Million-dollar smiles never go out of style, so it’s no surprise a lot of adults choose to straighten their smiles later in life. But there’s a catch: orthodontic treatment can cost a lot and take up a lot of space on your calendar.
At-home teeth aligners like those offered by Byte make things easier. You’re required to wear most at-home aligners for at least 22 hours a day. Between eating, brushing, flossing, drinking, and gum-chewing, that wear schedule can be tough for busy adults.
The solution? Nighttime aligner treatment. And luckily, Byte has it: Byte At-Night. But how does Byte At-Night compare to their All-Day option? The two treatments are fairly different, and it’s important to know all the details so you can choose the right option for you. That’s what we’re here to cover.
Smile Tip: While some other clear aligner companies advertise nighttime-only treatment, Byte is the only one offering a product that’s specifically designed for nighttime wear.
The Rundown: How Byte’s At-Night and All-Day Aligners Stack Up
In this guide, we’ll give you a full overview of what you should consider when picking between Byte At-Night and Byte All-Day aligners. But before we dive into the nitty-gritty, here’s a quick rundown of how they compare:
Treatment speed: 5-6 months on average. | Treatment speed: 3 months on average. |
Wear schedule: 10 consecutive hours every night. | Wear schedule: 22 hours of wear per day. The only exception is when you remove them to eat, drink, or brush and floss. |
Pricing: $2,295. | Pricing: $1,895. |
Materials: Byte At-Night aligners use a thicker plastic that’s specifically engineered to shift your teeth safely overnight without losing byte’s speed factor. | Materials: Byte All-Day aligners use a thinner plastic that still moves your teeth efficiently and safely. |
Customer reviews: We can’t find many reviews for Byte At-Night. That’s not a big issue, though, because it’s a new product. They’ll have lots of positive reviews in no time. | Customer reviews: Byte’s All-Day aligners have garnered a lot of positive reviews in a short amount of time. |
Byte is our favorite at-home aligner company for both daytime and nighttime options. But now it’s time to make an in-depth comparison of the top company’s two treatment options.
Product Quality
When you put anything into your mouth, it’s helpful to know what’s in it and where it came from. And your aligners are no exception. Every at-home aligner company works with a dental supply company to manufacture their aligners, including Byte. Byte partners with Dentsply Sirona, a respected dental supplier, so you can rest assured that their products are of high quality.
One difference we should note, though: Byte At-Night aligners are different from their All-Day counterparts. These nighttime-only trays are thicker than normal aligners. That added thickness gives a little extra “oomph” so your teeth will still shift quickly even though you only wear them for 10 hours per night. And as an added plus, thicker aligners are more durable. So if you grind your teeth while you sleep, you should still be okay to use Byte At-Night.
Wear Schedule
Wearing your aligners for the prescribed amount of time is critical to your treatment success. Not following these guidelines can derail your treatment, making it more uncomfortable, slower, and (in extreme circumstances) unsafe.
Byte All-Day aligners (and most aligners from Byte’s competitors) require 22 hours of nearly continuous wear. Basically, you’ll wear your aligners constantly, only removing them to eat or drink. Once you’ve finished, you’ll need to brush your teeth and rinse your aligners before reinserting them.
Sounds like a hassle? Nighttime treatment was created to avoid the frustration of constantly removing and reinserting your aligners. Instead of wearing them for 22 hours per day, you’ll need to wear your aligners for 10 hours per night—mostly while you sleep. If you don’t sleep for 10 hours a night (and to be fair, we don’t, either), you’ll need to put them on a few hours before you go to bed.
Wait—Does Nighttime Treatment Even Work?
If you do a little reading online, you might see some naysayers who insist that nighttime clear aligners don’t work. Candid, one of our top clear aligner picks, actually doesn’t offer nighttime treatment; their executives (especially their orthodontic experts) believe that nighttime treatment isn’t safe or effective. Other companies, Byte included, offer nighttime treatment because it’s convenient for busy adults.
But why do these companies disagree? The answer boils down to the way clear aligners work: the plastic in your aligners exerts constant, (relatively) gentle force on your teeth. But here’s the catch: once your teeth have been moved, they have a tendency to revert to their original positions. This is called relapse, and it’s the reason you have to wear post-treatment retainers.
Those who don’t agree with nighttime treatment believe that the 12-14 hours when you don’t wear your aligners (i.e., during the day) gives your teeth too much time to relapse. Each night, your teeth have to readjust to their positions within the aligners.
