Nighttime Aligners™ offer some people the chance to straighten their teeth at night, while they sleep. Are they the right choice for you? Some people prefer to wear SmileDirectClub aligners during the day, and others choose the nighttime option.

Here are the basics of how the Nighttime Aligners™ work and how to decide if you might be a good candidate for using them.

How Nighttime Aligners™ work

Like all SmileDirectClub clear aligners, just like standard 22-hour wear aligners, Nighttime Aligners™ are custom-made with Comfort Sense™​ technology to provide the best fit . Each treatment plan is overseen by a state licensed dentist or orthodontist, who designs an individualized schedule for every client.

The aligners are worn at least 10 consecutive hours per night. That’s compared to the 22 hours of our standard aligners. The tradeoff is that Nighttime Aligners™ average use time is 10 months¹ vs. about 4-6² for our more round-the-clock aligners.

Who can wear Nighttime Aligners™

While a shorter use time is a big benefit for many people, wearing aligners during the day doesn’t work with everyone’s lifestyle.

“Maybe a patient has a business where they’re a customer service rep on the phone all day. Say they’re performers, ” says Dr. Jeffery Sulitzer, SmileDirectClub’s chief medical officer.

Someone who needs to speak very clearly all day might prefer the option to straighten teeth at night. Nighttime Aligners™ also work well to help correct relatively small alignment issues, Dr. Sulitzer says, like a minor spacing correction.

“If we don’t have to do a lot of pointed tooth movement, that might be a great candidate for Nighttime Aligners™,” he says.

Or, Dr. Sulitzer adds, Nighttime Aligners™ work well for someone who might have had braces or a retainer as a teen but is now an adult with some small regression on a tooth.

Who might not choose Nighttime Aligners™

If you have significant crowding or spacing issues, the option to straighten teeth at night may not be the best fit for you. Or, if you want to finish your treatment as quickly as possible — perhaps you have a wedding or graduation coming up — you might want to opt for SmileDirectClub’s 22-hour-wear aligners.

How to request Nighttime Aligners™

After this short Nighttime Aligners™ review, you might be interested in learning more. You can request them and ask any questions you may have when you complete your initial intake for SmileDirectClub services. If you have mild to moderate adjustment needs, you may be a good candidate.

If you’re a good fit, a state licensed dentist or orthodontist from SmileDirectClub’s network will create your custom clear-aligner treatment plan that you’ll be able to approve. In three to four weeks, your new aligners will arrive by mail.

It’s that simple.