Invisalign vs. Smile Direct Club Is There a Winner?

Are you struggling with tooth alignment issues and don’t want to go through the awkward and uncomfortable braces phase?

Then you’re probably looking into clear aligner therapy. But with so many options, it can be difficult to understand which of these brands would work best for you.

In this short article, you can discover the key differences between two of the most popular types of clear aligners: Invisalign and Smile Direct Club.

Four Main Differences Between Invisalign and Smile Direct Club 

Both Smile Direct Club (SDC) and Invisalign use the same principle to realign your teeth. They consist of several clear aligners that map out the movement of your teeth to correct misalignment or improper bites.

The aligners put pressure on your teeth to slowly move them. Apart from this, there are four major differences to consider: 

1. Dental scan 

Invisalign requires you to make multiple visits to your dentist in order to scan your teeth and get your new trays when they are ready.

By comparison, most of your Smile Direct Club treatment is done at home. Patients may visit their office for an in-person scan, but they also have the option of ordering an at-home kit.

2. Treatment supervision

Since SDC is designed for remote treatment, your progress is not as closely monitored when compared to Invisalign.

With the latter, you will need to visit your dentist once every two weeks or so to get your new trays and to verify if your teeth are responding to the aligners properly.

With SDC, supervision is done remotely. Patients can connect with an SDC-approved dentist or orthodontist but will not need to make any in-person visits.

3. Cost

SDC is generally cheaper than Invisalign since it doesn’t require subsequent dental appointments. You only pay for the trays and the remote supervision sessions. 

However, it’s important to note that the cost will also depend on the severity of your misalignment issues and the number of trays needed to correct them.

4. Efficacy 

Put next to each other, Invisalign is more effective than SDC, especially when it comes to correcting more difficult cases of misalignment or bite issues. 

SDC may be effective in correcting minor tooth placement issues and some mild cases of dental bite problems.

Invisalign can address more complex cases, especially through the use of attachments, which are small buttons that get bonded to the tooth. The attachments help the trays apply more pressure to the teeth and even perform more complex realignments, such as rotating a tooth. 

Which One Is Right for You? 

Smile Direct Club may promise convenience, but Invisalign may be the better option simply because the process is closely monitored by an expert like Fort Mill dentist Leah R. Luck, DDS.

If you want to learn if Invisalign is the right solution for you, you can request a visit to Luck Family Dental online.

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