As a 47-year-old, I was not very happy with my smile. I had braces as a kid and of course, no one really reinforced that you need to wear an aligner for the remainder of your life. I was not really up to dealing with braces again and the cost of Invisalign was as much if not more than braces.
I had been seeing several versions of these removable aligners and started doing some research. I had read reviews, looked at deals come and go, and talked to my dentist who was against using these types of aligners.
After much deliberation and just not being happy with my smile, I finally decided to give SDC a shot. The reviews were about 50/50. People seemed to love it or hate it but I figured I didn’t need much movement so took the risk.
I set up my appointment online, which was easy. I made my way over to a smile shop to have my scan completed. I didn’t really have many questions and I thought I had done enough of my homework. A couple of weeks later my box showed up with my aligners for a 5-week treatment. In my head, I didn’t think that was going to be long enough but popped in the first set and off I went.
By mid-phase, I really didn’t think I was getting enough movement to be done in 5 weeks. I had sent over some comments to the SMD team who responded back and assured me that if I was not satisfied at the end of the treatment I could schedule another scan and receive additional aligners.
I rode out the treatment and was actually surprised by the result. I think I could probably use a little more treatment but my wife was happy with the result so I decided to order my retainer.
The positives:
I don’t mind smiling for the camera anymore. Actually I make a point of smiling. The aligners were relatively painless compared to what I remember from having braces. No bleeding lips, gums, cheeks, etc. I could eat whatever I wanted when I wanted. The aligners were easy to clean. The aligners were durable. I am a night grinder and these held up well. The whitening application is a plus. I haven’t used it yet but will soon. For me, the cost associated with the treatment I received was comparative. Communication online was quick via Messenger.
The could be better:
I think overall, SDC needs to be honest with its customers. The selling point made it these aligners will straighten your teeth and a substantial amount less than braces. What is not clearly stated in the advert is that the aligners only focus on the front 6 teeth. These are not truly comparable to braces and, although fine for me, I would not recommend this service to someone that has serious misalignment issues, bite issues, jaw issues, etc. The other thing I think needs to be improved is the SDC’s alignment with appropriate dental providers. General dentists are NOT orthodontists and should not be consulted for the alignment of teeth. I didn’t like the fact that my "dental expert" was a general dentist. I also did not like the fact that I was misled into thinking I was going to have a video conference after 90 days to have a discussion with my dental expert to discuss my concerns and progress. Instead, I had to contact SDC multiple times because I was due for my check-in and never received a reminder, notification, etc. After several messages, I was told that a reminder and link were sent to my email, of which I never received. A second attempt was made, also not received. I was then asked to submit pictures and comments and just received back a note saying that the dental experts review my case and to keep progressing. Lastly, when I did order my retainers, I waited over month with no notification of shipment. When I contacted SMD, I received an apology and a refund but was unable to be given a solid delivery date. I finally did receive my retainers and I am slightly disappointed in the quality of the retainer. It is made of a more lightweight material, similar to SDC's week 1/week 2 aligners. It would be better if they were made of the thicker materials like that in their week 3/4 aligners. I am actually still using my last aligner as my retainer and will keep the new one as a backup.
So, all in all, I am good with the result and that’s most important. The online communication was good, needs a little improvement. Quality of service I think is where SDC needs to focus their attention - be honest with their clients, utilize the correct professional staffing and have better oversight of the supply chain.
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
