It’s becoming more common to see dental practices advertising clear aligner treatments for as little as $3,000 or $4,000. On the surface, that sounds like a bargain. But what many patients don’t realize is that those numbers are often just the bait. By the time hidden fees are added—check-ups, refinements, retainers, and so on—the final cost can creep up to $7,000 or even $9,000. And here’s the catch: because of non-disclosure agreements many patients sign at the start of treatment, you’ll never hear about it in reviews or online complaints. Inside the dental industry, we hear these stories all the time.
There’s another trend worth cautioning against: do-it-yourself aligner systems. They make it look easy, as if straightening your teeth is no more complicated than ordering glasses online. But moving teeth isn’t cosmetic in the way people think—it’s a medical process with serious biological consequences. Done incorrectly, it can cause long-term damage to your teeth and jaw. If the thought of performing your own eye surgery makes you shudder, consider that straightening teeth without professional oversight can carry risks just as irreversible.
You may have heard of Smile Direct Club, once one of the largest DIY aligner companies. They eventually collapsed under a mountain of lawsuits, complaints, and failures. Their promises of low-cost convenience came at a steep price for patients who had nowhere to turn when things went wrong. No dentist, no dental body, no accountability.
When it comes to your smile, shortcuts are rarely worth the gamble. The cost of doing it right the first time is always less than the cost of fixing the damage later.