Every major industry faces disruption from time to time and the Dental industry is certainly no exception. Yes the pandemic helped speed up a new trend in this market, yet it was nevertheless ripe for innovation, which we will evaluate below:

The high cost of traditional orthodontics was incurred due to the office visits that such treatment requires, and the amount of professional time it would consequently consume. Despite the various quality of life advantages of Invisalign, it was unable to not pass on these costs to patients in its price, and thus remained similarly expensive to braces.

Invisalign has been extremely successful, and according to research, proven to have left patients extremely satisfied with their results. Despite its comparative success to classic braces, Invisalign remains largely inaccessible to the majority due to its price, which has given rise to many legitimate ‘at-home’ alternatives. Occurring as a growth in popularity of these “at-home” companies during the COVID pandemic and breakthroughs in dental science (such as the use of AI ), these solutions now represent the future for anyone interested in improving their smile.

The Value Proposition of Invisalign:

Cost Breakdown

Unlike its alternatives, Invisalign is an in-person treatment. A custom treatment plan is devised from a 3D scan of a patient’s teeth at their first visit to an Invisalign provider. Follow-up visits with this professional occur every six to eight weeks in order to track progress and make the necessary adjustments to new aligners. This in-person element of this treatment is helpful for people with more complicated dental needs, and raises the cost.

It naturally follows on from this that the more severe a person’s dental condition is, the greater the likelihood they will have a higher bill at the end of the treatment. This is because more difficult conditions require the use of more office visits, facilities and resources to resolve; a small issue only needing a few sets of aligners will of course be cheaper than another which needs multiple office returns and many sets.

Invisalign assigns their dentists points for performing successful treatments; as they complete more they advance into higher provider tiers.

Those dentists at the highest tier can charge more for their services as they are accredited as being highly experienced providers. However, since such dentists are granted significant discounts on Invisalign lab fees (some up to 40% or more), it is not uncommon for them to pass on these savings to their patients in the form of reduced costs, so experience can go either way.

Value Assessment

Ultimately, Invisalign’s value will be unique to each potential patient. For those with severe cases that require significant treatment it can be an excellent option: it represents a more convenient and quicker form of traditional orthodontics that can correct issues too severe for ‘at-home’ Invisalign alternatives, which are better suited for mild to moderate cases instead.

In addition to this, many opt for Invisalign over at-home providers because they find it reassuring to have regular, face-to-face office visits with their dental provider - though if this is the primary reason, it might be worthwhile considering the alternatives below. Breakthroughs in dental science have enabled these DTC providers to offer a comparable level of consultation between dentists and patients, albeit remotely and for a fraction of the cost.

Invisalign’s Rising Competitors

Byte

Having only recently started selling aligners in 2018, this young company has reached great heights of success; leaping to the top of ‘at-home’ aligner rankings due to their innovation in the industry. Their technological and procedural feats have allowed for the fastest delivery of treatment, averaging around 3 months, without sacrificing quality or customer service.

Byte’s treatment time is around a quarter of Invisalign’s average of twelve months. On top of this, it offers a lifelong guarantee of retainers to readjust your teeth should they shift later down the road. Furthermore, no patient can be denied treatment due to credit score; they offer financing to every customer, whereas Invisalign’s payment plans vary depending on the dentist.

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There are a few small downsides to be aware of before committing from the start. Since they only recently started this endeavour, they necessarily don’t have a comparable track record of results to Invisalign’s extensive resume. Moreover, Byte doesn’t have any physical locations, leaving the imprinting of one’s teeth to the patient - this can sometimes be difficult.

SmileDirectClub

This is the most established ‘at-home’ alternative on the market currently, having been one of the first to initially rival Invisalign. They have over 300+ ‘SmileShops’ across the US and go over and above expectations to offer their customers the most convenient treatment, without sacrificing results. Given that they have crafted over a million smiles, their experience is more comparable to Invisalign.

There are many advantages to opting to use SmileDirectClub to treat your dental condition. Firstly, their physical stores mean that patients need not bother using home impression kits, which can be rather finicky and difficult to use for the first time. They also have a network of over 1000 dentists offices where treatment can be commenced with a scan of your teeth.

They are more affordable than Invisalign, and offer a convenient nighttime option that is only required to be worn whilst you sleep (as opposed to 22 hours per day). Financing is also available for any customer, without the need for a credit check.

The only apparent downside is that which is shared by all ‘at-home’ aligners: the limit on the scope of conditions that are treatable. These are better suited for mild to moderate cases - more severe ones will require the use of Invisalign.

Candid

Candid is dedicated to the delivery of the highest quality of products and a safe, effective and efficient treatment. They offer a more robust treatment plan than most of their ‘at-home’ aligner counterparts; a personally-assigned orthodontist tracks each patient’s development throughout the treatment plan with the Remote Monitoring service.

One of the primary pros of choosing Candid is that they only work with orthodontists in the creation of each individual’s treatment plan; general dentists are insufficient, which is uncommon for these Invisalign alternatives. Additionally, their Remote Monitoring service allows patients to check in with their orthodontist every 7-10 days throughout the program.

Conclusion:

Epic shifts are occurring in this market. There is no doubt that Byte and Candid are making inroads and that services like Smile Prep are going far to illuminate the various points of parity these dental brands bring to the market. Watch this space closely as Invisalign is expected to fight back to protect its historic position in this market.

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