lisp score 1/3) at 60 minutes vs. 2/3 on night-only trays.
Typical price (as of Aug 20, 2025): $599 to $1,499
What customers say: Upfront pricing praised; mixed reports on post-sale support.
“Helpful and transparent!” vs. “I’m stuck with automated responses after payment.”
Why We Like It
What to Know
Specs
Treatment time: 4–10 months
Monitoring: Photo check-ins; optional video consult
Retainers: 2 sets included
Age: 15+ with all adult teeth
Scalloped aligners that stay discreet and reduce gum irritation. In our tests, irritation scored 2/10 at 60 minutes, and stain recovery dropped from ΔE 3.8 to 1.1 after cleaning.
Typical price (as of Aug 20, 2025): $1,595 to $1,695
What customers say: Easy start-up; serious issues with delays and service failures.
“Fast and affordable!” vs. “I’ve waited 8 months and have no product.”
Why We Like It
What to Know
Specs
Treatment time: 4 to 10 months
Monitoring: App + photo check-ins
Retainers: 1 set included
Age: 13+ with permanent teeth
Use code NewMouthDeal for $100 off Aligners and code NewMouthKit for $20 off impression kit.
A hybrid system that starts with a dentist and continues from home. In our tests, provider feedback on photo check-ins arrived within 12 hours, and trays shipped 3 weeks post-scan.
Typical price (as of Aug 20, 2025): $2,500 to $5,000 (set by provider)
What customers say: High satisfaction with results; lingering frustration from DTC past.
“I loved the remote monitoring!” vs. “Now I can’t buy retainers for my old Candid plan.”
Why We Like It
What to Know
Specs
Treatment time: 6 to 12 months
Monitoring: In-office start + remote check-ins
Retainers: Varies by provider
Age: 16+ (or as approved by local provider)
Use the table below for a quick side-by-side of our top picks.
| Brand | Why It Stands Out | Watch-Outs |
| ALIGNERCO | Lowest price; includes retainers and whitening | Delays, refinement fees, limited app monitoring |
| Smileie | Flexible plans; includes refinements and night option | Age 15+ only; X-ray not required; refund limits after approval |
| NewSmile | Most discreet trays; biweekly app tracking | Support issues; privacy concern with photo uploads |
| Candid | In-office scan + remote monitoring | Price varies by provider; refinements not guaranteed |
Most people with mild to moderate alignment issues are eligible for at-home or hybrid aligners. But more complex problems—like bite misalignment, crowding with jaw mismatch, or existing gum disease—need in-office care.
Here’s how to match your case to the right model:
Candidacy also depends on your oral health. If you have untreated cavities, bone loss, or missing teeth, aligners may not be safe until those issues are resolved.
Confirm candidacy with a local exam.
Clear aligners are a medical treatment—not a cosmetic product. Every reputable dental association, including the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) and American Dental Association (ADA), recommends a full in-person diagnostic workup before starting any orthodontic treatment.
This includes:
At-home aligners skip this critical step, relying on self-taken photos or impressions. This makes it possible to start treatment while unknowingly having a contraindication, like bone loss or a skeletal discrepancy.
Night-only aligners raise further safety concerns. Since they apply force for only ~10 hours/day, they violate the biological need for continuous pressure and may lead to “jiggling” forces that increase the risk of root resorption and tooth instability.
Unsupervised aligner use also increases the risk of bite issues. One common example is a posterior open bite (POB), where the back teeth don’t touch—a known trigger for TMJ problems and uneven tooth wear.
Schedule an exam and X-rays first.
Aligners only work when worn consistently—ideally 20 to 22 hours per day. This is not just a company guideline—it’s based on how teeth move.
Orthodontic forces activate bone remodeling, where the body breaks down and rebuilds bone around shifting teeth. If force is interrupted too often, the process becomes inefficient and may stall.
That’s why night-only wear (≈10 hours/day) may slow or even reverse progress. The teeth shift at night, then relapse during the day—a cycle that can stress the roots and surrounding structures.
Most treatments last 3 to 18 months, depending on case severity and wear consistency. Shorter timelines (under 6 months) are usually limited to front-tooth correction.
Set reminders to hit 22 hours.
While aligners are often advertised with a flat price, many costs come after the initial kit:
Refinements are the most frequent surprise expense. Some brands (like Smileie PRO) include them for free. Others (ALIGNERCO, NewSmile) charge more—even when the outcome doesn’t match the promised preview.
Here are the steps you can take to move forward safely when purchasing your clear aligners:
Book an exam to finalize your plan.
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