The Truth About Byte vs. SmileDirectClub After the Shutdown
The short answer: Neither company is a safe option anymore. SmileDirectClub shut down in December 2023 after filing for bankruptcy, leaving patients mid-treatment with no support and ongoing billing disputes. Byte, its closest direct-to-consumer competitor, voluntarily suspended all sales and marketing of its aligners in October 2024 after the FDA identified that its patient onboarding process failed to screen out contraindicated cases, and the aligners were officially classified as a Class II recall in December 2024. If you are looking for at-home aligners today, both of these brands are off the table. The real question is what you should do instead—and that answer depends on where you are in your treatment journey.
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What Actually Happened to SmileDirectClub
SmileDirectClub filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2023 and abruptly ceased all global operations on December 8, 2023. The shutdown was sudden and chaotic. Customers who had appointments scheduled days later arrived to find locked doors and empty offices.
The company canceled outstanding orders and announced that its "Lifetime Smile Guarantee"—a core selling point for many customers—would no longer exist. Worse, SmilePay customers were initially told they were still expected to continue making monthly payments despite receiving no further treatment or products.
New York Attorney General Letitia James intervened. Her office recovered $4.8 million to distribute to more than 28,000 consumers who were illegally charged after the company ceased operations. The settlement provides for partial or full refunds of installment payments, or reductions of future payment obligations, with compensation first applied to outstanding account balances.
The records problem: Perhaps the most damaging consequence for patients was the loss of their clinical records. SmileDirectClub did not share x-rays, impressions, diagnoses, or treatment plans with new providers. One customer told The Guardian: "I was supposed to have records of everything: my retainers, 3D scans of my teeth, progress reports. There's nothing. No other doctor is willing to help me without that proof".
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What Happened to Byte
Byte, owned by Dentsply Sirona, was positioned as the leading alternative for consumers who wanted at-home aligners after SmileDirectClub's collapse. That positioning did not last.
On October 24, 2024, Dentsply Sirona announced the voluntary suspension of sales and marketing of Byte aligners and impression kits while conducting a review of regulatory requirements. The company stopped shipping and processing new and recently placed orders. The reason, as later revealed in securities class action filings and FDA communications, was that Byte had been treating patients who should never have received aligners at all—including patients with active periodontal disease, bone loss, and other contraindications that were not being screened out during the onboarding process.
On December 23, 2024, the FDA officially classified Byte aligners as a Class II recall. Hundreds of adverse event reports had accumulated between October 2020 and October 2024, involving loose teeth, gum recession, and other dental injuries. Dentsply took an almost $500 million write-down on Byte's value, and its stock dropped 28% overnight.
Byte is not operating as a direct-to-consumer aligner provider in the US today.
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Byte vs. SmileDirectClub: Side-by-Side Comparison
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The Core Problem: No Clinician, No Safety Net
The failures of both companies share the same root cause: the absence of a licensed clinician examining the patient in person before treatment begins.
Safe orthodontic tooth movement requires what orthodontists call translation—moving the entire tooth, crown and root together, through the alveolar bone. SmileDirectClub's aligners had no attachments or grip points, meaning they could only apply force to the visible crown. The result is tipping: the crown tilts while the root is dragged along without controlled guidance. This uncontrolled tipping underlies the bone loss, gum disease, and tooth mobility documented in class action lawsuits against SDC.
Byte's system was not fundamentally different in this respect. The FDA's suspension was specifically triggered by the discovery that patients with contraindications—conditions that make aligner treatment dangerous—were being cleared for treatment through a self-reporting process.
What at-home systems cannot detect:
Active periodontal disease before force is applied
Root length, root angulation, and bone level (requires x-rays)
Hidden cavities or decay
TMJ disorders
Inadequate bone structure for tooth movement
Without an in-person examination and imaging, these conditions remain invisible until damage occurs.
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What to Do If You Were a SmileDirectClub Patient
If you were mid-treatment when SmileDirectClub closed, your teeth will relapse quickly without an appliance in place. Here is a step-by-step approach recommended by dental professionals:
Step 1 — Use your current tray as a temporary retainer. Do not stop wearing your most recent tray entirely. Switch to nighttime-only wear to slow relapse while you seek professional help. Do not force a newer tray that causes pain.
Step 2 — Schedule an evaluation with a licensed orthodontist. Bring any documentation you have, including emails, payment records, and tray numbers. A board-certified orthodontist can assess your current tooth positions and develop a new treatment plan.
