Are at-home aligners really effective when it comes to straightening teeth, or are they just another scam?
At first, it sounds too good to be true: an orthodontic treatment that can straighten teeth without the same pain, time, and expense of traditional braces. However, many people are finding success with Byte aligners, a cost-effective alternative to metal braces and in-office aligner brands. Let’s look at how it works, and what others have to say.
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| Feature | Description | Star Rating |
| Price | All-day aligners: $1,895 or $82 per month Nighttime aligners: $2,295 or $99 per month |
4.5 |
| Average Treatment Time | All-day aligners: 3–4 months Nighttime aligners: 5–6 months |
|
| Convenience | Everything is done from home, including monthly virtual visits | |
| Appearance | Clear aligners are nearly invisible to the eye | 4.5 |
| Support | Over 200 licensed doctors, dentists, and orthodontists are available seven days a week | 4.5 |
| Whitening Tools | One month of BrightByte free teeth whitening included |
Yes, many dentists treat a significant number of teeth conditions with Byte. For severe cases, the American Dental Association (ADA) is against the use of home aligner treatment. This is because you don’t have in-person support, which the ADA cites could lead to poor orthodontic outcomes if the remote practitioner should miss something.
If you choose an at-home aligner such as Byte, keep in mind to only use it in mind to avoid severe cases that require drastic tooth movements. For most mild cases, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared Byte aligners for marketing through substantial equivalence to other approved products.
Byte offers two treatment options to suit your needs, along with the patented HyperByte technology that can effectively minimize treatment time.
Byte offers clear aligners made from BPA-free, medical-grade, and highly durable plastic. Designed to shift misaligned teeth through gentle yet consistent mechanical force, the clear aligners are usually worn for 22 hours per day.
Clear aligners are a game-changer in orthodontic care. Now, treating a mild case of crooked teeth that may make you feel insecure seems worthwhile.
Clinical research shows that aligners can effectively straighten teeth in mild to moderate cases. One review found that aligners were equal to braces, if not better, in improving the overall orthodontic scores. Aligners needed a shorter treatment time, too. They were less effective in more complex situations with prominent misalignments.
However, some studies find that aligners can widen the inter-canine space more than metal braces, and widen the space between molars just as effectively. Improved inter-canine width gives your incisors (front teeth) more space, helping to relieve a crowded mouth [1].
Clear aligners don’t make it difficult to eat chewy or crunchy foods. You have a lower risk of tooth decay or gum disease because you can remove the aligner to brush your teeth and they are subjected to less mechanical stress [2] [3].
Byte’s nighttime clear aligners are the more expensive option. On the other hand, you may find them more convenient as they are designed to only be worn for 10 hours at night, mostly while you’re sleeping. Your treatment period will also be longer when choosing Byte At Night, with at least five to six months instead of the usual three-month minimum.
If you’re unsure about which option to choose, read our nighttime clear aligners review to learn about their advantages and disadvantages.
HyperByte is an exclusive addition to the Byte process. This is a rechargeable, horseshoe-shaped device that brings home vibration-based therapy for your teeth, a treatment used in orthodontists’ offices for years. With daily use, HyperByte may even cut your treatment time in half, providing an advantage over other brands of invisible braces.
The device gently sends high-frequency vibrations through the aligners and your teeth, in order to seat them for improved teeth shift and stimulate cellular activity in your jaw. It supports the movement of your teeth into the correct position while reducing discomfort and increasing the fit of your aligners.
The HyperByte is a convenient addition to your morning or nighttime routine. With your aligners in, gently grasp the HyperByte with your teeth and let it run for five minutes. If you choose Byte at Night, run it for 10 minutes.
Clear aligners work by applying gentle yet constant force on crooked, misaligned teeth. They are molded to shift your teeth towards the desired alignment, gradually pushing them into place slowly enough to prevent injury. As invisible aligners are removable and molded to your upper and lower teeth, their treatment plans are different. Here’s how the Byte process works:
First, the Byte team sends you an impression kit so you can return a three-dimensional model of your current teeth alignment. Your Byte impression kit consists of enough trays and molding putty for two attempts at the molds, for your top and bottom teeth.
You can contact customer support if you have any difficulties with this or questions before you get started. If you cannot complete the impression kit correctly the second time, customer service will send out a replacement for free; you just have to pay for shipping.
Afterward, return the completed impression kit in the prepaid packaging.
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If you are a suitable candidate for Byte’s treatment plans, they will develop your personalized treatment plan, including both treatment time and the molds of your aligner series. If Byte isn’t for you, they’ll refund you your impression kit costs.
Now it’s time to begin treatment. It can take anywhere from four to six weeks for you to receive your teeth aligners, along with the HyperByte device, a teeth whitening product that doubles as an aligner cleaner (BrightByte), and your first set of retainers. The first whitening kit and HyperByte you receive are free, included in your treatment package.
During this whole process, you can contact Byte’s dentists or orthodontists through customer support. You have any-time access to your care team if you have extra questions or concerns about how your aligner system is working. To monitor treatment, you receive monthly checkups using progress photos taken with a cheek stretcher included in your impression kit.
