ClearCorrect vs. Candid: A 2022 Comparison Review

20 years ago, clear aligners became the superhero of modern orthodontics. They rescued adults everywhere from the unsightly wires & brackets of traditional braces, replacing them with smooth, clear plastic aligners.

The most well-known option is Invisalign, but they don’t have a monopoly on the market. One of their earliest competitors was ClearCorrect, and in recent years, at-home treatments have become equally attractive options.

At-home clear aligner brands like Candid offer a faster and more affordable treatment alternative for busy adults on a budget.

But how do these competitors—ClearCorrect and Candid—compare? That’s the question we’re here to answer.

In this comparison review, we’ll put Candid and ClearCorrect side by side to see how they stack up in terms of cost, quality, customer experience, and more. By the time we’re finished, you’ll have a much clearer image of which company better lines up with your needs!

4 Things They Have in Common

ClearCorrect and Candid are two very different companies, but they do have similar products. It comes as no surprise, then, that they have a few things in common:

1) Discreet: Both ClearCorrect and Candid are far less noticeable than braces. Trade wires and brackets for clear aligners and that’s bound to happen. Some people find that they ‘lisp’ a little bit when they first start wearing the aligners, but most people adjust pretty quickly. Most users find that other people rarely (if ever) spot their aligners.

2) Safe: We’re talking about the future of your smile here, so safety is crucial. But rest assured, both ClearCorrect and Candid are safe ways to straighten your teeth. Both companies use similar technologies and although ClearCorrect has a few add-ons that Candid doesn’t, the basic principle of both is the same. Both companies use safe, BPA-free plastic in their aligners and dental professionals to design your treatment.

3) Convenient: If you ever talk to a friend who had braces back in the day, you’ll probably hear horror stories about avoiding popcorn or gum, the pains of dislodging food from the wires, and other hassles. Clear aligners take these hassles down several notches. You’ll have to remove your aligners every time you eat or drink (excluding water), but you’ll get to eat all of your favorite foods. And cleaning your teeth is just as simple as ever, too. Just pop out your aligners to brush and floss, then reinsert them.

4) Insurance Coverage: Both ClearCorrect and Candid may be covered by your insurance. If your plan includes orthodontic benefits, there’s a good chance you can receive partial coverage. Some general dental policies may cover your treatment, too. However, insurance providers are more likely to cover in-office treatments like ClearCorrect than at-home ones like Candid.

5 Ways They Differ

This wouldn’t be a comparison review if these two companies didn’t have a few differences, now, would it? Here are a few key differences between ClearCorrect and Candid:

1) Who can get treatment: One of the biggest differences between ClearCorrect and Candid is who can receive treatment. Candid can treat only mild to moderate cases of crowding and spacing. More extensive cases—like those caused by an overbite, underbite, or misshapen jaw—need to be monitored in-person by an orthodontist. ClearCorrect, however, can handle the full gamut of cases, from mild to severe.

2) Cost: There is no one-size-fits-all price tag for ClearCorrect. That’s because your price depends on your orthodontist’s personal fees and the severity of your case. The more severe your case, the more it will cost. They also have Limited 6 and Limited 12 options for mild cosmetic cases that are often significantly cheaper. On average, most people will spend between $2,500 and $5,000. The dentist administering your Candid treatment determines your price. You will pay at least $3,500, but it can also cost more than that depending on your dentist’s fees and your location.

3) Treatment Length: ClearCorrect’s average treatment times range between 12 to 18 months, although Flex may take as little as a few months. Candid’s treatment lengths are much shorter, wrapping up between 6-9 months. However, their CandidMonitoring service might allow you to progress through your aligners quicker, potentially shortening the overall timeline.

4) One-on-one care: With ClearCorrect, you’ll have direct, in-person care from your orthodontist each time you visit the office. Typically the biggest disadvantage of at-home aligner companies is that you don’t actually meet in-person with a doctor. Candid is the exception to this rule. Candid’s treatment is administered by a Candid partnered dentist, and overseen remotely via the CandidMonitoring program. If any issues occur during your treatment, you can return to your local dentist for course correction. It’s not likely, but it’s nice to know you have a local option if the need arises.

5) Financing: Both Candid and ClearCorrect offer financing. ClearCorrect partners with beWell, which can require a credit check; alternatively, you might be able to get a customized plan directly from your dental provider. With Candid, the financing options will vary from office to office, so be sure to ask about your options during your initial consultation.