Step 3 — Dispute any remaining SmilePay charges. If you are still being charged for treatment you did not receive, send a written dispute to Healthcare Finance Direct (HFD) citing the Holder Rule, stating that services were not rendered in full. The March 11, 2025 deadline for additional refund requests has passed, but automatic credits may still apply.
Step 4 — Consider your treatment options carefully. Your realistic choices now are:
Clear aligners with an orthodontist (Invisalign, ClearCorrect, etc.) — professional supervision at every visit, custom planning, and someone accountable for the outcome
Lingual braces — completely invisible, fixed, no compliance concerns
Clear ceramic braces — less visible than metal, fixed treatment
Traditional braces — the most predictable option for complex cases
All of these include real examinations, x-rays, custom planning, and a clinician who answers when you call.
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What to Do If You Were a Byte Customer
If you were mid-treatment with Byte when sales were suspended:
Do not expect new aligners or retainers to arrive. Byte stopped shipping new orders in October 2024.
File a complaint with the BBB. The Better Business Bureau has received a pattern of complaints about Byte not refunding customers or completing paid-for treatments.
Request a refund in writing. Multiple customers report that refunds have been "on hold" despite approval.
See an orthodontist for an evaluation. If you have experienced loose teeth, gum recession, or incomplete results, you need a professional assessment before deciding on next steps.
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Alternatives That Are Actually Operating Today
If you are looking for at-home or remote aligner treatment today, here are the options that remain available:
Candid is worth highlighting because it occupies a middle ground: you visit a local dentist for an initial scan, then complete treatment from home with remote monitoring. This provides a level of professional oversight that pure mail-order systems lack.
AlignerCo and SmileSet are the most budget-friendly options, but they are designed for mild cases only. If you have complex alignment issues, they are not appropriate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still get a refund from SmileDirectClub?
The primary refund program through the New York Attorney General's settlement has closed its request window (March 11, 2025). However, automatic credits may have been applied to eligible accounts. If you believe you were wrongly charged and have not received relief, consult a consumer protection attorney.
Is Byte coming back?
There has been no announcement of Byte resuming direct-to-consumer sales in the US. Dentsply Sirona has shifted its business model for the Byte brand, and the FDA recall classification remains in effect.
Are at-home aligners ever safe?
They can be appropriate for very mild cases—minor crowding or spacing—if you have been examined in person by a dentist or orthodontist who has confirmed you have no underlying conditions that would make aligner treatment dangerous. The danger is not the plastic tray itself; it is the absence of diagnosis and supervision.
Will my teeth relapse if I stop wearing my aligners?
Yes. Teeth that have been actively moving will shift back toward their original positions without a retainer. If you have no retainer, your most recent aligner tray can serve as a temporary one while you seek professional care.
How do I find a reputable orthodontist?
Look for a board-certified orthodontist (not a general dentist) with experience treating adult patients. Ask about their experience with clear aligners, their pricing structure, and what happens if treatment does not go as planned. Transparent pricing and no surprise fees are good signs.
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The Bottom Line
The collapse of SmileDirectClub and the suspension of Byte are not isolated business failures. They are the predictable outcome of a model that removed the clinician from orthodontic care and replaced them with an algorithm, a photo, and a mailbox.
The apparent savings of direct-to-consumer aligners—$1,500 to $2,500 versus $3,500 to $8,000 for in-office treatment—can evaporate quickly when you factor in retreatments, corrective work for damage caused by unsupervised movement, and the loss of time. More importantly, some of the damage documented in these cases is not fully reversible.
