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If you want straighter teeth and a more confident smile, traditional metal braces and in-office aligners like Invisalign are just some of your options.
Teeth straightening kits, also called clear aligners or invisible braces, are more convenient alternatives you can look into.
They straighten your teeth from home and don’t require frequent adjustments or visits to the dentist—saving you both time and money.
As part of your treatment, you’ll receive a set of removable dental trays that gradually straighten your teeth with every new aligner you wear.
At-home teeth straighteners are usually effective on mild to moderately crooked teeth. You may want to consider them if you have:
Most clear aligner companies will qualify you before you can begin treatment. However, you should consult a dental professional.
A licensed dentist or orthodontist can help determine if at-home teeth straightening is the right option.
At NewMouth, we want you to find a kit that can safely and effectively straighten your teeth at home. So we reviewed and compared clear aligners that offer impression kits and remote monitoring. We evaluated them based on:
We then narrowed down our top recommendations.
Clear Aligner Brand | Treated Cases | Average Treatment Time | How To Start Treatment | Treatment Monitoring | Treatment Cost |
Byte | Mild to moderate | 4 to 6 months | Impression kit | Remote | $2,099 to $2,499 |
ALIGNERCO | Mild to moderate | 4 to 8 months | Impression kit | Remote | $995 to $1,195 |
NewSmile | Mild to moderate | 4 to 10 months | Impression kit | Remote | $1,595 to $1,695 |
Strayt | Mild to moderate | 4 to 8 months | Impression kit or mobile scan | Remote | $1,848 |
Below, we’ll cover why we recommend each brand and when to consider other kits.
Byte® is a popular at-home aligner brand that works with licensed dental professionals to monitor your teeth straightening progress at home.
Available Treatments | All-Day and At-Night Aligners |
Monthly Plans | $89 or $106/36 mos |
What’s Included | Impression kit, aligner trays, a set of retainers, HyperByte® device, and BrightByte® teeth whitening foam |
Byte is best known for its fast average treatment time, which is made possible by the HyperByte, an exclusive brand device.
HyperByte emits high-frequency vibrations (HFV) to stimulate teeth and surrounding bone tissue, which may shorten treatment time.
Byte’s All-Day Aligners are worn for 22+ hours daily, while its At-Night Aligners are worn for at least 10 hours to straighten teeth while you sleep.
Sale: Impression Kit for only $17.95
ALIGNERCO has the cheapest teeth aligner kits and one of the most affordable at-home impression kits for under $100.
Available Treatments | All Day and Night Only Clear Aligners |
Monthly Plans | SmileFlex: $64/12 mosNightFlex: $81/12 mosSmileFlex Easy: $135/6 mos ($335 downpayment)NightFlex Easy: $150/6 mos ($445 downpayment) |
What’s Included | Impression kit, aligner trays, a set of retainers, a teeth whitening set, and the AlignerTrack app for remote monitoring |
ALIGNERCO’s $75 impression kits are available online. You can use them to take dental impressions, mail them back, and wait for your aligners to arrive.
But if you live near an ALIGNERCO provider, you can also book an appointment for a free in-person assessment.
ALIGNERCO works with dentists who will evaluate your condition and create your custom treatment plan if you qualify.
Black Friday: $200 off aligners
NewSmile lets you straighten your teeth as discretely and comfortably as possible with its truly invisible aligners.
Available Treatments | Fast Track or Night Aligners |
Monthly Plans | $58/36 mos$100/15 mos ($295 downpayment) |
What’s Included | Impression kit, aligner trays, a set of retainers, teeth whitening foam, and the NewSmile app for remote monitoring |
Unlike other brands, NewSmile’s teeth straighteners are trimmed along your gum line in a ‘scalloped fashion’ so they don’t touch your gums.
Because of this, they’re barely visible and are less likely to cause gum irritation when worn for extended periods.
NewSmile aligners are more affordable than other brands. However, like most at-home kits, teeth straightening is more hands-off than in-office treatments.
Use code NewMouthDeal for $100 off Aligners and code NewMouthKit for $20 off impression kit.
Strayt is the only aligner brand to offer mobile teeth scans in select US locations. You can book an appointment with a provider near you.
Available Treatments | Day and night aligners |
Monthly Plans | $87/24 mos ($248 downpayment)$154/12 mos ($199 downpayment) |
What’s Included | Aligner trays, a set of retainers, retainer case, a teeth whitening system, and the StraytVIBES™ device. |
If there’s a Strayt professional in your area, they will drive to where you are to evaluate you and take teeth scans for free.
If you opt for a digital scan, the company can match the price of any lower-priced competitor you’re considering.
Strayt makes it easy to start clear aligner treatment with its mobile services. It also offers deals that can help you save on treatment costs.
In addition to our top recommendations, here are more at-home teeth straightening kits you can try:
Cost: $699 to $999
We like Smileie because it lets you choose a treatment that suits your needs. You can straighten your top and bottom teeth or just one of them. However, it’s still a new brand that launched in 2022. So it isn’t as well-established as the other clear aligner companies.
Cost: $1,749
SnapCorrect is known for its “barely there” aligners, which are discreet and comfortable to wear. With your treatment, you’ll get a free retainer (worth $95). However, the company doesn’t offer zero-interest installments, so you’ll end up spending more if you opt for a payment plan.
