Are anchors required to move teeth properly with clear braces? Smile Direct Club doesn't use them.

Smile Direct Club does not provide attachments (also called "anchors" or "buttons") on the teeth. These attachments are small, tooth-colored resins that are placed on the teeth to help the aligner grip the tooth and move it more efficiently. Some teeth, such as canines or some of the small front teeth are very hard to move and rotate even with the attachments, so without them it is extremely difficult. Invisalign and other clear aligners offer these attachments, which is why the results are much more predictable than with Smile Direct Club. One other important difference is that Smile Direct Club is an "on your own" or "do it yourself" type of braces done without proper supervision by a licensed dentist. It is important to have a dentist monitor your orthodontic treatment because if you try to move the teeth while there is gum disease, decay, or other damaging conditions present, you can end up worsening these conditions or causing premature tooth loss. I do not recommend Smile Direct Club to patients as I believe it can have serious consequences. 

Yes and without them the aligners don't usually work properly. One of the major problems originally with clear aligners was that they didn't have the anchors/attachments. Smile direct club will not give a good result and they are really walking a fine line with dental laws on treatment. They don't have attachments and cannot do necessary tooth thinning or IPR. While I cannot assess your case without photos, I would never suggest smile direct club and I would recommend speaking to an orthodontist to see what type of treatment is best for your, whether it be fixed appliances (braces) or clear aligners.

In order for any clear aligner systems to work, they have to "grip" or slightly "snap over" the teeth, like a lid on a tuperware container.  

Depending on the shape or position of the teeth, the aligners may not fit tightly enough to "grab" the tooth to move it. 

The attachments Invisalign uses are actually very small complex geometric shapes placed in exact positions so the aligner both "grabs" the tooth and that the aligner pushes the tooth in the ideal direction.  I would guess that tens of millions of dollars in research and computer modeling has been done by Invisalign to make these attachments as good as they are now.  (I do not work for or promote invisalign, I use it regularly in my office and have watched it steadily improve over the years)

If an aligner system holds some teeth better than others, the ones not held well move in the wrong direction.  (I can actually see this in some of the example cases they show on their web site)  Yes, that means any aligner can actually make some teeth worse!  That is why Orthodontists regularly check patients and carefully monitor case progress.

If you want your teeth to look good, find an experienced invisalign orthodontist and get the treatment done right.  You will not be disappointed.

Dear forwill,Thank you for posting your questions on RealSelf.  If your orthodontist or dentist suggests that you need anchorage devices (TADs) to correct your bite and straighten your teeth, he is trying to not only give you a great smile but also give you a healthy occlusion to prevent relapse later.Smile Direct Club is a great option for patients that strictly need minor teeth straightening.  If you are concerned with your doctor's decision, I suggest seeking second opinion from an Invisalign treating orthodontist.  From the information provided, it seems that your case is more complicated and requires a more complex treatment plan than what Smile Direct Club can provide.  Also, patients should be careful using Smile Direct Club.  They do not provide close monitoring so your case can spiral out of control if complex.I hope that this helps and good luck.Best,Dr. Jenn

For inpatient invisible aligner treatment, your orthodontist or dentist may prescribe anchors (or buttons or attachments as they're sometimes called) to reduce the duration of treatment or to achieve certain movements on a case-by-case basis. SmileDirectClub doesn't require these. If the prescribing doctor on your case determined you needed them to achieve results, they would refer you for in-office treatment rather than SmileDirectClub's remote model.