• Home
  • Blog
    • Capsule Wardrobes
    • Personal Style
    • Sustainability
    • Lifestyle
    • Healthy Food
    • Reviews
  • Shop my Instagram
  • About
  • Say Hello
  • Follow
    • INSTAGRAM
    • FACEBOOK
    • PINTEREST
    • YOUTUBE
    • TWITTER

WAYS OF STYLE

Honest clear aligners review – How much do they cost? Are clear aligners worth it?

in Lifestyle, Reviews on 07/13/20

Home » Honest clear aligners review – How much do they cost? Are clear aligners worth it?

Are you thinking about getting clear aligners but are wondering if it’s going to be really worth it? Wondering how much do clear aligners cost? That’s exactly why I decided to write this clear aligners review and tell you all about my experience during the 8 months I used them. I’m sharing what I liked, what I didn’t, what I learned and hopefully good advice on how to keep your clear aligners clean and tips on how to make your journey a little bit more enjoyable while you get your dream smile.

Ready to read my clear aligners review? Let’s go!

clear aligners review Pinterest Pin

In a hurry? Go straight to what you are looking for:

  1. Are clear aligners worth it?
  2. Where did I get my clear aligners
  3. How it all started – My journey
  4. Clear aligners review – Before & after
  5. How much do clear aligners cost?
  6. How long did I wear my clear aligners
  7. Tips and important things to remember
  8. How to clean your retainers
  9. Best retainer cleaner product I’ve tried so far
  10. Final thoughts about clear aligners
  11. Other review blog posts you may also like

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Are clear aligners worth it?

I’m so so happy with my smile. In all honesty, I did like my smile before having clear aligners, but I was always self conscious about it whenever I saw photos or videos of myself because my teeth were a little bit crooked. I know it’s probably silly, but having clear aligners really helped with my self esteem and I’d say anything that helps with that, it’s good for you!

I know it is quite the investment, but I’m here to tell you it’s 100% worth it. In this article I’m sharing my personal experience and a very detailed clear aligners review. How much do clear aligners cost, where to get them if you are in Chicago and my oral hygiene routine. Also, my favorite retainer cleaner and what’s the best way to keep your retainers sparkling clean.

Clear aligners review - My smile after 8 months of using aligners

Where did I get my clear aligners?

Getting clear aligners was the best decision for me because it helped me with my self confidence. I love my smile so much right now! I owe it all to Dr Kitt from Love My Smile Chicago. Honestly if you are in the Chicago area, don’t look anywhere else. She is very nice and kind but also professional.

My experience with them was incredible and I 100% recommend Love My Smile Chicago if you are thinking about getting clear aligners for yourself and if you are in the Chicago area.

How it all started – My journey

I had a pretty smooth journey with my clear aligners. I went to my initial appointment with Dr Kitt from Love My Smile Chicago. She walked me through this journey and made the whole process very smooth. You also play an important role here, since you really have to listen to your dentist, follow their instructions and wear the clear aligners as much as you can. At least 18-20 hours a day. Yes, your read that right.

After the initial consultation, I had to go back to get my X-rays and for them to scan my teeth so the clear aligners would fit me. After a few weeks they arrived and they fit perfectly. Then I had to go to follow up appointments every 8-12 weeks to check my progress, scan my teeth again and order new trays.

Each appointment is easy breezy and fast. It’s very important you don’t miss any appointments because that’s how they keep track of progress and determine if anything needs to change.

Keep in mind that the frequency of each appointment varies per patient.

Clear aligners Review – Before & after

I started my treatment with clear aligners in August 2019. Honestly, it was something I was considering doing, but between this and that, life got in the way and I just kept postponing it. Besides, I didn’t really feel like my teeth were THAT crooked… sure there was work to be done, but now that I look at my before/after photos I can really see the difference. Just look at that!

Before and after my clear aligners. This is why I'm sharing a clear aligners review

Isn’t that crazy!?

I am so happy with my smile now. I don’t know at what point my teeth started to move that much, especially the 2 front/upper ones, but I feel so confident now and I can’t recommend clear aligners enough! As I mentioned earlier, if you are in Chicago, Love my Smile in Lincoln Park is the place to go. Everyone there is so nice and professional. Dr Kitt is so knowledgeable and made the whole process so much easier for me. Since they understand this a big investment in yourself, they offer super flexible payment plans which are interest free.

How much do clear aligners cost?

The cost will vary per patient and the amount of time you’ll have to wear the clear aligners. It will cost between $3500 and $4500, but at Love My Smile Chicago, they have flexible payment options, which is great because it is a big investment.

