Why I Chose Byte Clear Aligners

If you’re like me, you’re counting down to the day where you can officially unmask and emerge back into a safe, Covid-free world.

But that’s just the thing: I’ve never been big on smiling  — not with my teeth, at least. I’ve long since mastered the close-mouthed grin, or ‘smize,’ if you will. But all that time, I’ve been equally jealous of those able to break into a full-faced smile, bearing their teeth with pride for the world to see. 

It’s not like I’m missing teeth, or have any oblong canines that make me look like a full-time vampire cosplayer. It’s a couple crooked teeth at the top, and some general crowding on the lower half. Something that most people wouldn’t bat an eye about (okay... vampire pun intended). 

Certainly, my mindset is more dramatic than any dental correction I’ll need, but I firmly believe a beaming smile is one of the most beautiful indicators of confidence.

The mask mandate gives me a rare opportunity to begin straightening my teeth discreetly. While most daytime clear retainers can be worn to be virtually unnoticeable, I want to take advantage of the ability to keep my mouth covered while I work on a smile worth smiling about. 

So I braced myself, and took the first step toward straighter teeth. 

Finding the Right Clear Aligner

Finding a clear aligner is far from a one-size-fits-all remedy. There are many solutions and price points available, so I set out to find the best value (weighing the method and duration of treatment against the total cost) that fit my goals and budget. 

After some preliminary research, I found four services, Candid, Byte, AlignerCo and Smile Direct Club, that seemed to offer the initial best values and all addressed mild to moderate corrections. I dug further into their services, comparing these key factors: 

• Correction Timeline 

• Price

• Product Quality 

• Customer Service Quality

• User Ratings 

I assigned each of these a score out of five points, for a maximum possible total of 25 points. As a disclaimer, I have no medical affiliations or experience, so my analysis and perspective is that of a general consumer.

Candid

Total Score: 20.5/25

Getting Candid About Candid Aligners: Candid prides themselves on working exclusively with orthodontists who each specialize in the prevention and correction of irregular alignments. While some brands send you gradual treatments, Candid simplifies the process by sending you all your aligners in one package. If you like a side of charity with your correction, you can smile easy: Candid donates $25 to Smile Train, a charity that provides safe and free cleft palate treatments to children around the world with each purchase. 

Correction Timeline (4/5)

Candid claims that most corrections can be achieved in less than a year in most cases. However, their aligners must be worn for 22 hours a day.  

Price (4/5) 

With a total estimated average cost of $2,400 (or $99/month), Candid is the most expensive choice on the list. However, the starter kit costs less than $100, which makes getting started accessible to all. They do make a case for offering a better value, especially if you’re into 3D printed aligners. So fancy!

Product Quality (4/5) 

As is to be expected, Candid aligners can be uncomfortable at first but become more natural over time. Candid’s aligners are slightly “frosted” to better match a natural tooth surface.They are made of premium thermoplastic, free of BPAs and phthalate (read: comfortable, durable, and stain-resistant). 

Customer Service Quality (4/5)

If you live in one of the 10 cities that Candid services, you can access in-person care. Making at-home dental impressions can be complicated, so I’d raise their score as they expand their in-person services or offer a simplified at-home solution. However, if you’re lucky enough to live near an office, you’ll be treated to a service that looks more like a spa than a doctor's office.

*sips lemon water*

Candid offers remote check-ins every 10 days and sends texts and email reminders when it’s time to move on to your next aligner, which helps you stay on track. They deliver on quality service with free priority shipping. 

User Ratings (4.5/5)

With over 3,000 reviews and average rating of 4.8, according to their website, Candid seems overall beloved by users. 

Getting started: Their quick 30-second quiz will let you know if you’re a candid-ate (see what I did there?) for their treatment. Once you’ve taken the survey, you’ll be instructed to book a free scan in your city, or to order a kit to get started from home. 

Byte

Total Score: 23/25

Taking a Byte out of Byte Aligners: As a relatively newer company, Byte has set out to make a name as a fast, affordable option for mild to moderate spacing and crowding. Their ‘Smile Science’ software considers your facial structure as a whole while developing a treatment plan, so that your ultimate smile fits your face. As an added bonus, they include their HyperByte straightening expediter, BrightByte whitening treatment, post-treatment retainers and a lifetime guarantee if your smile shifts again.

Correction Timeline (5/5)

Byte claims they offer the fastest treatment available, with plans as short as three months. They can be worn for only ten hours (so, overnight). Their biggest differentiator is their proprietary HyperByte® aligner seating technology, which is claimed to cut your straightening time in half when worn for five minutes per day. This is done through High Frequency Vibrations, which very unfortunately, isn’t the name of new music from Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.

Price (5/5) 

Any dental work will cost a pretty penny, but Byte lands on the lower end of the price spectrum with a treatment cost of $1,895, or $83/month. While I’m a firm believer that this is an investment into both your appearance and health, it’s important to make sure that shifting your smile doesn’t break the bank. Plus, they accept HS, FSA and CareCredit, and you may be eligible for insurance reimbursement. Get started with their $95 mailed impression kit, which includes an orthodontist review and custom treatment plan. 

Product Quality (4/5) 

Compared to Candid’s “frosted” aligners that are easier to miss at first glance, Byte opts for a smooth plastic that makes teeth appear unnaturally shiny (unless you’re into that sort of thing). 