Cost: $1,495 to $1,645
2Usmiles is the cheapest way to get started thanks to its impression kits, which only cost $9.95. It also has affordable pricing and payment plans that cost $104 to $118 monthly.
2USmiles requires a hefty downpayment of $399. It’s also a new brand with few reviews.
At-home clear aligners aren’t for everyone. They’re only suitable for mild to moderate cases of teeth misalignment, including:
You may not be eligible for this treatment if you have:
Teens and adults with minor to moderate misalignment are typically the best candidates for invisible teeth aligners.
It’s best to talk to a dental professional who can determine whether at-home aligners are a good fit or if you need other orthodontic devices.
At-home aligner brands like Byte allow you to straighten your teeth from the comfort of your home.
You can order an impression kit online, and when your clear aligners are ready, the whole set will be delivered to your doorstep.
Aligners are designed to gradually shift teeth. You must wear each one for a few weeks before switching to the next tray.
This orthodontic treatment is more convenient and affordable. They can straighten teeth in months but only treat mild to moderate cases.
If you opt for in-office treatments, you have several options including:
In-office aligners are removable while braces are semi-permanent dental fixtures that you have to wear throughout the entire treatment process.
Both orthodontic treatments cost more than at-home options and require dental visits, so they can change your aligners or adjust your braces.
Even though they have longer treatment times, they can correct a wider range of dental issues, including bite problems and severe misalignment.
Here are the key differences between these teeth straightening options:
At-Home Aligners | In-Office Aligners | Metal Braces | |
Treatment costs | $1,000 to $2,500 | $3,000 to $8,000 | $2,750 to $11,500 |
Average treatment time | 3 to 12 months | 6 to 24 months | 24 to 36 months |
Removable | Yes | Yes | No |
Daily wear time | 20 to 22 hours (day aligners) or 8 to 10 hours (night aligners) | 20 to 22 hours | 24 hours (kept on until you finish the entire treatment) |
What it treats | Mild to moderate teeth misalignment | Mild to moderate teeth misalignment and some bite issues | Mild to severe teeth misalignment and most bite issues |
In-person assessment | Offered by some brands | Yes | Yes |
Regular visits to the dental office | No | Yes | Yes |
Frequency of monitoring | Every 1 to 2 weeks via an app depending on the brand | Every 6 to 8 weeks | Every 4 to 8 weeks |
The success of at-home aligners largely depends on the wearer. If you don’t wear them as prescribed, they may not give you the smile transformation you’re after.
In-office orthodontic treatments produce better and more reliable results in giving you a straighter smile.
Choosing the best teeth aligner isn’t easy if you don’t know what to look for. Here are four things to consider to narrow it down:
Different brands provide alternative ways to get started. Most aligner companies have impression kits, which you can order online.
Others offer mobile teeth scans or have several US clinics open for consultations.
Pick a brand that offers options that are most accessible to you.
Choose a brand depending on whether you want to wear nighttime or daytime aligners, or whichever is most convenient for you. Most clear aligner companies collaborate with dental professionals to monitor your treatment progress remotely through dedicated apps.
For example, if you want a completely at-home treatment, you can look into companies like Byte and NewSmile. Other brands do not work solely with dental professionals. ALIGNERCO and Strayt are only partnered with trained specialists for virtual monitoring.
Keep in mind that night aligners are potentially unsafe and ineffective. It’s best to talk to a dentist before using them.
Many people just look at the price tag of clear aligners. But this only covers initial treatment costs. You should also consider other expenses, like:
If it takes longer to straighten your teeth or if your teeth shift back into place after the treatment, you may need more aligners to correct them.
While some companies have guarantees to help cover the cost of additional aligners, others don’t. You’ll have to pay for them yourself.
Compare costs across different brands to see which ones are within your budget. Most clear aligner brands offer flexible payment plans and financing options, allowing you to choose terms ranging from 6 to 36 months with zero or low down payments ($180 to $400)
Clear aligner brands have varying average treatment times, ranging between 3 and 18 months.
Go for a brand that can give you results within an acceptable time frame.
Remember that the time it takes to get straight teeth will depend on how crooked they are and if you wear clear aligners as prescribed.
Some companies like Byte and Strayt also offer devices that can potentially speed up tooth acceleration and shorten treatment time.
Teeth straightening kits may be a good option for people with mild to moderately crooked teeth who don’t have bite issues.
If unsure, you can always get a free consultation from companies with on-site clinics and mobile services.
Alternatively, you can order an impression kit online. Trusted brands like Byte offer refunds for impression kits if you’re not qualified for treatment.
To help you decide, here’s a summary of their advantages and disadvantages:
Teeth straightening kits give you straighter teeth from home. They’re more convenient, affordable, and accessible than in-office aligners and braces.
These kits work on mild to moderate cases but not severe teeth misalignment or bite problems. You can remove them when eating, brushing, or anytime you like.
Remember that your treatment’s success will depend on your compliance. For the best results, you must wear the teeth aligners for 20 to 22 hours daily.
To find the best at-home teeth straighteners, we:
To help you choose the best teeth straighteners for your needs, we spent 200+ hours researching the top brands based on the following criteria:
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