But that’s why nighttime treatment usually takes twice as long as daytime treatment. And in many cases, you’ll wear each aligner for two weeks instead of one. By building in that additional wear time, pro-nighttime companies ensure that your treatment accounts for any relapse. And for that reason, nighttime treatment is reserved for the minor cases. Moderate misalignments will usually need to go with daytime treatments.
Byte At-Night takes it a step further. Their HyperByte system helps prevent relapse (more on this later). And unlike a lot of companies, which use the same clear aligners for both daytime and nighttime treatments, Byte actually manufactures premium aligners for Byte At-Night.
So long story short: nighttime treatment works, but it’s not for everyone. With that in mind, let’s talk about the specifics of Byte At-Night.
Treatment Length
Playing the waiting game is tough. And with any teeth-straightening method, it’s part of the process. Thankfully, Byte’s waiting game is relatively short—regardless of whether you use Byte At-Night or all-day aligners. Here’s how the average timeframe for the two treatments stack up:
- Byte At-Night: 5 months
- Byte All-Day aligners: 4 months
With both of Byte’s product offerings, you’ll use a device called the HyperByte. The HyperByte is an integral part of both Byte At-Night and All-Day aligners; the only difference between the two is how long you use it each day. With All-Day aligners, you’ll use it for just five minutes, while Byte At-Night requires ten minutes. Either way, the micro-vibrations help shift your teeth into their new positions more quickly and cut down on discomfort.
Let’s be clear, though: even Byte’s “slower” At-Night treatment is speedy compared to any other on the market. Most of Byte’s competitors have average treatment times of 6 months. Even Byte At-Night (which in theory should take longer because you wear the aligners for less time each day) beats the industry average.
If you’re in a total rush, you’ll probably prefer All-Day treatment. But if you use Byte At-Night, your treatment is still likely to wrap up in less time than other competitors.
Bang For Your Buck
Money is always a concern, so we won’t neglect to mention it here. Both offerings from Byte are relatively affordable (especially compared to braces). That said, the price tag for Byte At-Night is slightly higher than their All-Day aligners.
Why the price difference? Byte At-Night is the premium offering, so it costs a few hundred dollars more. The exact price difference is $400. The All-Day option costs $1,895, but Byte At-Night will run you $2,295. In our opinion, the convenience of wearing your aligners only at night is well worth the extra money.
Financing is available for either option through BytePay, though the terms for each vary:
- Byte All-Day: $249 down payment, plus monthly payments of $82 for 32 months ($2,873).
- Byte At-Night: $299 down payment, plus monthly payments of $99 for 32 months ($3,467).
If you opt for financing, you’re automatically enrolled in the Byte Protection Plan. If you lose or break an aligner during your treatment, the Byte Protection Plan replaces it for free. Not only that, it covers the expenses of your aftercare retainers. If you’re enrolled in this plan, Byte will send you a new set of aftercare retainers every 6 months, for 5 years. All in all, it’s a pretty great value.
For All-Day treatment, the BPP is $649, and for At-Night treatment it’s $779, which is partly why there’s such a difference in price when you pay for treatment with BytePay. With either option, it’s well worth it to pay the full price up front if you can manage it. That will save you a fair chunk of change from fees.
Customer Experience
Third party reviews are a great way to see how real customers feel about their treatment. Byte has thousands of reviews, and an overwhelming majority of them are positive—5-star reviews, in fact. These third party reviews encompass both All-Day treatment and At-Night treatment, but we’ve gone through these reviews to outline some key differences in the responses to each treatment option.
Here’s what customers mentioned the most frequently about their All-Day treatment:
- Top loves: Excellent customer service (even mentioning representatives by name); visible results within a couple weeks; easy to use
- Top complaints: Guarantee on impression kit does not apply to bite issues
Here are the trends we noticed across Byte At-Night reviews:
- Top loves: Visible results after only a few weeks, easy to incorporate into busy lifestyle, HyperByte eases initial discomfort
- Top complaints: Longer treatments than all-day wear, customer support isn’t always equipped to answer medical questions
Byte’s reviews make us even more confident in recommending them. None of their complaints are major red flags for us. It may be frustrating that a customer service rep can’t answer a medical question, but that’s not in their job description. All in all, customers for both all-day and At-Night treatment seem satisfied with their treatment from Byte.
Which Is the Best Option for You?
Byte is our favorite service, hands-down. So to be perfectly honest, we’re comparing “good” to “good” in this review. That said, Byte At-Night isn’t right for everyone.
