An Honest Byte Aligners Review: a Simple Solution on a Budget

Disclosure: This post is sponsored. All opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you decide to purchase through my link I get a commission at no additional cost to you.

A few months ago, I decided I was finally going to do something about straightening my teeth. My research led me to Byte teeth aligners. Today I want to provide you with details on my experience and my Byte aligners review.

All opinions and experiences expressed here are my own. I am in no way giving health advice. I simply want to share what I’ve learned, but I encourage you to do your own research.

My smile

Growing up I never had braces. My teeth weren’t perfect, but they weren’t problematic enough to need braces. I jokingly told my parents they owed me money since I was the only kid who they didn’t have to buy braces for.

My top teeth are straight. My two middle bottom teeth are both crooked. I’ve noticed over the years they seem to turn in on each other even more.

I also happen to have receeding gums and an abfraction due to that, but neither seemed to be an issue for using teeth straighteners.

In the last twenty years, I’ve had numerous dentists ask me if I wanted to straighten my bottom teeth. I’d always said no because I knew it would be expensive. This last year that I decided to find out what straightening them would cost.

Looking at options

My dentist gave me a quote for Invisalign. It was over $6000. I thought it would be a lot, but I had no idea it would be that much. That was more than we spent on my husband’s car!

Later, I requested another quote after telling him I only wanted to straighten those two bottom teeth and leave the rest of my mouth alone. That revised quote was just over $4000. Still not a price I could justify.

Since my crooked teeth are on the bottom, I felt like I could hide it pretty well most of the time. In pictures, you normally wouldn’t notice it.

But with recording videos occasionally, it bothered me. And this time there were more options to fix it.

Braces

I considered getting quotes on braces too, but from my brief research online I realized that would also be cost-prohibitive. I also knew braces meant a lot of orthodontist appointments and a longer treatment plan. And I’ll be honest, not the best look.

At-home options

It was at this point I researched my at-home options in order to find a more cost-effective and simpler way to straighten my teeth.

If you are considering going this route, do your own research to make sure you are making an informed decision.

The at home option isn’t for everyone. There are limitations to what they can fix.

If you decide to order your impression kit with Byte and they’re not able to offer you a treatment plan, they will refund the money you spent on the kit so at least you’re not out anything for that.

Why Byte?

I chose Byte after doing my fair share of online research. I’d heard too many negative customer service experiences with some of the other big companies, so I didn’t want to go with them.

From what I was able to find online, it appeared that Byte did have good customer service. I also looked at what various companies charged and they all appeared to have a similar cost for at-home aligners.

The HyperByte technology that Byte uses to help with the alignment process intrigued me. I also thought it was great that they have a lifetime smile guarantee on their aligners.

After deciding on Byte, I contacted them to see if I could write a detailed review for them. In exchange, I received a small discount on the product. I still paid over $2000 as I opted for the nighttime treatment plan.

When I tried to search on Google I couldn’t find a real person’s Byte aligners review detailing each step of the process so that’s what I want to provide for you here.

My Byte aligners review & journey

Here is my Byte aligners review letting you know how each step of the process has gone for me.

The impression kit

I ordered my impression kit in the middle of the summer. I received notification the same day that it had shipped and also got an email from a Byte team member who was my impression specialist. He let me know that I could contact him with any questions.

Two days later I received the impression kit on my doorstep. Within a half-hour, Byte emailed me again saying that it looks like it arrived and to let them know if it didn’t.

The impression kit was beautifully packaged and included all the necessary pieces and information for getting the impressions done.

I read the directions carefully. I’ll admit I was intimidated. I knew it was all a time-sensitive process.

Here’s what helped me…

In the end, taking the impressions wasn’t difficult. The putty didn’t have any taste. It wasn’t blue like pictured. Mine was red. Holding it in my mouth was only mildly uncomfortable.

Here are a couple of tips to help you.

1. Have a washcloth on hand that you don’t mind staining

2. You’ll also want a timer

The washcloth is helpful because you will drool a lot and the putty seems to stain. It’s also messy when taking the impression kit out so make sure to do that over a sink.

A timer is helpful too. I set it for 5 minutes and then would see how I was doing with mixing the putties and getting it set in the trays. Next, I’d hold it in my mouth for 3 minutes each time.

The process went quickly and within twenty or so minutes I had taken all of the impressions. Next was the selfie pictures, which I had my husband take.

Using the smile spreader was hilarious. I accidentally attempted to put it in backward initially and it definitely won’t work that way. Also, it’s really hard to laugh with that thing in your mouth.

If you decide to go with Byte, you can order through my referral link, you will get 75% off your impression kit and $100 off your aligners.