You can schedule a free consultation and learn more about their payment plans here.

How long did I have to wear the aligners

My treatment lasted around 8 months, but again this can vary between patients. G (my hubby) had to wear his for almost 2 years. He’s also very happy with his results and I’m so happy we invested time and money into getting this done.

Tips and things to remember

Throughout my journey, I wrote down some things, which I hope will help you if you decide to start:

  • You start a new tray each week.
  • First day of each tray is always a little uncomfortable, so make sure to always start a new tray at night. I once started new ones in the morning and my teeth felt sensitive and I got a headache. If you do this at night, you won’t feel a thing!
  • Never wrap your aligners in a napkin LOL (it’s really easy to throw them in the trash this way).
  • You have to wear your aligners all day and take them out when you are going to eat, so this really helps with nonsense snacking. Why? Well because you think about it twice before taking them off to eat. I know I skipped a few unnecessary (and mostly unhealthy) snacks in the middle of the day.
  • In my experience, my teeth moved pretty fast at the beginning, which was so encouraging for me to keep going :)
  • You can barely notice the aligners when you’re wearing them. I’m wearing them in most of my Instagram posts since last August and you can’t even notice them.
  • Towards the end, some of my teeth were a little bit yellow, but it went away when Dr Kitt removed the brackets from my teeth when I was done with my treatment.
  • Last but not least, after you are done with your treatment you will have to wear retainers at night to keep your teeth from moving again. Teeth move and it’s perfectly normal, so by wearing your retainers every night after you are done with treatment you will keep that perfect smile forever!

How to clean your retainers

Trying out Crest retainer cleaner tablets as part of my oral hygiene routine

Beyond this clear aligners review, I also wanted to share how to keep your retainer clean, which is very important.

As I mentioned earlier, after you are done with your clear aligners treatment, you have to wear retainers at night for the rest of your life pretty much. Since you invested so much money to get your teeth fixed, I’d say this is by far the most important thing you need to do (besides actually wearing them every night LOL).

If you get your aligners with Love My Smile Chicago, you are good because Dr Kitt provides you with two pairs of aligners plus a 3D print of your teeth (I think that’s how it’s called). My husband didn’t get this (he did them with someone else because he started before I did, and before we heard from Love my Smile Chicago), so I think it’s super nice that Dr Kitt offers this at the end of the treatment.

This is useful in case you loose your retainers because A.) you have an extra pair and B.) with the 3D print you can have any orthodontist make you new retainers. She said that our teeth move pretty fast and if you spend a week or two without wearing your retainers at night, your retainer might stop fitting, which is crazy to me, but it’s true!

Best retainer cleaner products that I’ve tried so far

As you may have realized by now, you will need to take care of your retainers for the rest of your life, so really it all comes down on how good your retainer cleaner is. Luckily, Crest has a whole line for it, and it’s honestly pretty awesome. I cannot stress enough how important it is to take proper care of your retainers!

I’ve been using their 3-minute retainer cleaner tablets, the antibacterial toothpaste and the mouth rinse daily. They also have a gel which is the best retainer cleaner for detailed cleaning and it also comes with a brush as well as deep cleaning tablets which I use once a week. My aligners look as good as new honestly, and I’m sure they will stay that way because I’m taking proper care of them.

I used to clean my clear aligners with regular toothpaste and my toothbrush and they started to look kind of gross, so that’s why I switched to the Crest Aligner Care line.

Final thoughts about clear aligners

Hope this post helps you decide whether or not clear aligners are for you. I know it’s a big investment but it’s completely worth it and as I mentioned earlier, Love My Smile Chicago has great payment plans too. Also, they are being extremely careful with COVID-19 and also offer online consultations. (just know that eventually you do have to physically go to there to get your X-rays).

Well that’s it for today! If you have any questions related to this subject, please leave them below! I’m here to help. You can also email me at aimara@waysofstyle.com and ask me anything you want about this :)

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed this clear aligners review.

XO,

Aimara

Did you enjoy this clear aligners review? Please share on Pinterest!

