Candid Review: An Upfront and Honest Look at Candid

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Karyl fell in love with dental hygiene at an early age. After she watched an educational video in elementary school about what can happen if you don't floss, Karly was scared into taking care of her teeth. Now that she's an adult, she's proud of the beautiful and healthy smile she has. As a healthcare worker, she knows there's nothing more important than taking care of your health. Karyl loves to start with her mouth!

How do clear aligners even work?

The key to any orthodontic alignment procedure will generally be the same: a gradual force exerted upon the teeth, giving in to new ideal and more correct positioning. With braces, it is pretty obvious and more readily apparent. Brackets are glued onto the teeth surfaces and then a wire goes through them.

The wire, being elastic, naturally wants to revert to as much of its natural shape as it can, and so the goal is to align the teeth to their ideal arc. With gradual force, the teeth adapt and allow the gums to soften until a consistent rebuild is possible. Your gums don’t wear down or even noticeably soften, but the invisible process is what’s going on within those tiny pearly whites and their casing.

Great, now you know how braces work, but how does that explain aligners? There are often misconceptions about aligners being less effective or reliable than braces when that could hardly be true.

Clear aligners are made typically of a sturdy thermoplastic polyurethane. They don’t have a wire stretching your teeth to their natural arc, but rather use an arched plastic correcting your teeth in the same gradual way. Actually, each application of aligners typically reaches that aligner’s ideal shape within 24 hours. Typically the wearer will keep it on for about two weeks.

The reason for this is that although teeth have achieved their aligner’s shape, they need about two weeks or so to really settle and retain that shape without wanting to immediately revert to their former shape. The plastic aligners also encapsulate more structural surface area of teeth than do traditional braces (not to mention not being as noticeable!).

Understanding how they work is important for the pure sake of perspective. If you want peace of mind on functionality, as well as an understanding of how these less noticeable pieces of orthodontic hardware work, this section is a reminder they are as effective as they are concealable.

Determining clear aligner circumstances

Before moving forward, it is very important to determine whether clear aligners are for you. Candid will analyze each individual consultation and better inform each client on whether clear aligners are for them, as will every other clear aligner company. Still, you can save time by determining if clear aligners can suit your orthodontic needs before moving forward with more time and money being spent.

First and foremost, if you have a dentist, they can be the best resource at your disposal to consult regarding any questions you might have. While a dentist isn’t typically required to be licensed in orthodontics, they can still give you a general idea if you need orthodontic work done, or they can refer you (if insurance allows for it) to an orthodontist.

Because clear aligners cannot be used in more tough orthodontic circumstances, it’s important to first determine if you qualify for clear aligners.

With Candid, your consultation comes in the form of a 100 dollar bite impression kit you send. The assessment tools with a lot of clear aligner companies can be pricey. Thankfully, if you are not a candidate, Candid will refund you your impression assessment charges. A very confident sign that they are committed to providing quality care that they can back.

What Does Candid Cost? A Quick Aside on Financing

Candid is a dental service, so while one may have insurance, it is worth double-checking as they will work with some insurances (they are only in-network with Anthem), but each case may be different with Candid.

Even if you don’t have insurance that will cover the cost of Candid, they do offer a few different financial plans. You could also look into something like CareCredit if you are not eligible under your insurance.

Overall, Candid will cost around $2400. Financing is available and it starts around $399 down with payments of $99 a month, which is quite reasonable. If you have an FSA or an HSA account, you can also use those to pay for Candid aligners.

This treatment cost covers your whole Candid program, including your full set of aligners, remote monitoring by an orthodontist, and the whitening system. If you require in-person visits with an orthodontist, or if your program is extended after your initial set of aligners, you may be required to pay more.

The Candid Review

Candid believes that more people should have access to orthodontic care, both more affordably and conveniently. Despite only being a few years old, the company has made great progress in its reach and how it approaches orthodontic care uniquely.