My Byte plan

Just under 2 weeks after mailing in my impression kit, I received an email showing me what my Byte plan would look like.

Soon after a friendly customer service representative called to help me navigate the options and ask if I had any questions. After discussing the day vs night treatment options, I decided to go with night and placed my order.

It didn’t feel like a hard sell to me, but I did the impression kit knowing what the treatment costs were and that I would purchase it. I didn’t see much point in seeing if I would be a candidate if I wasn’t planning to buy.

Choosing between day vs. night plan

Initially, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go with the day or night plan. I knew the night plan was an additional few hundred dollars and I’m frugal so I wasn’t sure it was worth it. Here are the factors I considered in my decision.

Convenience

With the day plan, you need to wear your aligners all the time unless you are eating. You need to take them out every time you eat or drink anything other than water.

Then you need to brush and floss your teeth each time before putting them back on.

Comfort

With the night treatment plan, you need to wear them a minimum of 10 hours at night but you can have them out the rest of the day. That meant no worrying about eating or having to brush my teeth 5 times per day.

It also meant enjoying not having anything on my teeth most of the day. The aligners do make me talk a little bit funny so it’s nice to not have to deal with that much with the nighttime option.

Simplicity

The night aligners are made out of a thicker material but it really didn’t matter to me since I’m not going out anywhere with them on anyway.

While I didn’t care much about the aesthetic of the options since I am home all day right now, I wanted the simpler option.

Payment plans

I opted not to do a payment plan although they do have various options for that. If you’re going that route just make sure you read the fine print and know what the interest rates are before committing to anything.

If you decide to go with Byte and order through my referral link, you will get 75% off your impression kit and $100 off your aligners.

Timing on receiving my order

I received my aligners just nine days after placing my order. To recap the timeframe, it was two a half weeks between when I ordered my impression kit and when I received my aligners.

Again, the order came beautifully packaged with directions, my aligners, teeth whitening foam, and the HyperBite.

I was happily surprised by how fast it all happened. With everything being slowed down due to the pandemic, it was nice that they were able to complete my order in that amount of time.

Customer service

Initially, I thought that my treatment plan was for 15 weeks as that was how many aligners I received. I later figured out by looking back at my treatment plan on the Byte website that it was 22 weeks so I contacted customer service to ask about the remaining aligners.

They quickly replied and said that the additional aligners would be on their way soon. I’ve really appreciated that any questions or concerns I’ve had have been addressed right away. It’s been a great customer service experience.

Starting my Byte treatment plan

I started using my aligners at the beginning of August. I was a bit nervous, but putting them on wasn’t too difficult. They felt a little strange like slight pressure but not painful…kinda like putting pants on that are a size too small on your teeth. How’s that for an analogy?

It didn’t take me long to get used to wearing them each night and taking them out in the morning. I have a few helpful tips to pass along for after you begin your Byte treatment.

Helpful tips

The file is your friend

Before switching to your new aligners, use the provided file to smooth the areas near the back teeth. The manufacturing process can leaves those areas sharper and it can hurt your tongue rubbing over it repeatedly.

See if any other parts feel rough and go ahead and file them and rinse the aligners before putting them in your mouth.

Using the HyperByte

When you change out to the new week’s aligners it is usually a pretty tight fit for the first night or two. I’ve found it is a HUGE help to use the Hyperbite right after putting them in.

I’ve sometimes used it for ten or fifteen minutes right after putting in the new aligners and it’s made a big difference and takes away the discomfort.

Using the HyperByte feels a little strange at first but you get used to it. I find that it’s easiest to use with my head tilted back while I read a book to make the time pass quickly.

Frequently asked questions

As I’ve been doing my treatment, I have received a handful of questions from friends that I wanted to answer here in my Byte aligners review in case they asked things you’re wondering too.

1. Does it hurt?

In my experience, no, the Byte aligners have not hurt. When I switch to a new week the aligner does feel quite tight, but using the HyperByte helps to alleviate that right way.

Occasionally my teeth will feel a tiny bit sore in the morning, but nothing I would describe as painful. I may choose to eat some softer foods like oatmeal rather than cereal on those mornings.

2. Do you go to a dental office?

No. One of the reasons I chose to go with Byte was that it was an option I could do completely at home without having to go into any dental offices.

Your Byte treatment program is personally overseen by a network of board-certified doctors and orthodontists. If you have questions or problems during your treatment, you are able to get in contact with them. I haven’t needed to do that though.

3. How is their customer service?

My experience with their customer service has been great. They have proactively contacted me throughout the process and have quickly answered any questions I’ve had.

