SmilePath Australia Clear Aligners: A 2022 Review

Ever wished you could get a million-dollar smile from the comfort of your own home?

With online clear aligners, you can! Using a home clear aligner system, you can ditch the office visits and straighten your teeth pretty much DIY.

Oh, yeah, and home clear aligners aren’t just convenient, either. For many people, they’re also much faster and cheaper than braces.

SmilePath is just one of several companies to hit Australia’s clear aligner scene. But is SmilePath right for you? In this review, you’ll get the full scoop on SmilePath: the good, the bad, and how to know if they’re right for you.

SmilePath sells the most affordable clear aligners in Australia today. They’re our #2-recommended home teeth-straightening solution.

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How Does SmilePath Work?

SmilePath’s a breeze to use; you just take the following steps:

• Step 1: Order your impression kit from SmilePath. Once it arrives, you mix the putty and take molds of your teeth. Need help? Just set up a video conference with the SmilePath experts. Once your impressions are dry, ship them back free of charge.
• Step 2: SmilePath’s treatment team analyzes the molds and crafts a personalized treatment plan within 2 weeks of getting your package. After you give the treatment plan your seal of approval, they will begin manufacturing your aligners.
• Step 3: Pay for your treatment all in one go, or sign up for one of SmilePath’s financing plans. There are three payment options to choose from, ensuring you get the treatment you need—regardless of your credit score.
• Step 4: After about 2-3 more weeks, you’ll get your full aligner kit from SmilePath. You’ll wear each aligner for roughly two weeks and regularly take pictures of your progress.

What Sets SmilePath Apart?

For most people, the biggest barrier to orthodontic treatment is the massive price tag. That’s not a factor if you choose SmilePath. They boast the most affordable clear aligners in the country.

But don’t worry: “affordable” doesn’t mean “cheap.” They offer top-quality aligners provided by a reputable manufacturer, an excellent treatment team, and much more.

Plus, in the short time they’ve been in business, SmilePath has garnered a lot of positive reviews (as has their U.S. version, AlignerCo). So it’s pretty clear that you get great quality at a fraction of the cost.

Product Quality

At-home clear aligners use the technology Invisalign created, but they’ve adapted it into a remote treatment option. These clear aligners apply pressure to your teeth to gradually move them into a straighter smile. But what are these aligners made of? Let’s take a closer look.

Materials

SmilePath’s aligners are made by Raintree Essix—a respected dental supply company that’s been making clear aligners since 2005. These aligners are made of medical-grade, BPA free plastic. You can feel confident that your SmilePath aligners are safe, effective, and made from quality materials.

Appearance

There are two main ways to cut the top of clear aligners: straight across, or scalloped to match the gumline. Straight cut aligners can exert more force and usually deliver shorter treatment lengths. However, the scalloped cut is more discreet since it doesn’t overlap with the gumline; so it’s kind of a tradeoff either way.

SmilePath opts for the scalloped method; so you can be sure your aligner treatment will have a very low profile.

SmilePath claims that they offer the “world’s clearest invisible aligners,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the most natural-looking. Competitors like Invisalign and Smile Direct use slightly frosted plastic to make their aligners. This gives the aligners a matte appearance, which better blends in with the natural surfaces of your teeth. Transparent aligners like SmilePath’s are a bit shiny, which can draw attention to your treatment.

All that said, appearance is subjective—some people enjoy having an extra shine in their smiles. It’s all about finding the clear aligner that works best for you.

Treatment Oversight

SmilePath is way faster than traditional braces and Invisalign, but they’re a bit slower than other at-home aligner companies. SmilePath treatment typically lasts between 6-11 months for daytime treatment and 8-12 months for nighttime treatment. For reference, their competitor Byte can wrap up treatment in as little as 4 months for certain cases.

6+ months in your aligners might seem like forever, but it’s still pretty quick compared to in-office alternatives. For example, Invisalign and braces treatments can take as long as 24 months.

Since SmilePath is relatively small, they can give a lot of personal attention to each customer. Every 10-14 days (or anytime you switch to a new set of aligners) you’ll email photos to the SmilePath team so they can oversee your progress and offer support. This check-up progress isn’t as sophisticated as an in-office method, but it is a helpful feature that not many other companies offer.