The actual hardware provided by Candid is BPA and phthalate-free, both chemicals that can be harmful. The plastics look rather thin considering how structurally sound they are. They are well built and come all together in a box set for you.

Not to worry though, your orthodontist observes the movement every two weeks to make sure everything is going according to plan, but also ready to assist if something is amiss. Along with the boxed set of aligners, you also get a container with plenty of premium teeth whitening to last you the duration of your procedure.

What makes Candid amazing is the notion that you don’t have to go into an office. If you do prefer to go to a physical location, you might be just a bit out of luck as they have a few locations for in-person visitation. Though as mentioned just prior, if you are a busy person, or just don’t like going to the dentist’s office for every check-up, you no longer have to.

Every two weeks, your orthodontist checks in on you to see how your teeth are doing and if you might have any questions. Candid is also available for contact from 9 am to 7 pm 7 days a week in case you might have any sudden needs.

Speaking of orthodontists, Candid is one of the very few companies to hire explicitly orthodontists. Orthodontists study tooth movement specifically and learn about bite correction, having spent years mastering the science.

With the level of expertise they have in the subject, one would expect that clear aligner services hire orthodontists, but it is not common. With candid, you have the peace of mind that there is a high confidence level with the orthodontist regarding the quality of their work.

Features list of Candid:

Remote orthodontic care anywhere in the US
Quality attention from professional Orthodontists versus dentists
Quality aligners that are BPA and Phthalate free
6-month average treatment duration
Frequent scans and imaging meetings with an orthodontist (biweekly)
Relatively Affordable
Works with some insurances
Complimentary tooth whitening
Reliable and widely accessible customer contact options

Pros:

Orthodontist specialized attention with remote access to orthodontic treatment with prompt treatments and guaranteed 1-on-1 attention
Candid aligners are nearly invisible. You will know that they’re on your teeth, but under normal circumstances, most people will not see them.
The treatment can be very quick. Candid users have an average of a six-month treatment program, though some go up to ten or further.
The cost of Candid is cheaper than traditional braces.
Whitening is included in the program and the whitener really works, according to many reviewers.
With the Candid aligner program, in-office visits aren’t required. Once you have your initial studio visit you likely won’t have to go into an office again because of their remote monitoring.
Many reviews from people who have used the Candid aligner system claim that their customer service is great. If you have an issue, they are quick to solve it and get you right back on track.
No special diet restrictions are required to use Candid aligners.
The program is overseen by experienced orthodontists, so you have a guarantee that you are working with an actual doctor about your teeth.
Payment options are available to people who qualify with sufficient credit and aren’t covered by insurance.

Cons:

Cheaper than traditional braces, but not cheap to purchase if insurance isn’t taken at a specific office
Limited insurance taken, and there will be a credit check, so if your insurance doesn’t cover and you don’t have the best credit you may not be eligible.
Limited physical locations. You cannot get Candid aligners anywhere else, it has to be through their website or one of their studios.
Your whole program is remote. While this is a good thing for most people, there is a slightly higher risk of complications or not getting the results you want.
The Candid aligner program will not work for people with severe malocclusions.
The Candid aligner program does not include nighttime aligners, only daytime.
If something goes wrong during the course of your program there is no refund available on aligners.
Some customers have reported that doing the at-home dental impressions is very complicated, and some of them have had to repeat the process before they can get started.
There are only 10 Candid studios throughout the country, so if you want in personal care and aren’t lucky enough to live close to one, be prepared to travel.
The cost of Candid aligners is more than other similar aligners on the market.

The biggest benefit to Candid is having that professional and specialized orthodontist treating you from start to finish, all while never having to leave the house.

Being well-versed in malocclusions, it also helps the progress of your treatment compared to some other companies where the level of expertise provided may not be as high. This all comes with a few trade-offs, however.

Though Candid is cheaper than many or most traditional braces, the price is still high if you do not have accepted insurance. Furthermore, their limited insurance options are quite a downside to the company.

