Impress Clear Aligner Review

Key Takeaways

• Impress aligners have been around since 2019.
• It corrects teeth misalignments in kids, teens, and adults.
• Its clear aligners can straighten teeth in 3 to 24 months.
• Treatment costs are fixed and range from $3,499 to $6,999.

Impress vs. Invisalign: Which Is Better For You?

For convenient teeth straightening, choose Impress. Its distinctive approach combines at-home monitoring with a few visits to dedicated clinics.

The same orthodontist will manage your entire treatment, ensuring seamless, individualized care with predictable and effective results.

But if there’s no Impress clinic nearby, Invisalign is an established brand and a more widely available alternative that now offers virtual monitoring. However, because Invisalign works with independent practices, treatment experiences, costs, and suitability for children and teenagers may vary.

Pros & Cons of Impress Clear Aligners

Here’s a summary of the things we like and don’t like about Impress:

Impress Aligner Pros

• Customers are happy with its fast results and invisible design
• Has a transparent pricing model and flexible payment options
• In-person evaluations are free and don’t require you to purchase
• You can start and complete your journey at any Impress location
• Impress Guarantee covers any additional refinements you may need
• HSA/FSA and insurance can reduce treatment costs by $2,500
• Impress app is available for iPhone and Android users

Impress Aligner Cons

• Access to Impress clinics is limited to major U.S. cities
• Doesn’t offer at-home impression kits and online assessments
• Complex cases may require longer treatment times
• Few people experienced aligner discomfort and poor support
• Keeping aligners clean can be a struggle with the limited tools

Who Can Use Impress Clear Aligners?

Impress aligners are for adults, teenagers, and children with crooked teeth. Some conditions it can treat are:

• Crowded teeth
• Gapped teeth
• Overbite
• Crossbite

You can book a free consultation to see if Impress suits you. 

If you qualify, your provider may prescribe one of the following treatment plans, depending on your condition and what’s available in your area.

Impress Aligners for Adults

Adults aged 18+ who qualify for Impress may get these treatments:

Impress Aligners for Teenagers

Impress clinics may offer treatments for teenagers aged 12 to 17 whether or not their permanent teeth have fully erupted.

Impress Aligners for Kids

Children aged 7+ may also qualify for Impress Kids, but it can only treat certain conditions, such as:

• Open bite
• Narrow palate
• Overbite

It’s usually prescribed to prevent severe malocclusions, address issues that affect speech, or prepare a child for corrective orthodontic treatments.

Impress for Kids can last for 8 to 18 months, but children with more complex issues may transition to Impress Teens as their permanent teeth erupt.

How Much Do Impress Aligners Cost?

Impress clear aligners cost $3,499 to $6,999, depending on your plan. This covers everything you will need for the treatment:

• The Impress kit with all your clear aligners
• Up to five in-person visits at an Impress clinic
• Impress app for weekly treatment monitoring

The kit will also include whitening foam, chewies, a mouth retractor, and a travel case for storing clear aligners or retainers.

Your initial consultation is free, even if you decide against the treatment. 

Cost of Impress Treatment Plans

You can purchase your Impress aligners upfront or with a payment plan. Impress offers 12, 24, 48, or 60-month installments.

After the treatment, you can get a Retainer Subscription for $299/yr. It includes two retainers and access to 24/7 support via the Impress app.

HSA/FSA & Insurance Coverage for Impress

You can use your Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to lower the cost of your Impress aligners.

If your dental insurance covers out-of-network orthodontic benefits, you can also claim up to $2,500 in reimbursements for your treatment.

Impress Treatment Process: What’s It Like?

Impress follows a treatment model we’ve never seen before.

It combines professional oversight with at-home teeth straightening, virtual monitoring, and in-person visits for check-ups and additional procedures.

But unlike most clear aligner brands, Impress doesn’t work with third-party providers. Instead, it has its own clinics staffed with orthodontists.

This ensures you get quality and consistent care, allowing for a more precise treatment with reliable results.

Getting Started With Impress Aligners

Impress doesn’t have online assessments and at-home teeth impression kits. The only way to start treatment is to schedule a free appointment.

There are 130+ Impress clinics worldwide, including five in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Seattle, which offer consultations.

Here’s what to expect after you’ve booked an appointment:

1. Find out if you’re a candidate ⁠— At the clinic, they’ll take a CBCT X-ray and 3D scan of your teeth to determine if you’re qualified for Impress aligners.
2. Preview your smile ⁠— If you pass the assessment, an in-house orthodontist will create your custom treatment plan and explain how it works.
3. Decide on the next steps ⁠— You can choose whether to continue with the treatment or not. If you do, you can pay for it using your preferred payment option.
4. Begin your treatment ⁠— Impress will send the aligner kit to your home. When it arrives, you can start wearing your custom clear aligners as prescribed.
5. Monitor your progress at home ⁠— Use the mobile app for weekly check-ins with the same orthodontist in charge of your treatment.
6. Get in-person care ⁠— Your provider may request 2 to 5 visits to track your progress or perform in-office procedures like interproximal reduction (IPR) and attachments for precise teeth alignment.
7. Make your final visit ⁠— Your provider will assess your results and tell you if you can switch to retainers or if you need refinement aligners.
8. Maintain your smile ⁠— Once you complete the treatment, you can buy the Impress retainers. Wearing them will keep your teeth straight.

Does Impress Offer Free Refinements?

Treatments don’t always go as planned. The Impress Guarantee can cover any refinement aligners to help you achieve your desired results.

You must complete all required clinic visits and in-app monitoring to get these free refinements. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay for them.

Customer Reviews on Impress Aligners

Impress has mostly positive feedback on Trustpilot and Yelp, with an average rating of 4.3 out of 5⭐ from over 5,100 customers.

Nearly 87% of reviewers gave it 4 or 5 stars, while only 13% gave it 3 stars or less. Below is a summary of what people say about Impress aligners.

Positive User Feedback

Impress customers love its at-home treatment process, remote monitoring, minimal office visits, and smooth consultations. 

Many see fast results and appreciate the nearly invisible aligners. The personalized approach and transparent pricing are also frequently praised.

Negative User Feedback

Few experienced slow customer service, persistent aligner discomfort, and underwhelming results that needed additional refinements and extra costs. 

Limited clinic locations and inadequate cleaning tools made it difficult for some to access treatment and keep the aligners clean.

Why Choose Impress vs. Other Aligner Brands?

While at-home clear aligners are convenient, they can only handle simple cases in adults. Impress is a good option if you want a more comprehensive treatment that balances ease with professional insight.

Unlike the clear aligner kits you buy online, Impress can address more complex issues and treat children and teenagers, not just adults. It also lets you straighten your teeth and monitor your progress at home.

Though visits to an Impress clinic are necessary, these appointments are minimal compared to in-office alternatives. They help ensure you get orthodontic care throughout your clear aligner treatment.

Before making any decision that can change your smile, talk to a dental professional who can determine which treatments are best for your teeth.

Why Trust Our Impress Aligners Review

Like all of the clear aligner brands we’ve tried at NewMouth, our smile experts evaluated Impress aligners based on the following criteria:

• Overall customer experience
• Treatment process
• Pricing and financing options
• Customer service and aftersales
• Brand reputation

We understand that choosing the right clear aligner can be daunting. That’s why we've put together this Impress review to help you decide.