How Byte Compares to Smile Direct Club.

Dental professionals won't know how to fix your teeth until they assess your smile. Both Byte and SmileDirectClub can connect you to a dental professional who can help you straighten your smile. But your route to a perfect smile is a little different with each option.

Choose SmileDirectClub, and you will start your path to smile perfection in one of two ways.

• In person: Head to a SmileShop, and a technician will take 3D images of your teeth. The appointment takes about 30 minutes. Locations can be limited depending on where you live, so do your research first.
• Remote: Purchase an impression kit, and take molds of your teeth at home.

Choose Byte, and you'll do all the work remotely. The Byte team will send an impression kit, and you'll push your teeth into trays filled with putty. Send those trays back to Byte, and you'll receive a treatment plan in return for your review.

If you're concerned about tackling impression kits at home, both Byte and SmileDirectClub offer support. You can call or chat with an expert about your teeth, and you can get help with steps that seem unusual or confusing.

If you want to do the assessment in person, SmileDirectClub will be the better choice. With either Byte or SmileDirectClub, you will have a skilled technician handling this important part of your treatment plan.

For many people, this in-person step isn’t necessary. The process of doing your own molds at home is straightforward and easy.

Professional Supervision: What Differences Can You Expect?

Both Byte and SmileDirectClub tap into the power of telemedicine to brighten your smile. You might never need to walk into an office and meet your oral health professional in person to discuss your aligners, but you'll have a skilled professional helping you each step of the way. 

SmileDirectClub relies on a network of 225 dentists and orthodontists. You'll work with someone licensed to do business in the state where you live. Every 90 days, you'll check in with that dentist when you log into your account. You can also talk with your dental team directly through the website.

Similarly, Byte has a nationwide network of over 200 licensed dentists and orthodontists. You'll be matched with a dental professional licensed in your state. 

Your clinical support team is there to help oversee every step of your smile improvement program. Log into the Byte portal, and you'll see a 3D model of how your teeth will move. You can reach out to your team at any time by logging on.

Timeframe: Which is Quicker?

In general, an aligner system will be much faster than braces. These plastic plates may look tiny. They may even look a little bit delicate at first glance. But they have a lot of power to move your teeth from the roots up, and they work quickly.

Both SmileDirectClub and Byte offer innovations that could make your path to a better smile shorter.

Both companies offer chewies that are a little like gum. You pop them in your mouth while wearing your aligners and knead them between your teeth for a few minutes. They're made to seat your aligners on your teeth. That close connection should, in theory, make the aligners work a little quicker.

Byte aligners also come with an innovative tool called HyperByte®. Here's how to use it:

• Put your aligners on. The device works best when your teeth and trays are connected.
• Hold the handle. Grasp the handle with your hand and place the biteplate in your mouth.
• Turn on the device. A timer will start, and you'll feel the vibrations begin.
• Wait for five minutes. Don't remove the device until you're notified that the work is finished.

Gentle vibrations like this may help lessen discomfort and speed up treatment times. Currently, this technology is only available with Byte aligners. If a quick route to a better smile is critical for you, Byte is a great choice.*

Savings: Which Is Less Expensive?

Byte and SmileDirectClub have almost identical pricing plans. Choose either and expect to pay about $2,000 for a better smile. Both also offer monthly installment payment plans. But there are subtle differences in how the pricing works, and that could lead to cost savings.

At Byte, we offer a variety of cost-savings initiatives, including these:

• Military discounts.
• Student discounts.
• First responder discounts.
• Promotional offers.
• No fees for early payments.

Smile Direct Club also offers a handful of discounts including Military, Teachers, Student, and Bring-a-Friend offers.

Byte also offers a lifetime guarantee. If your teeth ever move out of alignment, and you can prove that you followed your treatment plan carefully, you can qualify for a new plan and new trays at no cost.

Similarly, Smile Direct Club offers the 'Lifetime Smile Guarantee' . This program offers touch-ups for those who follow their treatment plan and qualify.

Making Your Decision

Byte and SmileDirectClub occupy similar places in the aligner market, but there are some differences. Do your research and determine which is the best fit for you. Then, you can get on the path to enjoying your new smile.

* Preliminary clinical studies of small groups of users have shown that daily recommended use of a high-frequency seating device functionally equivalent to HyperByte with clear aligners may help with comfort and speed of tooth movement.

References

Frequently Asked Questions. SmileDirectClub. 

Meet the Dentists and Orthodontists Behind Your New Smile. SmileDirectClub. 

Frequently Asked Questions. Byte. 

The Effects of Brief Daily Vibration on Clear Aligner Orthodontic Treatment. (December 2018). Journal of the World Federation of Orthodontists.