A very honest clear aligners review Pinterest pin

Other reviews you may also like:

  • Are CBD products right for you? Read this Equilibria Review first
  • Non toxic deodorant reviews – Best & worst natural deodorants I’ve tried
  • How to empower women – My review of Dough – Your one and only resource to support women owned businesses
  • Honest Hello Fresh Review after 1 year
  • My beauty routine and favorite Ethical Skincare Brands
  • A very honest Spanx Leggings Review – Read this before you buy!
  • Detailed Revive Superfoods Review – Pros, cons and 50% discount

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

1 Comment

« The nine Enneagram types explained – What I’ve learned about life from the Enneagram
Facing our fears – Major life changes. Warning: it’s very emotional. »

Comments

  1. Anne says

    July 15, 2020 at 8:25 pm

    Your smile looked amazing before and after, but it’s so crazy to see the difference!! Love my smile did an amazing job at just keeping it natural. I love it!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About Aimara

Hi! I’m Aimara and I’m the voice behind Ways of Style.

I created this Blog as a space to express my thoughts and life experiences while wearing cute outfits of course! What started as a hobby is now my full time job and I’m here to encourage you to always be yourself, work hard and to always show up until your dreams come true. Read More…

More looks on Instagram!

I have a million photos to post! Trying to catch u I have a million photos to post! Trying to catch up here but somehow I never seem to sit down and share stuff in this account. I guess I like our travel account better! 😜 @waysoftheworld_ 

I’ve been trying to stay active with travel outfits and styling tips on the @shop.ltk app, so if you are interest you can check them all out by clicking the link in my bio. This dress was one of the best pieces I packed this time! It’s so cute for photos with any background basically!

We are currently on day 53 our of our 70 day trip through the Yucatan Peninsula 🤯 We’ve been to Cozumel, Punta Allen, Bacalar, Campeche, Merida and today we made it to Valladolid. We have one more stop before spending a week in Mexico City with family and then off to a new country we go! This lifestyle comes with its unexpected challenges, but we wouldn’t change it for anything!! 💕

Let this be a reminder to keep working hard to make your dreams happen! We are actively doing that right with @waysoftheworld_ 🙃 Hoping things end up working out for us!
…
#waysofstyle #campechemexico #travelblog #travelvlog #seetheworld #visitmexico #mexicotravel
What a crazy feeling when you start loving somethi What a crazy feeling when you start loving something you once thought was scary. It really makes you realize that fear is not real and exists only in your mind.

Never stop pursuing what sets your heart on fire. Even if it’s scary. And if you don’t know what that is yet, I encourage you to make the time to find out 💙

PS: this photo was taken on a scuba dive trip while in Cozumel a couple of weeks ago. If you ever find yourself there, do yourself a favor and do it with @scubatonycozumel 🤿 You will not regret it!

We are currently slow traveling through the Yucatan peninsula. We are having the time of our lives and documenting it all on @waysoftheworld_ 🌎 See you there? 🙃
…
#waysofstyle #scubadiving #experiencesoverthings #scubatony #scubatonycozumel #cozumel #cozumeldiving #cozumelscuba #fulltimetravel #travelvlog #travelblog
Yesterday we had a full day of exploring different Yesterday we had a full day of exploring different places and I needed different outfits but I didn’t have space to bring a whole new look. That’s when button down shirts + sneakers come handy! 

In the morning we went to the beach to snorkel and in the afternoon we explored Mayan ruins and had drinks and dinner. I needed sun protection and sneakers because they don’t recommend to walk the ruins in sandals (uneven terrain). I was able to change the wet bathing suit at the beach restaurant and didn’! get sunburn! Win win!!

PS: you can now shop all my looks via the @shop.ltk app ☺️ or via stories!
…
#waysofstyle #jumpsuit #howtostyleajumpsuit #grayson #buttondownshirt #cariumas #whitesneakers #travelstyle #vacationlooks #stylehack
🎅🏽 GIVEAWAY TIME!!!! 🎅🏽 Giveaway close 🎅🏽 GIVEAWAY TIME!!!! 🎅🏽 Giveaway closed! Winner @_downbythesea_ 

This little device has made a huge difference in how I travel! I barely have to worry about shaving thanks to laser hair removal 🙌🏻 And today, I’m teaming up with @silknsolution to give one away to one of YOU! 🌟

It’s super easy to enter:

1️⃣ FOLLOW me @waysofstyle & @silknsolution
2️⃣ LIKE this photo 
3️⃣ TAG a friend (each comment with a tag is a separate entry)
4️⃣ BONUS post this photo on your story and tag me! 

Winner will be announced this weekend!! Good luck everyone ❤️

Giveaway not associated with Instagram or Facebook. US or CAD residents only.
…
#silkn12daysofgiveaways #silknsolution #giftidea #hairremoval #mysilknsolution #silkn #giveaway #skincare #selfcare #selflove #treatyourself
Back home after spending the best 3 months of my l Back home after spending the best 3 months of my life in Turkey 🇹🇷❤️

We definitely left a piece of our hearts there, but we also learned so much and we know we will be back many times! And it feels good to be with family this time of the year.

