POSTED UNDER SmileDirectClub REVIEWS
My Experience with SmileDirect
ORIGINAL POST
I started wearing my first set of aligners last...
jumpingjaxJuly 5, 2017
$1,600
I started wearing my first set of aligners last night. They are tight but not painful and do feeling like the might be doing something. My concern is that I looked over my treatment plan carefully and at the end of 8 months it should have fixed the crowding in my lower front and upper two front teeth and slightly fixed my overbite. It does seem that it will do that. The problem is that the treatment will create two gaps (one on each side). The teeth next to the two front upper teeth will have a gap between them and the next tooth back - of over 1.5 mm. This is a gap that does not now exist - I have posted a before picture showing no gap (circled) per the beginning of the treatment plan. At the end there is a gap of over 1.5 mm.
I chatted with Tiffany in customer service and even though I have used the first aligner less than 24 hours they will NOT do a revision. At the end Tiffany said that I could get a revision at no cost at the end of treatment but she said several contradictory things. Earlier she said I would have to pay for it if the actual treatment looked like the plan. After I pointed out that I DON'T want it to look like the plan she said a revision would be free. She also said they could not do it at all at first (and it would need braces to move those two teeth forward (does not seem likely to me - it is a simply move not a twist or anything). Then she said that they could do it but it would take longer. Anyway. Did not like the changing story. She refused to have the treatment plan revised now - at the beginning - so here I am.
I told her I was going to post on realself about the experience and I asked her to put notes in my chart that after less than a day of wearing I wanted a revision to move up those two teeth to close the two large gaps created by treatment. So we will see. I am having a hard time posting the second photo showing the "ending" of the treatment plan with the new gap. I will try responding to this or doing another post to see if I can post that picture. And I will update as I go along in treatment.
I chatted with Tiffany in customer service and even though I have used the first aligner less than 24 hours they will NOT do a revision. At the end Tiffany said that I could get a revision at no cost at the end of treatment but she said several contradictory things. Earlier she said I would have to pay for it if the actual treatment looked like the plan. After I pointed out that I DON'T want it to look like the plan she said a revision would be free. She also said they could not do it at all at first (and it would need braces to move those two teeth forward (does not seem likely to me - it is a simply move not a twist or anything). Then she said that they could do it but it would take longer. Anyway. Did not like the changing story. She refused to have the treatment plan revised now - at the beginning - so here I am.
I told her I was going to post on realself about the experience and I asked her to put notes in my chart that after less than a day of wearing I wanted a revision to move up those two teeth to close the two large gaps created by treatment. So we will see. I am having a hard time posting the second photo showing the "ending" of the treatment plan with the new gap. I will try responding to this or doing another post to see if I can post that picture. And I will update as I go along in treatment.
Replies (11)
September 2, 2017
We strive to give our customer's the best possible outcome while using our invisible aligners to get you the Smile you deserve. Our aligners do not move molars, we use your molars to manipulate movement in other teeth therefore a gap behind the canines can be normal when a gap in the front is being closed. We do not use attachments such as rubber bands or buttons to move teeth therefore some movement is not within SmileDirectClub's product specifications. We hope you are as excited as we are to start this journey with you to a whiter, brighter, straighter smile :) If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us at 1-800-651-5210.
April 16, 2018
Wow they really thought it was ok to leave it like that ? I had seriously thought of using the company but after reading your review I am not going to take a chance with them. I will take my business elsewhere. Thank you for the review.
April 16, 2018
I don't think anyone wants to spend the money to move a few teeth for a good frontal look and have embarrassing gaps on the side.
UPDATED FROM jumpingjax
5 days post
The projected finish photo...
jumpingjaxJuly 9, 2017
I was not able to upload a second photo with my original review. So I am adding this to upload the picture showing that the ending of the treatment plan has me with two gaps in the upper "social six" teeth.
Replies (2)
July 9, 2017
My plan has a gap as well--I'm just happy to have straight teeth, this is what you get using this kind of service ya know? I figure I can vaneer my gap of it's awful :)
September 19, 2018
I feel the same way. I already had a gap there - it's just going to be a little wider and is not visible when I smile. The front gap is more distressing.
UPDATED FROM jumpingjax
8 months post
At the end of treatment...
jumpingjaxMarch 4, 2018
Well... fast forward 8 months. I have a LARGE gap on each side between the cuspid and the lateral incisor. To be clear I had NO gaps in my teeth pre-teatment, these two gaps are in the upper "social six" teeth and they are each over 1.5 mm in size. I am writing and asking for a revision. In addition the bottom teeth - while less crowded - still not where they should be per the 3d treatment plan. If they do not give me a revision it was not worth doing this.... I will update when I know more
Replies (8)
March 5, 2018
This is exactly happening to me and I’m only two months in! Should I stop this entire process?
March 6, 2018
I got an email from them saying the Dentist is evaluating my revision request so I don't yet know if they will stay with me and fix this...
March 6, 2018
Hi there! We're sorry to see that you're having some concerns. Teeth don't always project as expected which is why we ask for progress photos and offer mid course corrections and reevaluations. This is part of the nature of teledentistry. That said, we sent a DM to discuss further.
March 7, 2018
Yeah but this is exactly as projected - this patient brought it up back in July and seems to have asked for a re-evaluation. If, as a company, you are going to lurk on reviews and come in and try to respond to issues and look like you’re fixing the problem read the whole review.
March 7, 2018
We were speaking generally about our policy, as we cannot address specific cases publicly due to HIPAA laws which is why we directed the conversation to a DM. Please let us know if you have any other questions.
April 14, 2018
This is what is happening to me. They said teeth extractions could be possible from someone in customer service and got a statement from a dentist in smiledirect and was unable to actually speak with a dentist instead of receiving an email saying something generic. Another customer service rep said that it’s due to making my bite comfortable. These comments are coming from people who do not have background experience in dentistry. As a person who works in customer service and marketing, their 3D smiles that show movement, show movement in the molars as well and they said to me that it’s not possible at one point and denied my request for a revision for the gaps in my teeth. I got the run around in the beginning. My front gap is closing on my third month with one more month to go and that’s what I wanted. But now there’s two huge gaps at the side of my lateral incisors. I’m unhappy with the results and was expecting more and I’m not sure what to do anymore. I’ve been second guessing this product for a while and will need to see an actual dentist for advice.
April 16, 2018
Ask them to move the gaps back further. Perhaps behind the next teeth. Many people usually are successful with that since molars are not purposely being moved (if that makes sense).
I would be very annoyed with a cracked aligner and being shipped the wrong aligners... really could change your results. I hope they are willing to stay with you without cost until you have results. It must be annoying to have your treatment plan time double. I have to admit that my original treatment plan is 8 months and I am wondering how I will be able to do it. On an up note I will probably lose weight because of what a hassle it is to take them out - have a snack - then brush and floss and rinse or clean the aligners!