If you are considering aligner treatment today, the safest path is an in-person evaluation with a licensed orthodontist. Clear aligners delivered under professional supervision can achieve excellent results. The same aligners shipped to your door without a diagnosis are a gamble with your teeth.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYygTr9itAA9aye5Q4D5doaGQMFDxbs7azbWareoCupgWehx9WHMuD9qzSoLz6yG82uX2eRkDEktgyIki8WJt_eX3E-13IJvv0BsPg8Gm927c2JGRiW-1oNUZxOu2YVrgQ8BftaIuEtnfv1qeEeDUsSFIuvionGUKJg9nZ1Yemlpps118Wd_Pfny4fg/s1600/Comparing_Byte_and_SmileDirectCl%E2%80%A6_20260913120504.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" loading="lazy" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYygTr9itAA9aye5Q4D5doaGQMFDxbs7azbWareoCupgWehx9WHMuD9qzSoLz6yG82uX2eRkDEktgyIki8WJt_eX3E-13IJvv0BsPg8Gm927c2JGRiW-1oNUZxOu2YVrgQ8BftaIuEtnfv1qeEeDUsSFIuvionGUKJg9nZ1Yemlpps118Wd_Pfny4fg/s1600-rw/Comparing_Byte_and_SmileDirectCl%E2%80%A6_20260913120504.jpeg"/></a></div>
<p> </p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">The short answer:</span><span class="" style="font-size: 16px;"> Neither company is a safe option anymore. SmileDirectClub shut down in December 2023 after filing for bankruptcy, leaving patients mid-treatment with no support and ongoing billing disputes</span><span class="" style="font-size: 16px;">. Byte, its closest direct-to-consumer competitor, voluntarily suspended all sales and marketing of its aligners in October 2024 after the FDA identified that its patient onboarding process failed to screen out contraindicated cases, and the aligners were officially classified as a Class II recall in December 2024</span><a href="https://blog.monorthodontiste.org/at-home-aligners-why-the-fda-stopped-byte-and-what-it-means-for-your-smile/#/portal/#/portal/#/portal/#/portal/signin" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; font-size: 16px; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="" style="font-size: 16px;">. If you are looking for at-home aligners today, both of these brands are off the table. The real question is what you should do instead—and that answer depends on where you are in your treatment journey.</span></h2><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 32px 0px 16px;"><span class="">What Actually Happened to SmileDirectClub</span></h2><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">SmileDirectClub filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2023 and abruptly ceased all global operations on December 8, 2023</span><span class="">. The shutdown was sudden and chaotic. Customers who had appointments scheduled days later arrived to find locked doors and empty offices</span><a href="https://amp.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/dec/13/smiledirectclub-bankrupt-customers#1" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">The company canceled outstanding orders and announced that its "Lifetime Smile Guarantee"—a core selling point for many customers—would no longer exist</span><a href="https://apnews.com/article/smile-direct-aligner-refund-payments-70fd9a74671d6beb2cf4b274e7a1e45f#1" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">. Worse, SmilePay customers were initially told they were still expected to continue making monthly payments despite receiving no further treatment or products</span><a href="https://amp.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/dec/13/smiledirectclub-bankrupt-customers#1" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">New York Attorney General Letitia James intervened. Her office recovered $4.8 million to distribute to more than 28,000 consumers who were illegally charged after the company ceased operations</span><a href="https://apnews.com/article/smile-direct-aligner-refund-payments-70fd9a74671d6beb2cf4b274e7a1e45f#1" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">. The settlement provides for partial or full refunds of installment payments, or reductions of future payment obligations, with compensation first applied to outstanding account balances</span><a href="https://apnews.com/article/smile-direct-aligner-refund-payments-70fd9a74671d6beb2cf4b274e7a1e45f#1" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">The records problem:</span><span class=""> Perhaps the most damaging consequence for patients was the loss of their clinical records. SmileDirectClub did not share x-rays, impressions, diagnoses, or treatment plans with new providers</span><span class="">. One customer told The Guardian: "I was supposed to have records of everything: my retainers, 3D scans of my teeth, progress reports. There's nothing. No other doctor is willing to help me without that proof"</span><a href="https://amp.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/dec/13/smiledirectclub-bankrupt-customers#1" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 32px 0px 16px;"><span class="">What Happened to Byte</span></h2><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">Byte, owned by Dentsply Sirona, was positioned as the leading alternative for consumers who wanted at-home aligners after SmileDirectClub's collapse. That positioning did not last.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">On October 24, 2024, Dentsply Sirona announced the voluntary suspension of sales and marketing of Byte aligners and impression kits while conducting a review of regulatory requirements</span><span class="">. The company stopped shipping and processing new and recently placed orders</span><span class="">. The reason, as later revealed in securities class action filings and FDA communications, was that Byte had been treating patients who should never have received aligners at all—including patients with active periodontal disease, bone loss, and other contraindications that were not being screened out during the onboarding process</span><a href="https://zlk.com/news/investors-feel-the-byte-when-dentsply-reveals-injuries-associated-with-dental-aligners" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">On December 23, 2024, the FDA officially classified Byte aligners as a </span><span style="font-weight: 600;">Class II recall</span><span class="">. Hundreds of adverse event reports had accumulated between October 2020 and October 2024, involving loose teeth, gum recession, and other dental injuries</span><span class="">. Dentsply took an almost $500 million write-down on Byte's value, and its stock dropped 28% overnight</span><a href="https://zlk.com/news/investors-feel-the-byte-when-dentsply-reveals-injuries-associated-with-dental-aligners" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">Byte is not operating as a direct-to-consumer aligner provider in the US today.