I know I didn’t do a good job at posting in here. Honestly, I thought it was going to be easier, but starting a new Instagram, blog and YouTube channel from scratch for @waysoftheworld_ took a lot more time than I ever thought it would! So now, I’ll try to share some of my favorite photos from this trip in here because it’s never too late 🙃

This one was taken in a small mediterranean town called Kas. It was one of our favorite places in all of Turkey! It’s the perfect vacation spot to just enjoy life 💕

Feels good to be back! Hope everyone has a great week ahead and thanks so much for being here!!
…
#waysofstyle #travelstyle #kasturkey #vacationlooks #capsulewardrobe #experiencesoverthings #turkeytravel #visitturkey
Sharing 25 travel outfit ideas I created with the Sharing 25 travel outfit ideas I created with the best 7 pieces I packed! 🙌🏻

I believe these 7 pieces are not only good for traveling, but to add as part of your capsule wardrobe if you are thinking about starting to live with less things. I promise you won’t regret it!

I hope you find it useful and that you feel inspired to recreate any of these looks with pieces you already have in your closet. If you have any questions, let me know! I’m always here to help 🙂

Happy Monday ❤️
…
#waysofstyle #capsulewardrobe #whiteshirt #midiskirt #travelstyle #traveloutfits #capsulewardrobechecklist #capsulewardrobes #minimalism #sustainablefashion
Turkey has been incredible. We are blown away by h Turkey has been incredible. We are blown away by how beautiful it is, all the different landscapes, the food, and above everything, the people ❤️

Looking back to a few weeks ago when I was really afraid of going on this trip, thinking about all the things that could go wrong, being a little upset with myself in a way for not wanting the traditional life path I always thought was my only choice; get married, buy a house, have kids, save money and travel when you retire. That’s not for me. 

I’m very happy I followed my heart 💕 I wrote a letter to myself on the blog: “What’s the best that can happen if the worst happens?” You can check it out by clicking the link in my bio. I hope it inspires you to think about what YOU really want in your heart, make a plan and go after it (but be patient). I promise that if I did it, so can you.

You have everything it takes ❤️

Link in bio to read.
…
#waysofstyle #pamukkale #turkeytravel #followyourheart #seetheworld
I basically only wear olive green and white now 😂 

Our days in beautiful Kas are almost over. I’m leaving a piece of my heart in this cute little town and we will definitely be back! Now it’s time to hop on a 6 hour bus to Pamukkale and see what that place is all about! 

Honestly, the only reason we are going there is because of me. G is not too crazy about it, but I’ve seen it on Instagram so much that I wanted to see for myself what the buzz was all about. So I’ll keep you posted on what it actually is!

If you are interested in knowing more about Kas (and all the amazing places we are visiting) we share a lot more on @waysoftheworld_ 💞 
We talk about useful tips, costs, best things we do, where we stay and so much more. I also update those stories daily! So I hope to see you there 🙃

Until next time friends 👋🏻
…
#waysofstyle #travelstyle #midiskirt #traveloutfits #kas #kasturkey #worldtraveler #styleblogger #styleinspo #mystyle #fashionblogger #capsulewardrobe
I was brave 💙 This was the most amazing experi I was brave 💙

This was the most amazing experience. I was SO nervous and anxious before but somehow I managed to push through and tried this very scary thing for the first time. And you know what I learned? That I loved it! I would do it again a million times! It wasn’t scary at all. It was all in my head and it wasn’t real. Also, they had the sweetest dog at the shop named Lucy that really help me not to think about it (swipe to see her 😍)

We didn’t do any crazy tricks like G did and it was a very peaceful flight. It’s up to you how you want to do it.

I can see why Ölüdeniz is one of the top places in the world to go paragliding. If you only want to do it once to cross it off your bucket list, this is the place you go to. We shared a post about with useful information in case you are interested. Link in bio + stories.

Would you do it? 🙃
Make sure to follow our adventures around Turkey on @waysoftheworld_ 🙏🏻
…
#waysofstyle #paragliding #oludeniz #exploreturkey #turkeytravel #bebrave #experiencesoverthings
Follow!

BLOG CATEGORIES

  • Capsule Wardrobes (5)
  • Healthy Food (11)
  • Lifestyle (25)
  • Personal Style (34)
  • Reviews (9)
  • Sustainability (7)
  • Travel Style (4)

Copyright © 2023 · glam theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Glam Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in