The Rundown: How ClearCorrect and Candid Stack Up

Invisalign was the first clear aligner option, but ClearCorrect followed closely on their heels. In 2006, founder Dr. William Pumphrey realized that over 400 patients needed clear aligners, but there wasn’t a good manufacturer in line to fill that need. So Dr. Pumphrey made a critical decision: he was going to produce his own. The rest is pretty much history. Now ClearCorrect is the second-largest clear aligner producer in the industry.

What really stands out about ClearCorrect’s treatment is the wide variety of conditions they can correct. That’s largely due to the attachments and extra plastics that your dentist or orthodontist can use. These ‘extras’ are attached to your teeth and work in conjunction with your clear aligners to create powerful, nuanced movements. Your dentist or orthodontist can also add any spacers, elastics, or other attachments you may need. That flexibility and technology allow ClearCorrect to treat more extreme cases.

Compared to ClearCorrect, Candid is much, much newer. But “newer” doesn’t mean they’re inexperienced! Though Candid got its start as a premium, fully remote clear aligner service, they’ve recently pivoted to “CandidPro,” a hybrid at-home/in-office treatment option. Your treatment is administered by a local dentist in the Candid network, and overseen with the CandidMonitoring system.

Using your phone and a special imaging device, you’ll take photos of your teeth every 10-14 days for the Candid team and/or your dentist to review. This helps keep your treatment on track and can even reduce your overall treatment length.

Product Quality

Every clear aligner provider makes their aligner trays from safe, BPA free plastic. Though there’s plenty of similarities from aligner to aligner, there are also some differences worth noting too.

Aligners are usually trimmed in one of two ways: straight across, or scalloped to match the gumline. Straight cut aligners overlap the gums, which actually helps them exert more force. This overlap also makes them a little bit easier to spot, so of the two aligner cuts, scalloped is a little more low profile. Basically, it’s a tradeoff either way.

This might sound a little counter intuitive, but the clearest clear aligners aren’t necessarily the most discreet. Our teeth have a matte, porous surface; so clear shiny plastic tends to stand out. Some providers manufacture their aligners to be slightly frosted, which better mimics the natural surface of your tooth.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect from your ClearCorrect and Candid aligners:

ClearCorrect and Candid have made pretty much the same choices across the board with the make of their clear aligners. Funny enough, Candid actually used to have their aligners manufactured by ClearCorrect. They’ve recently shifted to making their aligners in-house, but it seems like you can expect the same high quality as before.

Regardless of which of these providers you choose, you’ll have aligners that are safe, discreet, and effective.

Treatment Oversight

Both of these providers keep a close eye on your treatment, but they go about this in different ways. Let’s take a closer look at the details of your treatment oversight from ClearCorrect and Candid:

During your ClearCorrect treatment you’ll visit your provider for regular check-ups. Your doctor will ensure that your teeth are shifting as they should, and make any necessary tweaks to your treatment plan.

With Candid, all your treatment oversight can occur from the comfort of your own home. Thanks to CandidMonitoring, if an issue ever arises, the Candid team or your local dentist can intervene early without causing treatment delays.

If you have a question or need help resolving an issue outside of your regular appointments or check-ins, you’ll need to contact patient support.

There isn’t an overarching support team for ClearCorrect. Instead, you’ll contact your chosen dentist or orthodontist whenever you have questions about your treatment, payment, lost aligners, and so on. They’ll know the ins and outs of your case, so if you need to get a repair, replacement, or treatment modification, your local provider is the best way to get it.

Due to the hybrid nature of Candid’s treatment, your support is two-fold. Candid offers traditional support methods: phone, email, and webchat. Their customer support hours are from 9:00 am to 7:00, even on weekends. If you contact them through social media, you should get a response within 24 hours. The more ‘traditional’ channels are usually a touch faster; a phone call, for example, will get you an almost immediate response. Your dentist’s availability will vary, but it’s great to know support comes from all sides during Candid treatment.

Even though you can’t contact ClearCorrect’s customer support directly, we think that the one-on-one care you’d get from your personal dentist or orthodontist provides excellent support. That said, it’s tough to argue with Candid’s two-pronged patient support; not to mention the convenience of most of your treatment happening from the comfort of your own home.

