5 Best At-Home Aligners for Teeth Straightening

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Best At-Home Aligners for Teeth Straightening

Chelsea Bowman

If you’re not satisfied with the look of your teeth, you’re not alone. One in four adults in the US actually avoid smiling to hide their mouth and teeth. [1] 

However, getting your teeth straightened using traditional orthodontic treatment can be costly and time-consuming. A study found that of people who had not been to the dentist in over a year, 59% said this was due to the cost, and 19% cited inconvenient location or time. [2] 

This is where at-home teeth straightening kits can offer a convenient and cost-effective alternative. They don’t cost as much, and the whole process can take place from the comfort of your home.

Why Use at-Home Teeth Straightening Kits?

If your dental needs are only mild, these ‘DIY’ orthodontic treatments could be a good solution for you.

But with quite a few brands in the market, it can be difficult trying to understand all the differences and which is better. 

In this article, we round up the top 5 at-home teeth straightening kits. You’ll get all the information you need about cost, treatment options, and more. So you can easily choose the one that’s right for you.

Which Is The Best At-Home Teeth Straightening Kit? 

1

Byte Review
1

Our Top Pick: Byte

We’ve chosen Byte as our top pick because it offers the shortest treatment time as well as a Life Guarantee on their aligners.

Their treatment time averages just 3 months, thanks to their proprietary HyperByte technology. 

Plus, if your teeth move back out of alignment after treatment at any point, Byte guarantees to provide additional treatment free of charge to straighten your teeth again. 

With thousands of positive customer reviews, Byte could be the best option for those looking for good results, fast.

Byte Offer

$100 off aligners: Byte

Can Clear Aligners Really Straighten Your Teeth From Home?

Teeth straightening at home with invisible aligners does work for people with mild cases of crooked and gappy teeth. It may also be suitable for treating minor underbite or overbite. 

Total treatment time varies by company, but most estimate that you should have straighter teeth in a matter of months.

At-home teeth straightening kits are really only designed for cosmetic improvements. And shouldn’t be used for any major orthodontic corrections.

If you’re looking to fix severe dental misalignment, at-home teeth straightening kits are probably not the best treatment for you.

Best At-Home Aligners for Teeth Straightening

How Do At-Home Teeth Straightening Kits Work?

All at-home teeth straightening kits generally work in a similar way. They offer invisible aligners, which work similarly to traditional braces. 

  1. You will receive a kit in the mail with instructions on how to take a mold of your teeth.
  2. You send the mold of your teeth back to the company, and your individual treatment plan will be created. 
  3. You will get your set of invisible aligners in the mail. 
  4. When worn consistently (usually around 22 hours per day), the aligners will gradually shift your teeth into a straighter position. 
  5. After your treatment is done, you will need to wear retainers (which look exactly like the aligners) to keep your teeth in position. But you’ll only need to wear retainers at night. 

5 Best At-Home Teeth Straightening Kits

No. 1 Byte

Byte Review

$100 off aligners: Byte

Best For: Shortest Treatment Time

Byte is an invisible aligner company that was founded in 2017 and is currently headquartered in Los Angeles.

They’re known for their unique technology that allows their treatment times to be one of the shortest in the industry.

Is Byte Suitable for You?

Byte is best if you only have mild teeth straightening needs and you’re looking for a quick fix. In just 2-4 months, you could be enjoying a straighter smile.

Using HyperByte technology, they’re able to cut the treatment time of their competitors in half.

Included in every treatment plan is a HyperByte device, which uses high-frequency vibrations. When used for five minutes per day, HyperByte increases the rate of tooth movement and reduces discomfort. 

Price Range

$1895-$3320Paying upfront is the cheapest option, but they also provide a monthly financing option. This is more expensive in total but starts from as low as $83 a month.

Impression Kit Cost 

$95 (currently on sale at $29.95).

How it Works

After you order an impression kit, you need to create a mold of your mouth and send it back to Byte. Their in-house dentists will create a treatment plan for you, and your invisible braces will be delivered to your door. Your progress will be monitored remotely with teledentistry.

What We Loved About Byte

With their lifetime guarantee, you can feel confident that your money won’t go to waste. If your teeth ever move out of alignment after your Byte treatment, they will provide you with additional treatment, free of charge. 

The free extras included with your treatment are a nice bonus. Byte includes teeth whitening and your first set of retainers in the treatment cost. 