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 32px 0px 16px;"><span class="">Byte vs. SmileDirectClub: Side-by-Side Comparison</span></h2><div class="ds-scroll-area ds-scroll-area--show-on-focus-within ds-scroll-area--enabled _1210dd7 c03cafe9" style="--container-height: 560px; --dsl-scroll-area-gutters-disappear-delay: 1s; background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; overflow: auto; position: relative; scrollbar-width: none; z-index: 0;"><div class="ds-scroll-area__gutters" style="--container-height: 560px; --dsl-scroll-area-scrollbar-bg: #e5e5e5; --dsl-scroll-area-scrollbar-hover: #d4d4d4; height: 0px; left: 0px; opacity: 1 !important; pointer-events: none; position: sticky; right: 0px; top: 0px; transition: opacity 0.1s ease-out 1s; width: 752px; z-index: 1000;"><div class="ds-scroll-area__horizontal-gutter" style="height: 8px; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 546px;"></div><div class="ds-scroll-area__vertical-gutter" style="bottom: -557px; position: absolute; right: 3px; top: 3px; width: 8px;"></div></div><table style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: unset; width: 752px;"><thead><tr><th style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12); border-top-color: currentcolor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font: 500 15px / 25px quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="">Feature</span></th><th style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12); border-top-color: currentcolor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font: 500 15px / 25px quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="">SmileDirectClub</span></th><th style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12); border-top-color: currentcolor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font: 500 15px / 25px quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="">Byte</span></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Status</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">Shut down Dec 2023</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Sales suspended Oct 2024; Class II recall</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Cost (when operating)</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">$1,850–$2,040</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">$1,895–$2,495</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Treatment time</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">4–10 months</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">3–6 months</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Key technology</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">Custom clear aligners</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Clear aligners + HyperByte vibration device</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Impressions</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">At-home or in-store</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">At-home only</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Professional oversight</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">Remote "licensed doctors"</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Remote dental team</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Records transferred to patients?</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">No</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Under investigation</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Refund process</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">$4.8M settlement; deadline passed March 11, 2025</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Refunds "on hold" per customer reports</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">FDA action</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">ADA petition; bankruptcy</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Class II recall Dec 2024</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 32px 0px 16px;"><span class="">The Core Problem: No Clinician, No Safety Net</span></h2><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">The failures of both companies share the same root cause: the absence of a licensed clinician examining the patient in person before treatment begins.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">Safe orthodontic tooth movement requires what orthodontists call </span><span style="font-weight: 600;">translation</span><span class="">—moving the entire tooth, crown and root together, through the alveolar bone</span><a href="https://www.nudentistry.com/dentistry-blog/compare-smiledirectclub-to-invisalign-in-houston-tx/?popup-loged=submit-review-popup" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">. SmileDirectClub's aligners had no attachments or grip points, meaning they could only apply force to the visible crown. The result is </span><span style="font-weight: 600;">tipping</span><span class="">: the crown tilts while the root is dragged along without controlled guidance. This uncontrolled tipping underlies the bone loss, gum disease, and tooth mobility documented in class action lawsuits against SDC</span><a href="https://www.nudentistry.com/dentistry-blog/compare-smiledirectclub-to-invisalign-in-houston-tx/?popup-loged=submit-review-popup" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">Byte's system was not fundamentally different in this respect. The FDA's suspension was specifically triggered by the discovery that patients with contraindications—conditions that make aligner treatment dangerous—were being cleared for treatment through a self-reporting process</span><a href="https://blog.monorthodontiste.org/at-home-aligners-why-the-fda-stopped-byte-and-what-it-means-for-your-smile/#/portal/#/portal/#/portal/#/portal/signin" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">What at-home systems cannot detect:</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px; padding-left: 18px;"><li><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span class="">Active periodontal disease before force is applied</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span class="">Root length, root angulation, and bone level (requires x-rays)</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span class="">Hidden cavities or decay</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span class="">TMJ disorders</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span class="">Inadequate bone structure for tooth movement</span></p></li></ul><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">Without an in-person examination and imaging, these conditions remain invisible until damage occurs</span><a href="https://blog.monorthodontiste.org/at-home-aligners-why-the-fda-stopped-byte-and-what-it-means-for-your-smile/#/portal/#/portal/#/portal/#/portal/signin" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 32px 0px 16px;"><span class="">What to Do If You Were a SmileDirectClub Patient</span></h2><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">If you were mid-treatment when SmileDirectClub closed, your teeth will relapse quickly without an appliance in place. Here is a step-by-step approach recommended by dental professionals:</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Step 1 — Use your current tray as a temporary retainer.