Aibu to use a cheap online teeth straightening company?

[Thingsthatgo]

I really want my teeth straightened, but really can justify the cost. There are online companies (for example Straight My Teeth) that charge £1k instead of £3k or more. They have excellent reviews on trust pilot and other places. Seems a bit too good to be true. Anyone used them? I know that Invisalign are good, but I can’t afford them.

I wouldn't trust any process that doesn't mention a dentist or orthodontist having oversight/involvement, or even taking basic xrays and photos. Imprints done at home have no guarantee of accuracy and don't show your gum or root integrity, and your aligners could do permanent damage to your teeth

Ask yourself why it’s so much cheaper.... and what you’d do if something went wrong....

@Touloser

I wouldn't trust any process that doesn't mention a dentist or orthodontist having oversight/involvement, or even taking basic xrays and photos. Imprints done at home have no guarantee of accuracy and don't show your gum or root integrity, and your aligners could do permanent damage to your teeth

This 100% I had braces on for best part of 2 years, multiple checks and adaptations by the dentist. No way do aligners straighten your teeth, they are what I wear now for a couple of hours a day to keep my straight teeth in position. Please don't waste your money on aligners. My dentist let me pay it over the course of the treatment so this may be an option for you.

I wouldn't trust anywhere like that. You should be seeing a dentist/orthodontist throughout the procedure so they can monitor progress - it's downright weird and dodgy not to.

That company doesn’t look great at all.
Take a look at Straight Teeth Direct - more reasonably priced than Invisalign and definitely not ‘dodgy’.
I’m on my last aligner with them and they’ve been great. They have a team of dentists/orthodontists who monitor your progress each month via photos.
You should see your Dentist first though, to verify that your teeth and gums are healthy as any underlying problems could be made worse with aligners.

I used straight teeth direct and my teeth are now perfect, excellent service too.

Straight teeth direct only focus on the front six. This isn’t enough for many people!

Don’t do it.

As someone who has had to have years of dental work, only ever, ever use properly qualified dentists. You would be mad to use one of these companies offering cheap treatment. Ask yourself why and how they can offer expensive treatment at cut prices.

Remember the old adage 'if it looks to be too good to be true, then it probably is'. I wouldn't risk it OP, see if you can do a deal with your dentist to pay over a period of time, and get it done right!

I looked into the smile centre (or whatever that one on the Tele is called) it seemed great, until the realisation was that I would need to do it forever more, so seemed that the cost would be never ending. I have gappy teeth, and tbf the dentist had already earned me that even if I had a brace my teeth would move back as soon as it was taken off.

You need to look at any costs going forward as well as the initial cost.

Obviously a ball ache at the moment but save your £, go abroad. The dentist we've used for years for these kind of things isn't far over the border in Romania from Budapest. We'll generally fly to Budapest, get the dental done, have a lovely city break (Budapest is wonderful) and still have money to spare compared to getting things done here.
Looking at around 25% of the UK costs for similar private treatments
I'm fairly sure that there's people that organise "budget" dental trips because last time I took 1 of my brood pretty much everyone there at the dentist's had flown over from Ireland..

@Watchingyou2sleezes

Obviously a ball ache at the moment but save your £, go abroad. The dentist we've used for years for these kind of things isn't far over the border in Romania from Budapest. We'll generally fly to Budapest, get the dental done, have a lovely city break (Budapest is wonderful) and still have money to spare compared to getting things done here. Looking at around 25% of the UK costs for similar private treatments I'm fairly sure that there's people that organise "budget" dental trips because last time I took 1 of my brood pretty much everyone there at the dentist's had flown over from Ireland..

I'm interested in this. Where do I even start at looking in to it, if you don't mind me asking?

I had invisalign with a very skilled orthodontist. It was a very successful process from the detailed photography/X-rays at the beginning to regular checkups and the fixing of a permanent wire on my teeth after the straightening was complete.

Moving teeth is a needs a highly skilled practitioner. I wouldn’t risk my teeth on anything else.

I wouldn’t risk it, I’m 2 years into orthodontic work with train tracks. I get adjustments every 5 weeks, lots of little revisions are done to stop things going of course, teeth can be tricky to get right. It’s not just the teeth looking straight, but having the bite correct.

Do not do it.

Don't do it. Loads of reports of these companies being terrible from real dentists.

I have basic metal train tracks as it was the cheapest option with a real dentist in person monitoring and doing my treatment. £2300 in the north.

Totally agree with @SprayedWithDettol

I had Invisalign and had X-rays, hygienist, and a filling replaced before I started as your teeth and and gums have to be in good condition before you start.
I've finished now and had retainer wires. Very happy with results. The peace of mind of having a healthy mouth and a good dentist is such a bloody relief!

Don't do it!

My dentist does Invisalign and Smilelign. Have just finished with Smilelign and very happy. About 25% cheaper but properly overseen by my dentist.

Thank you all for the reality check! I appreciate you all taking the time to reply. I will have to start saving!

I had braces through the NHS for 4 years from the age of 24-28. If your teeth are really bad then the NHS will pay but they are metal traintrack braces. I wouldn’t go to any of these cheap companies- the amount of tweaking and work that the orthodontist put into my teeth was crazy. It’s expensive because it’s a skill- you wouldn’t pay some random bloke to do plastering in your house just because it’s cheap.
It’s painful, awkward and long but 100% worth it.

Are your teeth that awful you really have to straighten them? Be aware that they will always want to return to the original position, and no matter who straightens them, you will always have to wear a retainer at night. If you do go ahead, have a proper orthodontist do the work. Preferably in your home country. I can understand people going abroad for cost reasons for dentistry/plastic surgery, but for heavens sake, your health is at risk. What is all this obsession with perfection? Why can't you live with what you've got and be grateful it all works? Mind you, I'm no oil painting and I've got crooked teeth......many would advise me to have work done!

My daughters orthodontist said that she has had to do corrections on peoples teeth that have been totally messed up by these cheap companies. You may end up paying thousands to get your teeth corrected if it all goes wrong.

@Watchingyou2sleezes I am currently looking for a dentist for some extensive work and was thinking of Budapest. Is there any chance you would be happy to share the name of yours?
Thank you so much

@Thingsthatgo

Thank you all for the reality check! I appreciate you all taking the time to reply. I will have to start saving!

Mine have cost £2400, for ceramic on top and metal on bottom. Would have been £1800 for both metal, and my teeth were shocking, severe overcrowding. I am using Scottish orthodontics as a private patient, basically where teenagers go on the NHS