At 2400 dollars, that is quite an investment to make, though their monthly plan is not too bad. Even further still, if you really prefer visiting the orthodontists or just feel better with the option, Candid may not be suitable unless you live in super-cities like San Francisco, Chicago, Washington DC, or LA.

Competitors-Brief comparisons:

Invisalign

Invisalign is the most popular and recognized brand of clear orthodontic aligners. While definitely, a very good option for quality orthodontic care, the biggest drawback about Invisalign is that it is 2,000-5,000 dollars more than Candid.

There are also many more locations to Invisalign, which can be a good or bad thing depending on the person. You get more in-person attention and closer looks at your teeth from an orthodontist at physical locations. There are not many options for remote monitoring for Invisalign, so that is its drawback.

Smile Direct Club

Smile Direct Club can save you around 500 dollars and has some bonuses. On top of saving some money, Smile Direct Club has true 24/7 customer service.

It also features significantly more physical locations than Candid and takes many more insurances than Candid. Unfortunately, a greater portion of the team are dentists and not orthodontists looking after you.

Further still, you are not guaranteed an assigned start-to-finish person looking after your treatment.

Byte

Byte is the most similar and direct competitor to Candid. It is the B to its C, the Beethoven to its Mozart. Dramatics aside, Byte is a truly ingenuitive company, shortening the time for treatment by almost a two-month lead average when compared to Candid.

Their vibrating devices help hasten the process for the gradual force applied to teeth. They also offer a lifetime guarantee on their results, whereas Candid offers only a month or so after treatment completion. Lastly, Byte is a bit cheaper by almost 20 percent, coming in at about 1900 dollars.

While although they may not have as many orthodontists on their team, their satisfaction guarantee is something incomparable. Byte truly is a worthy competitor to Candid.

Read our full Byte vs Candid comparison.

FAQs

What comes in your Candid starter kit?

The starter kit comes with instructions for taking photos and creating your bite impressions. It also includes a cheek stretcher for the intraoral photos you will be taking. Lastly, there is putty and a tray for you to make your impressions in, as well as a paid postage return box for receiving your impressions

What happens if I lose an aligner?

If for some reason, you lose your aligner, contact your patient care specialist. With your orthodontist, you will determine the needs, whether moving forward a phase safely or fabricate a new aligner to replace the lost one. It is important to keep all the aligners together even after use, as some situations may require you to go back to the most recent phase while you wait for a replacement.

Is there anything I can do to speed up the process?

Remote monitoring makes the treatment go faster than if you had to go check in with your orthodontist in-person before every step of the treatment. You can move on to applying the aligner as soon as you get the green light from your orthodontist. However, it is important to be patient with the pace the orthodontist has set as they know the proper time your gums need to heal and fully set.

Will aligners cause soreness?

Your first set of aligners may make your teeth sore. Because there is an inflammatory phase to teeth movement, when you get your aligner, it may get sore with the initial shift. Your aligner may not line up perfectly initially either, so included is a chewy sponge to help soften the adjustment onto the teeth.

Does the whitening foam hurt my gums?

No. The gentle whitening foam contains a lower amount of hydrogen peroxide than other whitening agents, so it will not make your teeth or gums sore. You may use it up to four times in a day, in accordance with the included instructions card.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the main takeaways are that clear aligners are not for everyone, but amongst the best clear aligners is Candid Co. They have superb attention to what people want. We want reliable, highly professional service, and the ability to receive that attention flexibly and remotely.

Being more affordable than braces is a nice bonus, too. With their attention to the patient and their relative accessibility, it is readily evident that Candid is a company trustworthy of experiencing and recommending.

However, because Byte is such a close competitor, just on money alone, it may be worth considering Byte and their offerings and conditions. Saving 20 percent and several months of time is something precious, and when it comes to orthodontics, the sooner you can get a proper bite reliably, the better.

The choice is ultimately yours, but hopefully, this review provides insight into whether or not Candid is for you, or if you’d like to check out a different company.