</span><span class=""> Do not stop wearing your most recent tray entirely. Switch to nighttime-only wear to slow relapse while you seek professional help. Do not force a newer tray that causes pain</span><a href="https://www.nudentistry.com/dentistry-blog/compare-smiledirectclub-to-invisalign-in-houston-tx/?popup-loged=submit-review-popup" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Step 2 — Schedule an evaluation with a licensed orthodontist.</span><span class=""> Bring any documentation you have, including emails, payment records, and tray numbers. A board-certified orthodontist can assess your current tooth positions and develop a new treatment plan</span><a href="https://www.bloomorthodontics.com/learn/smiledirecclub-closed" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Step 3 — Dispute any remaining SmilePay charges.</span><span class=""> If you are still being charged for treatment you did not receive, send a written dispute to Healthcare Finance Direct (HFD) citing the Holder Rule, stating that services were not rendered in full</span><span class="">. The March 11, 2025 deadline for additional refund requests has passed, but automatic credits may still apply</span><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Step 4 — Consider your treatment options carefully.</span><span class=""> Your realistic choices now are:</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px; padding-left: 18px;"><li><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Clear aligners with an orthodontist</span><span class=""> (Invisalign, ClearCorrect, etc.) — professional supervision at every visit, custom planning, and someone accountable for the outcome</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Lingual braces</span><span class=""> — completely invisible, fixed, no compliance concerns</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Clear ceramic braces</span><span class=""> — less visible than metal, fixed treatment</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Traditional braces</span><span class=""> — the most predictable option for complex cases</span></p></li></ul><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">All of these include real examinations, x-rays, custom planning, and a clinician who answers when you call</span><a href="https://www.bloomorthodontics.com/learn/smiledirecclub-closed" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 32px 0px 16px;"><span class="">What to Do If You Were a Byte Customer</span></h2><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">If you were mid-treatment with Byte when sales were suspended:</span></p><ol start="1" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px; padding-left: 18px;"><li><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Do not expect new aligners or retainers to arrive.</span><span class=""> Byte stopped shipping new orders in October 2024</span><span class="">.</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">File a complaint with the BBB.</span><span class=""> The Better Business Bureau has received a pattern of complaints about Byte not refunding customers or completing paid-for treatments</span><span class="">.</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Request a refund in writing.</span><span class=""> Multiple customers report that refunds have been "on hold" despite approval</span><span class="">.</span></p></li><li style="margin-top: 6px;"><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">See an orthodontist for an evaluation.</span><span class=""> If you have experienced loose teeth, gum recession, or incomplete results, you need a professional assessment before deciding on next steps.</span></p></li></ol><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 32px 0px 16px;"><span class="">Alternatives That Are Actually Operating Today</span></h2><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">If you are looking for at-home or remote aligner treatment today, here are the options that remain available:</span></p><div class="ds-scroll-area ds-scroll-area--show-on-focus-within ds-scroll-area--enabled _1210dd7 c03cafe9" style="--container-height: 276px; --dsl-scroll-area-gutters-disappear-delay: 1s; --padding-left: calc(( 1105px - (840px - 2 * 44px) ) / 2 + (840px - 2 * 44px - 100%)); --padding-right: 54px; background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: calc(100% - 928.5px); overflow: auto; padding-left: calc(-100% + 928.5px); padding-right: 54px; position: relative; scrollbar-width: none; width: calc(100% + 122.5px); z-index: 0;"><div class="ds-scroll-area__gutters" style="--container-height: 276px; --dsl-scroll-area-scrollbar-bg: #e5e5e5; --dsl-scroll-area-scrollbar-hover: #d4d4d4; height: 0px; left: 0px; opacity: 1 !important; pointer-events: none; position: sticky; right: 0px; top: 0px; transition: opacity 0.1s ease-out 1s; width: 874.5px; z-index: 1000;"><div class="ds-scroll-area__horizontal-gutter" style="height: 8px; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 262px;"></div><div class="ds-scroll-area__vertical-gutter" style="bottom: -273px; position: absolute; right: 3px; top: 3px; width: 8px;"></div></div><table style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: max-content; width: max-content;"><thead><tr><th style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12); border-top-color: currentcolor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font: 500 15px / 25px quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="">Option</span></th><th style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12); border-top-color: currentcolor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font: 500 15px / 25px quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="">Model</span></th><th style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12); border-top-color: currentcolor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font: 500 15px / 25px quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="">Cost Range</span></th><th style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12); border-top-color: