How Does Smileie.com Work?

Smileie.com operates on a direct-to-consumer model for clear aligners, designed to be primarily conducted from the comfort of your home.

The process is streamlined into a few key steps, aiming for convenience and affordability by minimizing in-person dental visits for their standard plans.

Step 1: Taking Your Impressions

The journey begins with the patient initiating the process by ordering an impression kit.

This kit is central to creating the customized aligners.

• Order Impression Kit: You start by purchasing an impression kit directly from smileie.com, which is offered at a reduced price (e.g., $49.99).
• DIY Impressions: The kit contains everything you need to create molds of your teeth, including trays and putty. Detailed instructions are provided to guide you through this process.
• Video Consultation for Guidance: Smileie.com offers a free video consultation with their experts to help you make accurate impressions. This is a crucial step to avoid errors that could lead to ill-fitting aligners.
• Return Impressions: Once the impressions are made, you use a provided return label to send them back to Smileie for review and treatment planning.

Step 2: Creating and Approving Your 3D Treatment Plan

Upon receiving your dental impressions, Smileie’s team processes them to develop a customized treatment strategy.

• 3D Scan and Assessment: Your impressions are used to create a 3D digital model of your teeth. This model is then analyzed by a “high experienced dental team” to design your aligner treatment plan.
• Personalized Treatment Plan: Based on the assessment, a sequence of aligner trays is designed, each slightly different from the last, to gradually move your teeth into the desired position.
• 3D Treatment Preview: You will receive a 3D preview of what your teeth will look like after the treatment. This digital rendering allows you to visualize the expected outcome before proceeding.
• Your Approval: You must review and approve this 3D treatment plan. This step ensures you are comfortable with the projected results. This is also where the “dentist-directed” aspect is supposed to come into play, with professionals designing and potentially reviewing these plans.

Step 3: Fabrication and Delivery of Aligners

Once your treatment plan is approved, the actual aligners are manufactured and shipped to you.

• Aligner Fabrication: Your custom clear aligners are fabricated based on your approved 3D plan. Smileie states their aligners are “fabricated in US,” which contributes to a faster turnaround time.
• Delivery to Your Home: The complete set of aligners, along with any included freebies like the whitening kit and retainers, is shipped directly to your residence. They claim a turnaround time as quick as 2-3 weeks from impression approval.

Step 4: Your Smile Journey (Wearing Aligners)

This is the active phase of your treatment, where consistent adherence to the wearing schedule is paramount. Smileie.com Pros & Cons

• Wearing Schedule: You will wear each set of aligners for a specified period (e.g., 1-2 weeks), typically for 20-22 hours a day for “Day-Time Aligners” or 10 hours for “Night-Time Aligners.”
• Progress Monitoring: You are expected to monitor your own progress and potentially use the “Dedicated Patient Portal” to track your journey or communicate with Smileie’s support team.
• Treatment Duration: The average treatment takes between 4 to 6 months for day-time and 6-8 months for night-time aligners, though individual results may vary. You might start seeing results within 6 to 8 weeks.
• Support: Access to “24/7 Online Support” is provided for any questions or concerns that arise during your treatment.

Step 5: Retention (Keeping Your New Smile)

The final and crucial step is maintaining the results achieved.

• Retainer Use: At the end of your active treatment, you will need to wear retainers to prevent your teeth from shifting back to their original positions. Smileie includes two sets of retainers with some of their plans.
• Smileie Protection Plan: An optional “Smileie Protection Plan” is offered, which provides additional sets of retainers for ongoing maintenance.

The “Smileie PRO” Option: A Hybrid Approach

Smileie also offers an alternative, more traditional starting point for those who prefer in-person diagnostic services.

• In-Person Scan and X-rays: For an additional cost (e.g., $1,499), the “Smileie PRO” service allows you to visit one of their advised partner clinics for professional intraoral scans and X-rays, along with a physical checkup and consultation.
• Enhanced Diagnostics: This option provides a more comprehensive initial assessment, addressing a key limitation of the basic at-home impression kit method.
• Dental Monitor Device/App: This plan also includes a Dental Monitor Device and free access to the Dental Monitor App, presumably for more advanced remote monitoring.

Overall, Smileie.com functions as a remote clear aligner provider, with the option for an initial in-person diagnostic step for those seeking more traditional dental oversight.

Its core appeal lies in its convenience and affordability, but users must be diligent in following instructions and understand the nuances of remote dental care.

skinandme.com Customer Support Review