Across the board, at-home clear aligners are limited in the types of cases they can treat. They can only accept mild to moderate cosmetic cases. It’s also important to consider daily wear requirements, too. Ultimately, you’ll have to decide for yourself which is right for you, but here are our thoughts:
- Choose Byte At-Night If: You have a mild case and you want to avoid the hassle of wearing your aligners all day.
- Choose Byte All-Day If: You’re in a rush to see your perfect smile. Byte’s daytime offering has the shortest treatment lengths on the market. It’s also the better choice if you need to keep your costs low.
Final Verdict: Byte At-Night is a worthwhile option for anyone with a mild case of crowding or spacing, while Byte All-Day can treat slightly more complicated cases. Whichever you choose, be sure to take advantage of our exclusive discount below.
Common Questions About Byte
Does Byte ever offer discounts?
Who doesn’t love a good sale? Unfortunately, Byte doesn’t offer sales too often. Every once in a while, you’ll score a deal on the impression kit or get a code for $100 off your aligners (especially if you’re subscribed to their email list). Byte also offers discounts for active-duty military and veterans and students.
How does Byte At-Night compare to Smile Direct Club’s Nighttime Clear Aligners?
In principle, the two methods are exactly the same. You wear your aligners for 10 hours each night. But with Smile Direct Club’s Nighttime Clear Aligners, the average treatment time lasts 10 months. That’s because Smile Direct Club’s aligners aren’t engineered for nighttime treatment like Byte’s are.
What if I grind my teeth while I sleep? Can I still use Byte At-Night?
Yep! Byte At-Night aligners are thicker and more durable than daytime trays. Your aligners will hold up to any grinding.
I’m in a rush—is Byte the fastest at-home aligner company?
Yes! Byte At-Night and Byte All-day aligners both have shorter treatment lengths than treatment methods from other companies. If speed is your number-one concern, though, we recommend using Byte’s All-Day aligners; which usually wrap up about a month ahead of At-Night treatment.
Does Byte offer teeth whitening services?
Byte offers complimentary whitening treatments with every aligner kit. It’s safe to use with your aligners, too, so you can brighten your teeth while you straighten them. Your first bottle is free, and if you ever run out, you can purchase a replacement for $30 a bottle.
Is Byte better than braces or Invisalign?
That depends on what “better” means to you. Invisalign and traditional braces address a wider array of cases than at-home aligners. However, Byte is cheaper and faster than either option. So which is better ultimately depends on what you’re looking for in your ideal orthodontic treatment.
Is there an age requirement for using Byte At-Night or All-Day aligners?
Byte treats anyone ages 12 and up. However, they do need written parental consent to treat anyone younger than 18.
A related note: Byte recommends that you think about your wisdom teeth before getting alignment treatment. If you suspect you’ll need them removed, it’s in your best interest to take care of that first. Then your treatment will be the most effective.
Is Byte covered by insurance?
Ultimately, that depends on your insurance policy. If you get orthodontic benefits in your policy, then Byte treatment typically is covered. If you’re curious about your policy limits, Byte will run a free coverage check for you; just send them the details on your insurance card.
What happens if I break or lose an aligner?
If you’re enrolled in the Byte Protection Plan (by purchasing it outright of financing your treatment) your replacements will be free! Otherwise, you can get a replacement for $129 for all-day aligners, $149 for At-Night aligners. Byte also recommends that you wear your most recent aligner in the meantime while waiting on the replacement. That will keep your teeth from shifting too far back towards their original positions.
What if I’m not happy with the outcome?
Byte is (largely) a non-refundable service. The only refund they offer is for their impression kit, which goes to individuals who aren’t good candidates for treatment.
However, Byte does promise that you’ll love your smile for life. If your teeth shift after finishing treatment, even years down the road, Byte will give you new aligners, free of charge.
Do the results of Byte last forever?
Occasionally, teeth will shift after treatment is complete. If that happens, Byte promises to help. Their Byte-For-Life guarantee ensures your smile for life. Just let them know that your smile has changed, and they’ll provide you with new aligners free of charge. All you need to do to be eligible is stay on top of wearing and replacing your aftercare retainers.
How can I contact Byte’s customer support?
You can contact Byte through their social media channels, but for more traditional support, it’s best to contact them via phone at 1 866.708.1557 for voice calling or 310.340.1241 for text. If you’d rather email, you can reach them at support@byteme.com.