currentcolor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font: 500 15px / 25px quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="">Oversight</span></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Invisalign</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">In-office</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">$3,500–$8,000</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Orthodontist-directed</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">ClearCorrect</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">In-office</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">$2,500–$5,000</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Dentist/orthodontist</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Candid</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">Hybrid (in-office scan + remote)</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">$1,900–$2,400</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Licensed dentist reviews scans</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">AlignerCo</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">Fully remote</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">Starting ~$1,145</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Remote, no in-person visits</span></td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px 10px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">SmileSet</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">Fully remote</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 16px;"><span class="">Comparable to Byte</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 25px; max-width: min(30vw, 320px); min-width: 100px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 16px;"><span class="">Remote, impression kit</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Candid</span><span class=""> is worth highlighting because it occupies a middle ground: you visit a local dentist for an initial scan, then complete treatment from home with remote monitoring. This provides a level of professional oversight that pure mail-order systems lack</span><a href="https://smilepointdental.ca/invisalign-alternatives-comparison/" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">AlignerCo</span><span class=""> and </span><span style="font-weight: 600;">SmileSet</span><span class=""> are the most budget-friendly options, but they are designed for mild cases only. If you have complex alignment issues, they are not appropriate</span><a href="https://smilepointdental.ca/invisalign-alternatives-comparison/" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 32px 0px 16px;"><span class="">Frequently Asked Questions</span></h2><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Can I still get a refund from SmileDirectClub?</span><span class=""></span><br /><span class="">The primary refund program through the New York Attorney General's settlement has closed its request window (March 11, 2025). However, automatic credits may have been applied to eligible accounts. If you believe you were wrongly charged and have not received relief, consult a consumer protection attorney</span><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Is Byte coming back?</span><span class=""></span><br /><span class="">There has been no announcement of Byte resuming direct-to-consumer sales in the US. Dentsply Sirona has shifted its business model for the Byte brand, and the FDA recall classification remains in effect</span><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Are at-home aligners ever safe?</span><span class=""></span><br /><span class="">They can be appropriate for very mild cases—minor crowding or spacing—</span><span style="font-weight: 600;">if</span><span class=""> you have been examined in person by a dentist or orthodontist who has confirmed you have no underlying conditions that would make aligner treatment dangerous</span><a href="https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/home-teeth-straightening" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">. The danger is not the plastic tray itself; it is the absence of diagnosis and supervision.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Will my teeth relapse if I stop wearing my aligners?</span><span class=""></span><br /><span class="">Yes. Teeth that have been actively moving will shift back toward their original positions without a retainer. If you have no retainer, your most recent aligner tray can serve as a temporary one while you seek professional care</span><a href="https://www.nudentistry.com/dentistry-blog/compare-smiledirectclub-to-invisalign-in-houston-tx/?popup-loged=submit-review-popup" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">How do I find a reputable orthodontist?</span><span class=""></span><br /><span class="">Look for a board-certified orthodontist (not a general dentist) with experience treating adult patients. Ask about their experience with clear aligners, their pricing structure, and what happens if treatment does not go as planned. Transparent pricing and no surprise fees are good signs</span><a href="https://www.bloomorthodontics.com/learn/smiledirecclub-closed" rel="noreferrer" style="border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 3px; color: #3964fe; cursor: default; margin-left: -3px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: box-shadow 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);" target="_blank"></a><span class="">.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 32px 0px 16px;"><span class="">The Bottom Line</span></h2><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">The collapse of SmileDirectClub and the suspension of Byte are not isolated business failures. They are the predictable outcome of a model that removed the clinician from orthodontic care and replaced them with an algorithm, a photo, and a mailbox.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">The apparent savings of direct-to-consumer aligners—$1,500 to $2,500 versus $3,500 to $8,000 for in-office treatment—can evaporate quickly when you factor in retreatments, corrective work for damage caused by unsupervised movement, and the loss of time. More importantly, some of the damage documented in these cases is not fully reversible.</span></p><p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 16px 0px;"><span class="">If you are considering aligner treatment today, the safest path is an in-person evaluation with a licensed orthodontist. Clear aligners delivered under professional supervision can achieve excellent results. The same aligners shipped to your door without a diagnosis are a gamble with your teeth.</span></p><div><span class=""><br /></span></div>