Options Offered

They have different treatment options based on how many hours you want to wear your aligners each day. You have a choice of either:

  • All-Day Aligners (22 hours wear per day)
  • Byte At-Night Aligners (10 hours wear per night).

Byte Reviews: What Others Have to Say 

Byte scored an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars from a total of 4262 reviews across 2 independent platforms (Trustpilot and Best Company). 

Byte customer Review

Customers appreciated Byte’s excellent customer service, as they felt they had enough guidance throughout their treatment. 

Some customers saw positive results in just a few weeks. And others said that Byte invisible aligners are great for those with busy schedules. 

Byte Offer

Save $100 on aligner packages: Byte Aligners

For a limited time Byte are offering discounts on their Impression Kits and Aligner Packages.

If you want to find out more about the Byte service you can read our complete Byte Review here.

No. 2 Candid

Candid Review

Up to $200 off aligners: Candid

Best For: Treatment Safety 

Founded in 2017, Candid is an at-home invisible aligner company that is committed to ensuring its customers receive the best care.

This is why their remote monitoring is only carried out by orthodontists — they do not work with general dentists. Candid aligners achieve results in 6 months on average.

Is Candid Suitable for You?

If you are concerned about having your treatment monitored from home, then Candid could be the best option for you.

With their advanced remote monitoring, Candid claims to be safer than their competition. 

You will be provided with a special ScanBox that clips onto your smartphone so that you can take detailed images of your teeth. 

These images will be sent to the same orthodontist who created and prescribed your treatment plan. 

This allows consistent tracking of your progress throughout your teeth straightening journey. 

Price Range

$2400 – $2775, monthly financing plan available from $79 a month (at a higher total cost).

Impression Kit Cost 

$95 (currently $30), or get a free scan at a Candid Studio.

How it Works

You can either head to a Candid clinic to get your teeth impressions done or order the at-home kit to do it on your own. 

Once their orthodontists have your mold, a treatment plan will be designed, and you will receive your invisible braces. 

You will need to send updates to your orthodontist remotely with special images of your teeth using the ScanBox so that they can see if you’re on track. 

What We Loved About Candid

The focus on safety over sales while still providing the convenience of at-home treatment is what makes Candid stand out. 

They only work with orthodontists who are specialists in teeth movements and jaw abnormalities (as opposed to other companies that may also work with general dentists and doctors). This means you can be assured that all Candid doctors have specific training in diagnosing and treating teeth alignment issues. 

Their level of remote monitoring throughout the process is also more thorough. 

You will be provided with their special ScanBox device, which helps you to take detailed photos of your teeth using your smartphone.

Options Offered

Only one treatment plan available — to be worn 22 hours per day. They feel that wearing aligners during the day and night provides the safest way to move teeth into a straighter position.

Candid Reviews: What Others Have to Say 

Candid scores 4.4 out of 5 stars out of a total of 1,166 customer reviews on 2 independent platforms (Consumer Affairs and Best Company).

Candid Customer Review

Many customers emphasized the kind and friendly customer service they received with Candid, as well as the overall good results achieved by their invisible aligners. 

Others mentioned convenience and affordability as good reasons to choose Candid for your at-home teeth straightening kit.

 

Candid Offer

Special offer for a limited time, $200 off aligners: Candid

For more information on Candid you can see our complete Review of Candid Aligners here.

No. 3 AlignerCo
Alignerco home aligner service

$250 off: AlignerCo

Best For: Most Affordable Home Aligner Treatment

Founded in 2019, ALIGNERCO offers one of the most affordable at-home invisible aligner kits on the market. But they also stress that they do not compromise on quality. 

Their aligner material is FDA-approved, and your progress is always closely monitored by their team of experts throughout treatment. 

Is AlignerCo Suitable for You?

They might not offer any extra gadgets like HyperByte or teeth whitening. But for those looking for an affordable and efficient teeth-straightening solution, AlignerCo may be the right choice for you.

Price Range

$1145-$1320. Up-front payment currently on offer at $945. 

Impression Kit Cost 

$39.99.

How it Works

You receive a DIY teeth impression kit in your mail and create your own mold at home. 

After you send the impression to AlignerCo, their expert team will create your customized aligners for you. It will then be sent to your home so you can begin treatment. 