If you ever run into problems or have questions during your treatment, SmilePath’s customer support will get you through it. Thankfully, they’re pretty responsive. When we tested their channels, we got near-instant responses through chat. Phone calls are pretty quick, too. Email can take about 24 hours to get an answer, though. They have 12 hours of support availability, seven days a week.

Bang For Your Buck

One of the main draws to at-home clear aligner treatment is affordability. We know these treatments offer considerable savings to traditional, in-office treatments. But how much savings are we talking about? Let’s take a look at all of the nitty-gritty details of the cost of your SmilePath treatment.

Startup Costs

SmilePath’s $75 impression kit gets the ball rolling on your treatment. You’ll receive putty and trays, and it’s up to you to mix it all up and create molds of your teeth. Some people find this step tricky, so SmilePath offers video support to help you walk through it. If you’re willing to pay for your treatment upfront, SmilePath will give you the impression kit for free (and they’ll refund the entire amount if it turns out that you’re not a good candidate).

Aligner Kit

With SmilePath, you’ll pay $1,899 for all-day aligner treatment, and $1,999 for their nighttime-only NightClear treatment. SmilePath’s aligner kits contain every aligner you’ll need to perfect your smile, plus a set of aftercare retainers. To avoid extra expenses, SmilePath ships them all at once. And to keep costs low, SmilePath doesn’t throw in any extra bells and whistles like whitening. With SmilePath’s aligner package, what you see is what you get.

Potential Add-Ons

SmilePath doesn’t include a whitening kit for free, but if you’re interested in brightening your teeth while you align them, you can opt into their $59.99 kit. There are other goodies from their online store you can purchase, like ‘chewies’ ($19.99) and a pull tool ($19.99), for seating and removing your aligners; respectively.

Financing

Don’t have close to $2,000 in your sock drawer? (We get it; who does?) Thankfully, there’s SmileFlex, powered by Zip. This requires a credit check, but you’ll get your treatment for 18 monthly payments of $117. If your credit isn’t great, you can opt for SmileFlex Easy (provided by Partial.ly). That plan requires a $295 down payment, followed by 12 monthly payments of $150.

Regardless of which financing option you choose, both will end up costing you a bit more. Your total will fall between $2,099 and $2,106. So if you can pay the whole price at once, it’s worth it.

Insurance

Medicare classifies clear aligner treatments as cosmetic, so it usually won’t contribute to your treatment cost. But if you have additional orthodontic benefits, you might get some reimbursement. Be sure to check with your provider to know all your options.

Post-Treatment Costs

The best way to ensure your new smile stays in its hard earned position is by wearing post-treatment retainers. Luckily SmilePath includes one set of aftercare retainers in your treatment bundle. These retainers are durable, but they won’t last forever. You’ll need to replace them every 6 months or so.

You can buy each set outright for $99, or opt for SmilePath’s WorryFree Protection Plan. For $749 you can get a new set of retainers shipped to you every 6 months, for 6 years. $749 might give you some initial stick shock, but that brings the cost per set to $62. So if you want to save some money on this long term expense, the WorryFree plan may be a good option for you.

Customer Experience

Sure, the price point and the materials used to make your aligners are important; but so is how you’re treated from start to finish of your clear aligner journey. Let’s take a look at what you can expect when you choose SmilePath.

Reviews

When it comes to correcting your alignment, you don’t want to take a leap of faith; you need the receipts. And the best testimonials come from those with first-hand experience. So, what are other customers saying about SmilePath?

Full disclosure: we’ve browsed reviews for SmilePath, and they’re pretty positive. But there aren’t tons of them. There are, however, plenty for their U.S. brand. Since the two are really only different in name alone, it’s fair to check out AlignerCo reviews, too. That’s what we’ve done here.

With that in mind, here are a few things customers like about SmilePath:

• Small-company feel gives unparalleled customer support and personal attention.
• Extremely affordable treatment, including referral discounts.
• The process is easy to complete.
• Consistent discounts that make treatment more accessible.

But it’s important to note the bad alongside the good, and there are a few drawbacks:

• Emails can be frequent and come from multiple addresses.
• Photos occasionally get misplaced.
• Confusion over impression kit instructions.