On average, you can expect to change to new aligners every week, unless Byte’s dental professionals assigned to you instruct otherwise.
Byte claims that your treatment time will be three to six months with all-day aligners, or five to six months with Byte At Night aligners. If you want to reach your goals of straight teeth in this time, you must wear the standard set of aligners 22 hours a day. You can only remove them for eating, drinking, and brushing your teeth; the two “free” hours a day allows enough time for these.
The Byte At Night aligners are only worn for 10 continuous hours per night, while you are sleeping. For example, you may settle into a routine of inserting them after dinner and removing them when you get up, and using the HyperByte for 10 minutes before bed.
To keep crooked teeth at bay, it’s best to follow the aftercare plan of wearing a retainer at night. Some people slightly relapse over time, so this step is important.
If your teeth still move back into their old position, the Byte For Life guarantee has you covered. This entitles you to free additional support after your main treatment plan ends, at no extra cost.
Byte aligners cost $1,895 if you choose the all-day version, or $2,295 if you decide on the night-only set. You must also pay $95 for your at-home impression kit that you use to construct your treatment plan.
There are a few other additional costs if you need replacements of certain items, but they’re necessary to the Byte treatment plan. Replacements for the HyperByte device are another $699, with each replacement mouthpiece $20. Both the aligner case and extra bottles of BrightByte, a teeth whitening and aligner cleaning product, are $20 too.
Byte retainers, which you need to prevent relapse, cost $129 each. However, you can buy a Byte Protection Plan from $649 that gives you five years of retainers (10 sets) and coverage for any aligners that have been lost or stolen.
Byte does not directly accept insurance reimbursement, but can give you the paperwork you need to file your claim if you qualify. Insurance companies that cover orthodontic treatment in their plans may pay you back some of the fee. Byte offers a free insurance coverage check on their website too, so you can find out if your insurance will pay before you sign up.
You may also pay with HSA or FSA.
Byte offers both student and military discounts, including for veterans. For everyone else, there are special offers run from time to time, but you can only use one promo code per product.
Your Byte treatment plan takes into account the risk of relapse that can occur after teeth-straightening therapy has ended with a lifetime guarantee. In the situation where your teeth start shifting back to their misaligned position, the Byte for Life guarantee provides you with additional treatment.
Additionally, if Byte professionals determine you’re not a candidate for their aligners, you will receive a refund on your impression kit.
What do real-world customers have to say about Byte aligners? Here is some feedback from Byte customers. Alternatively, you can also read and see how Byte compared to other aligners in our review of the best invisible braces.
Reddit has forums and threads on just about every topic, including aligners. On one thread asking, “Is Byte worth it?,” customer comments included:
And unfortunately:
On the Better Business Bureau, Byte has an average rating of 4.6/5 stars, out of over 3,000 reviews.
Byte is very well-reviewed boasting a TrustPilot user rating of 4.7/5.
Whether Byte aligners are worth it depends on your individual orthodontic needs. It is important to have realistic expectations too. While clear aligners are known to be effective in giving you straighter teeth, they are less forceful than traditional braces and so provide more moderate improvements.
The most common complaint against Byte aligners (at the time of writing) is generally related to mistakes made by some members of the customer service team. They include lost devices and impression kits, lack of follow-up, and slower or imperfect treatment results. However, many cases reported on BBB are eventually resolved by Byte.
There are several other quality Byte alternatives on the market, including Invisalign, AlignerCo, and Candid. But how do they measure up?
Invisalign is a time-tested, evidence-based brand of custom aligners. Its use in clinical studies has contributed to an accuracy rate of 50%, up from 41% in 2009 [3]. This means that, on average, you can expect 50% of your misalignment to be corrected.
These improvements are through “smart” technology that places pressure on the exact parts of your teeth that you need to be straightened.
However, Invisalign is a far more expensive option that can reach up to $8,000 in costs. You must see a dentist or orthodontist in-person too. This may not be possible if you don’t have dental insurance or live in a remote area.
AlignerCo is the cheapest of the invisible aligners, at a cost of only $1,145; usually less than that because of their frequent offers. However, personal support from orthodontists or dentists is sparse and is relayed indirectly through the customer service team. For more information, read the AlignerCo reviews here.
Candid invisible aligners do come with excellent customer service, and you can talk to their orthodontists as needed. Orthodontists are more qualified than dentists where correcting misalignment and bite issues are concerned.
On the other hand, Candid does not offer night aligners and it is a much newer company, founded in 2017.
What are the most important things we need to know about Byte aligners?
The Byte aligner system is an accessible yet effective way to straighten your teeth. Its main advantages over office-only products are the lower cost, no need to search for an in-person provider, and often shorter treatment time. These factors make Byte best for you if you have a mild misalignment and are on a budget or live in a more remote area.
Where Byte shines over other at-home aligners is the personalized support and attention to detail. Checkups are slotted for every month, and the lifetime guarantee allows you to resume treatment if you notice a relapse. Even better, a whitening kit is available to maximize your smile’s appeal.
Overall, we rank the Byte aligner as the best at-home orthodontic treatment for cosmetic improvements and mild misalignment.