What We Loved About AlignerCo

At $1,145, AlignerCo is a lot more affordable than the industry average price. They also offer two different financing options to make the cost of their aligners even more accessible. 

There is remote monitoring throughout your treatment, where you will be required to submit photos of your teeth every two weeks. Your assigned dental professional will provide feedback on your progress to ensure that your treatment is on track. 

Options Offered

As well as their regular invisible aligners to be worn 22 hours per day, AlignerCo offers a NightOnly treatment. This can be more convenient and more discreet. NightOnly aligners are to be worn 8-10 hours every night, for a total treatment time of 8-12 months.  

AlignerCo Reviews: What Others Have to Say 

AlignerCo scores 4.7 out of 5 stars from a total of 499 reviews on two independent platforms (Trustpilot and Best Company). 

Alignerco customer Review

Of the negative reviews, a small number of users were disappointed by customer service responses when they were left unsatisfied with their results. Unlike Byte, AlignerCo does not provide a lifetime guarantee.

However, most customers have praised the customer service provided by AlignerCo. Many were happy with their results and described the instructions of the at-home kit as being clear and easy to follow.

AlignerCo Offer

$250 off aligners for a limited time: AlignerCo

You can compare AlignerCo to Byte in our in-depth comparison: AlignerCo vs Byte.

No. 4 NewSmile
New Smile Review

From $84 a month: NewSmile

Best For: Affordable Extras and Competitive Treatment Prices

Founded in 2020, NewSmile is the newest company in our round-up. But they’ve quickly acquired many positive reviews so far, which makes it a promising brand. 

We like that their treatment plans include teeth whitening and retainers for a relatively low price (they’re the second cheapest on our list!). 

Other companies may not do teeth whitening, and retainers usually come at an extra cost to the basic treatment. 

Price Range

$1195 – $1303, with a monthly financing option available from $84 a month.

Impression Kit Cost 

$49.

How it Works

NewSmile also sends you a kit to create a mold of your own teeth at home. If you need help with this, you can book a video call with their experts. 

After you send the mold to NewSmile, a treatment plan will be created (you can even see a 3D preview of the target results before approval). 

You will get your NewSmile aligners to be worn for 22 hours per day and should see results within 4-6 months. 

The NewSmile’s dental team supervises your treatment remotely through the process. 

What We Loved About NewSmile

NewSmile’s Fast Track Bundle provides good value for money. It includes your impression kit or teeth scan in the total price, as well as a free set of retainers and teeth whitening treatment.

NewSmile has developed an Aligner Monitoring App to help you record your progress conveniently. The app alerts you when it’s time to switch to your next set of aligners. 

Options Offered

As well as all-day aligners, NewSmile offers a Night Aligner plan, for a more convenient and discreet treatment only at night.

AlignerCo Reviews: What Others Have to Say 

NewSmile scores 4.8 out of 5 stars from a total of 856 reviews across 2 websites (Facebook and Best Company).

New Smile Customer Review

Customers describe the Night Aligners as convenient and affordable. There are also some that said wearing it was comfortable and not painful. Overall, most reviews say that the treatment was effective.

However, there were a few reviewers who mentioned that their queries were left unanswered at times (even though customer service was generally helpful). 

NewSmile Aligners

From $84 a month: NewSmile

No. 5 Smile Direct Club
Smile Direct Club Review

$25 impression kit: Smile Direct Club

Best For: Tried and Tested – Established Home Aligner Brand

Founded in 2014, Smile Direct Club is the company with the most experience in at-home teeth straightening.

As the oldest company on this list, with 15,000+ mostly positive reviews on Trustpilot, you can be sure this is a tried and tested brand. 

Their many good reports show that they’re able to maintain a consistently high quality of their product and customer support.  

Is Smile Direct Club Suitable For You?

Smile Direct Club is suitable for people looking for a trusted brand that’s still relatively economical.

We also like that there is the option of visiting their SmileShop to create an impression. This is great for those who aren’t comfortable doing it on their own at home.   

Price Range

$1950 single payment, or $89 per month for 24 months ($2386 total).

Impression Kit Cost 

$59, or get a free scan at a SmileShop.

How it Works

After you have a scan in a SmileShop or use their home impression kit to provide a 3D mold of your teeth, Smile Direct Club’s licensed dentists will create your treatment plan, then monitor your progress remotely. 