Since there aren’t a ton of online reviews, we take them with a grain of salt. But most of their reviews are pretty positive. If SmilePath can keep up the good work, we’ll be able to give them an even bigger thumbs-up.

Comfort

Let’s be clear: moving your teeth from one location to another is never going to be without a little discomfort. This is true with all orthodontia—even traditional options like braces and Invisalign involve some aches and pains.

That being said, this discomfort is usually a bit of soreness; nothing that some over-the-counter medicine can’t fix. This typically occurs within the first few days of switching to a new aligner—which makes sense, since the new aligner should be tighter than the last.

SmilePath’s reviews indicate that their aligners follow this same pattern. Many customers were actually surprised at the lack of discomfort. All in all, SmilePath’s customers seem to find any soreness during their treatment totally manageable.

Sometimes the edges of aligners can feel a bit sharp. Luckily there’s an easy fix: with the go-ahead from SmilePath, you can use an emery board to dull the edges that are causing you discomfort. It’s important you check with SmilePath before taking this step, but once they give you the green light, this is a cheap and quick way to make treatment a little easier on yourself.

Guarantees

SmilePath really only has one guarantee: if you are deemed ineligible for treatment, you’ll be refunded for the cost of your impression kit (or your full treatment, if you opted to pay upfront).

This makes the impression kit a pretty low-stakes option. You can give it a try, see if this is the path for you, and if SmilePath can’t treat your condition then you’ll be refunded.

What if I break an aligner?

If one of your aligners breaks during your treatment, reach out to SmilePath’s support team right away. Unfortunately, SmilePath doesn’t replace lost or broken aligners, so if this happens you’ll need to move on to the next aligner in your treatment plan.

You want to consider buying SmilePath’s pull tool, which helps you safely and gently remove your aligners. It’s just a $20 tool, but it can save you from some headaches in the long run.

Refinement Policy

If you reach the end of your treatment and you need a bit of extra movement, you’ll need to pay for refinements (extra aligners). Many of SmilePath’s competitors offer refinements for free, but SmilePath charges $200. It’s never fun to dish out extra cash, but we think their initial low price point makes this extra cost a little easier to take.

Best SmilePath Alternatives

Is SmilePath right for you? After all, treating your smile is a big decision. You keep it for life! So, you may want to consider some alternatives before making your choice. Here are four other options to keep in mind:

Byte

If you’re looking for the fastest treatment on the market, check out Byte. They offer both daytime and nighttime treatments. And thanks to their HyperByte system, some people may finish treatment in just 4 months.

EZ Smile

EZ Smile makes it simple to jump into treatment with their partnerships with dentists across the country. Digital scans let you skip goopy impressions. Plus, they have a fantastic 90-day money-back guarantee and a competitive sticker price.

WonderSmile

At-home aligner companies aren’t super flexible, but WonderSmile is an exception. You can choose in-person scans or impressions, nighttime or daytime treatment, and treat just one dental arch or both. WonderSmile makes it easy to get the treatment that works for you.

Smile Direct Club

If you want aligners from a company with an extensive track record, then look no further than Smile Direct. They also offer the flexibility of nighttime treatments and SmileShops for 3D scans instead of impressions.

Should You Use SmilePath?

SmilePath is a great system for straightening your teeth, but that doesn’t mean that they’re right for everyone. Let’s talk about when you should use SmilePath and when you should look for another option.

✔ When to use SmilePath:

If treatment speed isn’t your top priority and affordability is the highest criteria on your list, then look no further than SmilePath; it is the most budget-friendly option you’ll find.

✖ When NOT to use SmilePath:

If your teeth are severely misaligned or you have a bite issue like overbite or underbite, then at-home alignment isn’t right for you—SmilePath or otherwise. Also, SmilePath isn’t the best choice if you’re in a rush to see your perfect smile.

Final Verdict

All told, SmilePath is a good (albeit newer) option for at-home clear aligners. We rank them as our #2 choice. To us, it’s pretty impressive how quickly they’ve established a good reputation in the market. And we expect that reputation to keep on improving. Pair that with their high product quality and unrivaled prices, and you’ve got a safe treatment that won’t break the bank.

Frequently Asked Questions