Customer Service Quality (4/5)

Byte’s Expert Dental Network has over 200 licensed doctors, dentists, and orthodontists who partner to oversee your entire treatment. Plus, they were practicing teledentistry before it was mainstream. Currently, there are no in-person visit options.

User Ratings (5/5)

With more than 3,000 ratings averaging 4.8 stars, I’ll round up due to their endless pages of personal testimonials. It really seems to be a smile people can’t stop talking about. 

Getting started: Apparently 30-second quizzes are all the rage. Answer basic questions about your dental history and goals, and they’ll email you about getting started if you’re a good fit. 

AlignerCo

Total Score: 20/25

Aligning my Needs with AlignerCo: If you’re looking for inexpensive, choose AlignerCo. They have a high-quality product for the lowest cost on this list. Once you’ve sent your at-home impression kit in, you’ll receive a customized treatment plan from a specialist that includes your before-and-after appearance. How they obtained a future photo of you isn’t listed on their site. 

Correction Timeline (4/5).

While they do not give an exact treatment window on their website, it seems as though most are between 6-12 months, which is on par with their competitors. 

Price (4/5)

AlignerCo is the least expensive option, with plans starting at $95/month, or a one-time payment of $1,145. Their $39.99 at-home impression kit is also the least expensive. Their website was the least comprehensive, so it was harder to understand what differentiates them beyond a lower price point.

Product Quality (5/5) 

AlignerCo’s clear differentiator (aligner pun quite intended) is that they are scalloped (like potatoes!) to match the shape of your gum lines. Their product is produced in partnership with the widely-respected dental supplies manufacturer Essix, which gives a valuable stamp of quality. They also have a compelling before-and-after gallery. 

Customer Service Quality (3/5)

While I appreciate an in-person option, AlignerCo only has one location out on Long Island, New York. Unless I’m headed out to the Hamptons and want to extend my travel by a few hours, this is fairly inconvenient. However, they do offer a mail-in impression kit, as well as a support team you can call. 

*sips Long Island Iced Tea in their honor* 

User Ratings (4/5)

I find it interesting (read: suspicious) that this is the third I’ve found with a 4.8 rating. What gives? Regardless, they have less than 500 reviews, which is far fewer than their competitors. 

Getting Started: Finding out if you’re a candidate for AlignerCo begins with… a 30 second quiz! Once you’ve pulled yourself off the floor from shock, you can get started here. 

Smile Direct Club

Total Score: 22.5/25

Getting Direct About Smile Direct Club: The thing I might like most about Smile Direct Club is their brand recognition. Be it the longest time on the market, or just aggressive marketing, but Smile Direct Club was the most familiar name when I began this journey. They’ve corrected more than one million smiles, which gives me hope that they really know what they're doing. 

Correction Timeline (5/5)

They say you will begin seeing results in as few as 60 days, and you can have a new smile in less than four months — a timeline I can get behind. You can choose between 10-hour nighttime aligners or 22-hour aligners. Why anyone would opt for the longer wear is still beyond me.

Price (3.5/5)

SmileDirectClub costs $1950, or $89/month for 24 months with $240 down. The at-home kit is $59, or you can visit one of their Smile Shops for a free scan. Post-correction retainers cost $99, which they recommend replacing every six months.

Product Quality (4/5) 

The “slightly-matted” plastic mimics the appearance of a natural smile. The only caveat behind their product is that they stopped working with their manufacturer, Align Technology, in 2019, so their quality may be subject to change. 

Customer Service Quality (5/5)

With over 100 US-based locations, I give SDC major points for being the most physically accessible on the list. Call me old fashioned, but a face-to-face option goes a long way for me. If you’re more into telehealth, their dental care team is available 24/7 via phone, text, video chat, or email.

User Ratings (5/5)

SDC broke the mold with a 4.9 average rating. What really makes me smile is that they have nearly 50,000 glowing reviews. Granted, after one million treatments — shouldn’t they?

Getting Started: If I had a dollar for every 30 second quiz I took in this process, I’d be four dollars closer to paying for my aligner treatment. Although I must say, Smile Direct Club’s quiz took me less than 20 seconds to complete. Granted, I’m getting pretty good at these. 

Going for the Quick Byte 

With the highest score of 23/25, I’m drawn to Byte’s quick timeline, high-quality product and treatment-boosting technology. They are relatively affordable, and commit to fixing your entire smile with whitening treatments and innovative accelerating technology —  so I bit on Byte.

While all these aligners are less expensive than traditional braces, I firmly believe you get what you pay for — which made me weary of  AlignerCo’s seemingly too-good-to-be-true pricing. 

Furthermore, Byte promises a finish in less than half of the time, and half the daily hours, compared to Candid. 

Byte and Smile Direct Club both offered in-network health insurance options and night-time only retainers. However, Byte offered unparalleled ‘add-ons’ that expedited their service, specifically the HyperByte, which reduces treatment time and alleviates some pain, put them ahead for me.

What put me over the edge in my decision was their lifetime commitment to fixing my smile if my teeth shift. Forgetting to wear my retainer seems like something I’ll occasionally do, so I’ll sleep better (after forgetting to put it in), knowing that they’ll have my back for life.