4. How much does it cost?

The normal price for the impression kit is $95. If you don’t qualify for treatment, that money will be refunded.

Regardless of the length of your treatment plan, the daytime plan costs $1895 and the nighttime plan costs $2295. They do offer financing options. Just make sure to read all the fine print so you know what you’re paying if you go that route.

I opted for the nighttime plan and am happy with that decision. It was more money but the simplicity of it made it worth it for me.

If you decide to go with Byte, you can order through my referral link, you will get 75% off your impression kit and $100 off your aligners.

5. How long does the process take?

The ordering process was quick. The time from when I ordered my impression kit to receiving my customized aligners was two and a half weeks.

Each person’s treatment plan will vary according to their individual needs. My initial treatment plan was 22 weeks but yours could be shorter or longer depending on your teeth.

6. Why did you choose Byte?

I decided on an at-home option because Invisalign and braces were too costly and would also take a lot of time.

I chose Byte specifically because of the great customer service reviews I read, the HyperByte technology, their competitive pricing, the nighttime treatment option, and their smile guarantee.

7. Does Byte offer any guarantees?

Byte guarantees your new smile forever. If at any time after going through your Byte treatment process that your smile moves out of alignment, they’ll help get it back into alignment at no additional cost.

If you have questions I didn’t answer in my Byte aligners review, check out the Byte website for further information.

My Byte aligners review & progress

The pictures below show my teeth before treatment, at seven weeks, and at fourteen weeks. I will add in my 22-week results once I get there.

The reason I didn’t show my whole face in these pictures is that it’s really awkward to take pictures trying to show your bottom teeth. Try it while looking in a mirror and see how your face looks.

If I had taken pictures just smiling, you wouldn’t see the difference since most of which is shifting are those two bottom teeth.

I’m very happy with the progress made so far in just a few short months. That crooked bottom tooth is getting straightened out and the gap there is significantly less. I look forward to seeing the changes in another couple of months.

If all goes as planned, I should complete my treatment near the beginning of the year. I’ll be glad to have something good that happened during the time I was quarantined at home…a new smile! And it couldn’t have been any simpler to do!

I continue to be impressed with Byte’s customer service and the care they’ve given me through the process. I will continue to come back and update how things are going!

If you’re looking for a simpler and more affordable solution to straightening your teeth, I’d highly recommend checking out Byte. Make sure to do your own research too as everyone’s needs are different. It has a great option for me saving me time and money over other options.

As a reminder, I am not offering any medical advice or providing any guarantees. All of the opinions expressed are my own. I’m simply sharing my experience and Byte aligners review. Do your own due diligence in making your decision.

Updates on my treatment plan

Update November 2020:

I received my continuing aligners near the end of week 15. The continuing aligners are made out of a thicker and less flexible material than the initial aligners. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the week 16 aligners to seat properly.

I let Byte know and I was soon contacted by Dr. Todd. He gave me some tips and checked back in with me a few days later. I let him know the top still wasn’t seating properly and he asked if I would be ok with doing a new impression kit.

After submitting updated pictures and information on their site, the new impression kit is now on its way. After I send it back to them, it will be another 4-6 weeks before the new aligners will come in. It is a bit of a delay, but I would rather make sure that it’s being done right than try to rush through the rest of the process.

Update January 2021:

I received my new aligners about 4 weeks after sending in the second impression kit. I received a new set of 15 aligners. They were similar in thickness to the initial aligners I received. They fit really well and I am now working my way through the weeks with them. I will update with new pictures again soon.

Update April 2021:

I completed my additional 15 aligners (see 4th picture above). I finally don’t have a gap anymore, but that bottom tooth still isn’t quite straight yet. I’ve sent in updated pictures to Byte and will be getting another impression kit soon to send back to them to get additional aligners.

Update November 2021:

I’m now close to completing my third set of aligners. The process slowed when they didn’t receive my last impression kit while I was presuming I was waiting for new aligners to be made.

I have noticed that it is taking a bit longer for customer service to reply to emails, but they do always get back to me. I don’t think my teeth will be fully straightened when I complete this set in the next few weeks.

It will mean doing another impression kit and getting a 4th set of aligners. That said, I’m still happy that I went with this option. I didn’t go into this hoping for it to be a quick fix, as teeth straightening doesn’t seem like it should happen quickly in my opinion.

I’m fine with redoing the impression kit multiple times. Since I’m not going into an office for regular appointments, this is the only way for them to continue to monitor my progress.

This still has been much simpler and less expensive than the alternative options I considered. Just know going into it that it’s perhaps not too likely your teeth will get completely straightened with your initial aligner set.

Have any questions about my Byte aligners review? Ask them in the comments section below!

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