What We Loved About Smile Direct Club

Their nighttime aligners are the same price as their daytime aligners, so you can choose the best treatment for your lifestyle.

Options Offered

You can choose between Clear Aligners or Nighttime Aligners. 

  • Clear Aligners need 22 hours of wear per day, and treatment will last 4-6 months. 
  • Nighttime Aligners are an even more discreet way to straighten your teeth. These aligners are worn for only 10 hours every night while you sleep. This means the total treatment time will take slightly longer – around 10 months. 

Smile Direct Club Reviews: What Others Have to Say 

As Smile Direct Club has the most experience with at-home teeth straightening, they also have the most customer reviews available. This could help you make your decision on whether they’re the best company for you.

Smile Direct Club scores 4.8 out of 5 stars from a total of 16,223 reviews on Trustpilot. 

SmileDirect Club Review

Customers were generally happy with the results of their Smile Direct Club aligners. For those that opted for the at-home kits, taking impressions was easy and convenient.

The few negative reviews mentioned that customer service could also be a little pushy about getting you to commit to a treatment. Others found the aligners to be a little thick and uncomfortable. It should be noted that mild discomfort is common when you start with a new aligner, regardless of the brand. 

Most reviewers mentioned that they had good experiences at the SmileShop as the representatives were helpful and informative.

Smile Direct Club Offer

$25 impression kit: Smile Direct Club

You can see how Smile Direct Club compares to Candid in our in-depth comparison here: Smile Direct Club vs Candid.

Which At-Home Teeth Straightening Kit is Right for You?

Byte is our top pick due to its speedy treatment time and lifetime guarantee, and it should be able to meet the needs of most. However, there are other options, too, depending on your personal needs and goals.

If safety and orthodontist supervision is a top priority for you, Candid is a great choice. Their level of remote treatment care is also one of the best as they provide you with a special device to take more detailed photos of your teeth to properly track your progress.

On the other hand, if you’re straightening your teeth on a budget, AlignerCo is the most affordable choice. They’re a good service if you’re looking for cosmetic at-home teeth straightening.

NewSmile is close to AlignerCo in terms of price. But they also include teeth whitening and your first set of retainers in their package. So this is a good choice for those that like these extra perks included at a relatively low cost.

Finally, if you’d prefer a company that’s experienced and trusted, Smile Direct Club could be the best at-home teeth straightening kit for you. We also like that their nighttime aligners are the same price as their daytime ones, which means you can choose the right treatment plan for your lifestyle without paying any more.

Overall, we were impressed with all positive reviews earned by our top 5 at-home teeth straightening brands. So whichever you choose should be able to give you a convenient experience to achieve a better smile!

1. Byte

Save $100 on aligner packages: Byte Aligners

2. Candid Offer

For a limited time, $200 off aligners: Candid

3. AlignerCo Offer

$250 off aligners for a limited time: AlignerCo

4. NewSmile Aligners

From $84 a month: NewSmile

5. Smile Direct Club Offer

$25 impression kit: Smile Direct Club

At-Home Teeth Straightening Kit FAQs

How can I straighten my teeth at home without braces or Invisalign?

Any of the top 5 at-home invisible aligner kits in this article are a great cheaper and convenient alternative to braces or Invisalign.

How can I straighten my teeth without braces?

For mild teeth alignment issues, at-home invisible aligners can be a good alternative to braces. The whole treatment process (from assessment to teeth adjustment) can be done from the comfort of your home at a fraction of the cost of traditional braces.

For more severe teeth straightening needs, we would recommend visiting your orthodontist who can advise on the best treatment option for you.

Which clear aligner is cheapest?

AlignerCo offers the cheapest clear aligner treatment, followed closely by New Smile.

Do aligners weaken teeth?

Invisible aligners can weaken enamel if you do not maintain good oral hygiene practices.

This is because when aligners are covering your teeth most of the time, less oxygen reaches your teeth.

This makes it more vulnerable to the effects of the acid in your food and drinks. This is why it’s important to maintain excellent oral hygiene throughout your treatment.

1. Byte

Save $100 on aligner packages: Byte Aligners

2. Candid Offer

For a limited time, $200 off aligners: Candid

3. AlignerCo Offer

$250 off aligners for a limited time: AlignerCo

4. NewSmile Aligners

From $84 a month: NewSmile

5. Smile Direct Club Offer

$25 impression kit: Smile Direct Club

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