A formative right of passage into adulthood for most people is a visit to the orthodontist.
If you were lucky enough to avoid the metal-mouth experience of having braces in your youth, but are now looking to straighten your smile, there is a much more modern way to do it. This article will give you the low down on byte vs braces, providing you with a side by side comparison.
What is Byte?
With Byte, you receive a custom-molded plastic insert fit specifically to your mouth. It’s nearly invisible, is stain resistant, and comfortable to wear. You remove your aligners to eat and drink, then pop them back on. Change them out at bedtime ; you’ll be sent a new set about every week to continue the slow shift of your smile.
Braces involve a long and uncomfortable session in the orthodontist chair to get fitted. You might be set home with a baggy full of tight rubber bands to attach to lever points on your braces. There are a lot of foods you cannot eat while wearing braces, as it is really easy for chewy and tacky foods to get stuck in the wires. Also...imagine brushing and flossing your teeth. It’s a nightmare.
To summarize these differences in byte vs braces:
- Byte: eat and drink whatever you want!
- Braces: popcorn, pretzels, sticky candy, gum, nuts, ice, hard crackers...the list goes on.
- Byte: brush and floss your teeth like normal.
- Braces: schedule off 20min of time to complete this chore using a 2ft piece of floss you have to manually thread through each wire, one at a time, to access your teeth.
What’s the similarity between Byte and bRaces?
You might experience soreness in your teeth and mouth with either braces or Byte. This is normal, considering your teeth are shifting in your skull. With braces, you’ve got rough edges of metal rubbing against the inside of your lips, so you’re likely to have much more discomfort.
How fast is Byte compared to braces?
After completing the at-home impression kit with Byte, it will take about 4-6 weeks for you to receive your first custom insert. The standard treatment time to completion is 2-4 months. That’s ridiculously fast compared to the antiquated timeline of 18 months to 3 years that braces will run you. Even after that colossal wait, you’ll be wearing a retainer after having your braces removed.
How much does Byte cost?
For people with health insurance that includes dental and orthodontic care, you might be able to claim Byte to be reimbursed. If not, here’s the bill:
- The impression kit will cost $95
- Aligner set will cost $1895 and can be paid with a monthly plan
You’re looking at a cost of around $2000. Compare that to the average braces costing $3,000-$10,000 and you are saving enough money to buy a truckload of all those chewy foods you can’t eat with braces.
Bonus: Byte offers military and student discounts!
What is the order process?
Simple as can be:
- Order your impression kit
- Mail it back to Byte
- Upload your fitting photos to your Byte account
- Wait for your aligners to come!
What about the results?
Take a visit to the Byte website testimonials. With over 2,500 byte reviews and a rating of 4.9 stars, you’ll get a pretty clear sense of how amazing the results are of a byte aligned smile.
Final review
In this compare and contrast of byte vs braces, you’ve discovered the main differences between the two teeth straightening methods. It’s clear that the best option for people with mild-moderate dental needs, that Byte is the superior technique. Either way, you end up with a straight smile, but the time it takes (and comfort of the journey) varies greatly.