Smile direct

SmileDirectClub is shutting down, just months after the struggling teeth-straightening company filed for bankruptcy, leaving existing customers in limbo.

The company offered a mail order approach to straighter teeth, but some customers have been left in the middle of treatment and with remaining balances. People who sought straighter teeth with invisible aligners from SmileDirectClub could be in a tough spot, now that the company has announced a complete shutdown just a couple months after filing for bankruptcy. On its website, the company explains that customers of SmileDirectClub won't be able to receive any more aligners or customer care, regardless of where they are in their treatment path. The company also expects customers to continue their payments, meaning all existing patients with a payment plan are currently still on the hook for whatever they owe. An average treatment length is four to six months but can run up to two years for some patients. Invisible aligners have become a popular teeth straightening treatment in recent years because clear aligners are a more subtle alternative to traditional orthodontic services.

Smile direct

By clicking a retailer link you consent to third party cookies that track your onward journey. If you make a purchase, Which? The abrupt closure of online cosmetic dentist Smile Direct Club has left customers in the lurch. So what can you do if you're affected, and is it a bad idea to opt for an online-only dentist, however tempting the price may be compared with high-street options? Smile Direct Club once promised to disrupt traditional cosmetic dentistry by offering tooth alignment remotely at prices that were significantly lower than most bricks-and-mortar providers. But now the company, which is based in the United States but has customers in the UK, has gone into liquidation, leaving some patients out of pocket and partway through treatment. We explain what to do if you're affected, and where to turn for treatment instead. Founded in , Smile Direct Club offered a range of cosmetic dental treatments remotely, primarily realignment, by which a patient wears a clear plastic guard that over time will straighten their teeth. These have grown in popularity because they are less visible than traditional braces. Customers use a DIY impression kit to take moulds of their own teeth. Aligners are then made using this mould; these need replacing frequently so new ones are posted at regular intervals to gradually adjust the teeth, with treatment managed remotely.

OrthoFX requires in-person appointments with a dentist for fittings with the aligners you'll wear at home. Jessica Rendall.

The company appears to be leaving its more than 2 million customers without the perfect smile they were promised. She wasn't happy with her smile, so she decided to give the at-home, teeth alignment service "SmileDirectClub" a try, and She was happy with her treatment until it stopped abruptly last week. The company, which had filed for bankruptcy in September, announced it was ceasing operations immediately. There's no one to talk to. There is no customer service. There's, there's nothing there. So it's kind of pointless to kind of go that route to kind of try to save some money since my treatment was so small.

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. If you're anything like me, you had expensive orthodontics as a child and proceeded to lose your retainers shortly after, so your teeth have shifted slightly out of place. Now, you want a quick way to fix them. For me, I became self-conscious as an adult about smiling big in pictures because I didn't want the light to catch my one tooth that had started slipping behind the others. Turns out, Invisalign is shockingly expensive, just like those braces your parents paid for. But SmileDirectClub offers a possible solution to your dental woes for half to one-third the price of Invisalign, and a quarter of the time. So, when I was given the opportunity to try SDC's aligners — a year before my wedding, no less — I jumped on it. Remember, you should always consult your own dentist before committing to the service. But if you're thinking about trying SmileDirectClub yourself, here's how my experience went.

Smile direct

When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. SmileDirectClub has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Due to the company's uncertain future, we recommend you try SmileDirectClub alternative aligner brands. Read more about the situation. Smile Direct Club is a teledentistry company that offers a cost-effective alternative to braces and clear aligners like Invisalign. But that doesn't mean your treatment isn't supervised. In fact, a licensed orthodontist or dentist will monitor the entire course of your orthodontics treatment with SDC and check in with you every 90 days.

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Data on file at SmileDirectClub. Removable braces, such as 'invisible' plastic tooth aligners, are intended for more minor changes. There has been a rise in the emergence of cheaper online-only providers, he said, but customers should steer clear because they were not as closely regulated as traditional dental surgeries. Prominent investors, such as Hindenburg Research, which is known for betting against companies, had also voiced alarm, accusing Smile Direct Club of "cutting corners" and warning that it would "wind up as a case study in why it's a bad idea to invest in a company that attempts to fit a complex, dangerous medical process onto a low-cost, high volume assembly line". In these cases, she said, gum disease, bite problems and other issues often arise. OrthoFX is offering free consultations and treatment assessments to people who were SmileDirectClub customers. Better regulation While SmileDirectClub is gone, the risks remain. Compared to second tank capacity of Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser. Anyone who has paid using credit should seek advice from their provider. With its stock price tumbling, SmileDirectClub was pressured to spend on acquiring customers to demonstrate its business could grow, said Eric Snyder, chairman of bankruptcy at the Wilk Auslander law firm. Search Query Submit Search.

Healthline senior editor Candice Abellon tried SmileDirect… kind of? Follow along in her journey to find her smile.

The British Dental Association has never been comfortable with the business model [of remote care]. Remote companies like SmileDirectClub don't require any in-person appointments, in contrast to companies like Invisalign , which requires some in-person appointments and fittings with a doctor. You can check if yours is a registered dentist by searching the General Dental Council register. Approach them as you would a new patient. The online cosmetic dentist business has collapsed, leaving some UK consumers stranded partway through treatment and out of pocket. Check our NHS vs private dental charges guide. As per GDC standard 6. Featured Local Savings. Met Council, Metro Transit workers approve labor agreement, raising wages. SmileDirectClub shuts down months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. People who sought straighter teeth with invisible aligners from SmileDirectClub could be in a tough spot, now that the company has announced a complete shutdown just a couple months after filing for bankruptcy. If you'd like to try to fight your case, call or email support gohfd.