My Experience with SmileDirect

I finished my treatment (finally) on 12/25/2018 and ordered (and paid for) a retainer while continuing to wear my last aligner. The retainer came and caused a sore all the way around my mouth. In addition it did not fit well and there is blood in the retainer when I take it out. I had an email exchange with SmileDirect customer service where I was told to trim it myself. I filed gently in one direction (as directed) each time I removed it for two weeks but still had sores on checks and my tongue and there was blood in the tray. I went back to wearing my last retainer for two weeks so that the sores could resolve. Then I went to the dentist and had x-rays and (thank God) my teeth seem to be okay - but I cannot wear the retainer they sold me.

I wrote the following email today to SmileDirect asking them to resolve my inability to wear the retainer that they sold me:
"I complained about my new retainers as outlined below. The response was essentially "trim them yourself". I continued to try to file them - in the same direction but after several weeks I was not only still dealing with mouth sores but a tongue sore and blood in the retainer when I removed them. I decided to go back to wearing my final aligner - which does not have blood in them when I remove them.

My retainer has two problems: 1) First it was untrimmed and a lot of filing by me has not resolved that and 2) The retainer does not fit as well as my final aligner and so I bleed into it.

To resolve this I would like the following :

1) To receive a replacement retainer at no charge.
2) To make sure retainer fits I would like to have a free appointment at a SmileShop to have a picture taken of my teeth to have the retainers fit my teeth as they currently are post-treatment.
3) I would like to receive retainers that have been trimmed by a dental professional so that my gums and tongue are not cut by it. I am not a dental professional and expecting me to do this correctly is unreasonable.

I have a Realself.com review under the username Jumpingjax that I have been doing on my SmileDirect treatment. So far my result is undecided. I will be posting this as an update and will post your response. "

After writing and asking for an appointment at a Smile shop for a refinement there was a silence. After nudging I got a reply in a week. Then I got a text saying they had set up an appointment for me.... in Albuquerque New Mexico. I live a thousand miles away from there - a place I have never lived. So... multiple more contacts - always with a new person - to whom everything must be explained - I got an appointment an hour away from me in Boca Raton Florida. In the 3 days leading up to the appointment I received two texts confirming my appointment each with a blurb saying I would get a "free teeth whitening" a "49$ value" with my visit. I received a third text from the Smileshop in Boca making sure I knew how to get there and where to park. Additionally I received 4 form-emails from them on 9/10 about confirming my appointment and making sure I knew how to get there and telling me - again - that I was going to get the teeth whitening kit - a 49$ value... etc. 3 of these canned emails assumed I was a new patient. On 9/12 I received two more appointment confirmations by email. At the appointment they wanted me to sign a release which was printed in 9 point type and was three pages long. I insisted on reading it. Both the lady who gave it to me and Nancy - the one who did my scan - tried to get me to just sign it because "you are only here for a half hour". The release has lots of important information. You need to see (and pay for) a dentist before and during treatment and have x-rays to see the roots and see that they are not shortening... if they are shortening you could lose your teeth. And other stuff like that which you need to know for your health. I am glad I did not allow myself to be pushed into not reading it. The scan went okay. Much easier than trying to do the clay imprints or take pictures myself. I showed her the bottom rotated incisor (see picture in my last update) and I said while they were at it I would like the top front teeth (which started out rotated medially to finish the last 10% of the rotation laterally) and on the left the gap (CREATED by the first original set of aligners) that the previous refinement was trying to fill needs another 10% to be completely closed. The gap on the right is fixed. She agreed and said, "It is good that you came in." She told me I will get an email with the results of the scan and saying if I am approved for a refinement "in two days." That will be tomorrow 9/15. She told me to continue to wear my last aligner on the 20 hour a day schedule. At the end she was getting ready to escort me out and I asked, "What about my free teeth whitening?" She said, "Oh, they shouldn't be saying that. You don't get that." I said, "Yes I do. I have received TWO texts AND and an email saying you would give me that, would you like to see one of the texts?" and I took out my phone. She sighed and got out the kit and gave it to me. When I got home I looked at the kit. You use the gel on the teeth 2 times a day for a week and after each application you hold the LED light in your mouth for ten minutes. Only problem is that the kit comes with 1 two-day supply of gel - not a week's worth. So much for free teeth whitening. Fine I don't get that. Don't send me THREE texts and emails telling me I will get it. I am trying to trust these people with my health. This kind of issue (and the many in my previous updates) does not build trust. Also, the instructions say you should re-do whitening in 3 months. No information on where or how to order gel in the kit.

So. Tomorrow we will see if I get an email saying that I am approved for a refinement.

The top gaps (created by the treatment) have been closed by the first refinement. The bottom teeth are still not straight. The teeth have gone from 65% to 80% done during this refinement. I am going to ask for another refinement because my lower left central incisor still needs to rotate (and perhaps tilt) as do the teeth adjacent to it to have the teeth actually line up as shown in the 3D treatment plan. I have read about people going to a smile shop and having the impressions done professionally. I would like this to make sure that this last refinement is the last one needed so I will ask if that can be done as well.