Bang For Your Buck

A million-dollar smile is exciting, but it shouldn’t cost you a million bucks. The overall price tag of each service matters, and it’s also important to consider what your money gets you.

Let’s take a closer look at what these treatments will cost you from start to finish:

If your condition is very mild, your treatment is likely to be less expensive with ClearCorrect than it would be with Candid. But for moderate conditions, it’s likely that Candid will be the more affordable option. Candid’s price tag also affords you time, since it includes the CandidMonitoring system, which saves you from having to attend frequent in-person appointments.

Customer Experience

Of course the cost and quality of your clear aligner treatment are important, but so is how your provider treats you throughout the process. After all, you’re trusting these companies with your smile!

Let’s take a closer look at the way these providers treat their customers:

Reviews

In the age of Amazon and other internet retailers, online shopping is pretty common. But savvy shoppers are careful to read online reviews before clicking “Buy.” But this is especially important when it involves your health, like clear aligners do.

Here’s a quick glimpse into the online reviews for Candid:

• Top loves: Excellent patient support, helpful communication throughout the process via their app; convenient, effective treatment
• Top complaints: Database does not work with Firefox browser; a little more discomfort than other aligners; emails can get spammy

We tallied up Candid’s total average score for a total of 4.2/5 stars.

It’s a bit harder to tally up a score for ClearCorrect. There are precious few customer reviews online because treatment is provided through independent dental offices. It’s easiest to get a full review (beyond what we’ve included here) directly from your dentist or orthodontist. That said, their long-term reputation speaks pretty well to their quality and service.

We should note that since CandidPro is so new, there are virtually no reviews detailing this particular aspect of treatment. However, we think that all the great reviews Candid amassed when they were a fully remote clear aligner provider should still be taken into consideration.

Overall, Candid has a pretty good reputation, too. We expect that the shift to local dentist involvement will only improve the already great treatment they provide.

Guarantees

With ClearCorrect, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be too dissatisfied with your treatment. That’s because your orthodontist or dentist will be able to make small adjustments throughout the process. If there are any issues, your dentist will spot them before they become major problems, keeping your treatment on track and ensuring your satisfaction.

That said, the exact warranty you’ll get will depend on your individual provider. You’ll have to ask your orthodontist or dentist to know for sure.

Like many other clear aligner treatment options, Candid doesn’t have refunds or overarching guarantees about the results of your treatment. All of those policies are determined by the dentist administering your care.

Best Alternatives

ClearCorrect and Candid are both great companies, so if you’re drawn to either one, you’ll get excellent service. However, these two aren’t the only good options.

If you’re still curious about other companies, we’d recommend checking out Byte, our top-ranked at-home aligner company. They leverage excellent value with an equally good product, and they’re significantly cheaper than Candid. Eager to see your perfect smile? Byte is the only choice. Their average treatment length wraps up in just 4 months. Byte also offers nighttime-only treatment, so if you’re unsure about wearing aligners for 22+ hours per day, you have an alternative.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for the most affordable option, check out AlignerCo. At just $1,145, they’re the most budget-friendly method and among our top rated at-home aligners. You won’t get a lot of bells and whistles, but you will get the smile of your dreams at a fraction of the cost. And like Byte, they also offer nighttime treatment, but it doesn’t cost nearly as much. AlignerCo’s NightOnly program will run you $1,345.

Which is Best for You?

Let’s be clear: ClearCorrect and Candid are both good options. However, what works for someone else may not be what’s best for you. Here are some general guidelines for who should choose ClearCorrect and who should opt for Candid:

• Choose Candid If: You want the oversight offered by an in-office treatment with all the convenience of at-home options. Candid offers a ‘best of both worlds’ treatment model that we think could be a good fit for many of our readers.
• Choose ClearCorrect If: You need more extensive adjustments, bite corrections, or you just want the security of having a professional handle your treatment in person.

If you discover that your condition is too severe for home aligner treatment, or if you’re simply more comfortable with fully in-person care, ClearCorrect is a great option. That said, Candid is more convenient, offers more frequent oversight, and in some cases may be more affordable than ClearCorrect.

Candid Wins!

We think Candid’s unique hybrid offerings could be a great match for people seeking premium treatment oversight with plenty of convenience.

That said, clear aligner treatment is a big purchase, and we understand if you still want to weigh your options. If you’re interested in remote orthodontic care, be sure to compare all the top-rated providers before making a decision.

See Other Options Visit CandidCo.com

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