After SmileDirectClub

Invisalign in Glasgow at St Vincent Smile ›

What Happened to SmileDirectClub?

SmileDirectClub sold clear aligners that were planned remotely, from an impression kit used at home or a scan taken at one of its shops. In September 2023 the company filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, and on 8 December 2023 it announced that it was winding down its operations around the world with immediate effect.

From that point, treatment through its app was no longer available, orders that hadn't been sent out were cancelled, the customer care line closed and the lifetime smile guarantee came to an end. The company's own advice to customers was to speak to a local dentist about continuing their care. If you were part-way through, your teeth will have stopped wherever they had reached. If you had finished, your retainers may now be the only thing you have left from the treatment, and they matter more than they seem.

Check Your Bite and Your Retainers First

Whatever stage you got to, start by finding out where your teeth are today. Teeth that have been moved tend to creep back towards their old positions, and without a retainer worn as instructed they often do, slowly enough that you may not notice for months. A smile that looked finished in 2023 isn't necessarily the smile you have now.

• Feel along your front teeth. A new gap, or a tooth that has turned or crept forward again, is a sign of movement.
• Bite together gently. If your back teeth meet differently from before, or one tooth now touches first, your bite has changed.
• Put your retainer in. One that pinches, rocks or won't click fully into place was made for teeth that have since moved. Don't push it home by force.
• Look at your gums. Bleeding, puffiness or gum shrinking back around the teeth that were moved should be checked before any more straightening.

None of these is an emergency. They're simply the things a dentist will want to know about, so it helps to notice them before you come in.

Should I Keep Wearing My Old Aligners?

Not until a dentist has checked them against your teeth. Every aligner is made for one stage of one plan, and if your teeth have moved since you last wore it, it may not sit down fully. Forcing teeth into a tray that no longer matches them puts pressure where the plan never intended it. If you have unused aligners from later in your plan, keep them and bring them with you: they show what the original plan was aiming for, even though no practice can carry that plan on.

Finishing Treatment Safely

Nobody can pick up a closed company's plan where it stopped, so finishing means a new plan that starts from where your teeth are now. That's not the same as starting from scratch. If much of the movement was already done, the new course may be much shorter than the first one.

Before anything is planned, your teeth and gums are examined, with X-rays where they're needed, because straightening teeth that have decay or active gum disease makes both problems worse. An iTero Lumina scan then records your teeth in 3D, and a simulation shows what a new course would do. Sometimes the honest answer is that you don't need any more straightening, and a well-fitting retainer is all it takes to hold what you have. A new clear Essix retainer is £214 per arch (£270 if you need upper and lower).²

Invisalign at St Vincent Smile

If a new course of aligners makes sense, we use Invisalign, planned and supervised in person by Dr Umer Hameed, who holds a Diploma in Clear Aligner Therapy, or Dr Davinder Kalsi. Invisalign has named the practice a Diamond Apex Provider for each year from 2022 to 2026, a status shared by the top 1% of its providers in Europe and based on how many Invisalign treatments a practice carries out, so it measures experience with the system.

You're seen every 6 to 8 weeks, so a tooth that falls behind is spotted early, and every package covers both arches with refinements, Vivera retainers and whitening included. Fees run from £3,750 for Lite, the package for mild crowding, spacing or a little relapse, to £5,250 for the most complex cases.² Our Invisalign packages guide explains which suits which, and the guide to Invisalign and at-home aligners covers how in-practice treatment differs.

Or Fixed Braces

Aligners aren't the only way to finish. A tooth that needs turning a long way, or a space that needs closing, can be moved more predictably with fixed braces. Dr Hameed also provides tooth-coloured fixed braces, from £3,500, and he'll tell you at your consultation which of the two suits your teeth.² Our page on fixed braces in Glasgow sets out how he decides.

What to Bring to Your Free Consultation

The consultation costs nothing. A £40 deposit secures the slot, and you get it back in full no more than a week after you've attended. Bring whatever you still have from SmileDirectClub: your treatment plan or 3D preview, any unused aligners and your retainers. We'll examine your teeth and gums, take an iTero scan, and tell you plainly whether you need more treatment, a new retainer or nothing at all, before you commit to anything.

We can't help with refunds or payment plans. Questions about money paid to SmileDirectClub are for your card or finance provider, not something a dental practice can resolve.

Questions

This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.