Not sure the brand matters as much as having someone who actually looks at your teeth and adjusts things when needed.
I get what you mean here. I went with a well-known aligner brand thinking that would guarantee a smooth ride, but honestly, what made the biggest difference was having regular check-ins with my ortho. There were a few times where my teeth weren’t moving as expected, and my trays needed small tweaks—no way I’d have caught that on my own.
I did try one of those mail-order kits for a retainer before, and it just felt... off? Like it fit, technically, but not in a way that felt right. Maybe it’s just me being picky, but I started worrying about what I might be missing without someone actually looking in my mouth.
It’s tempting to save money up front, but after dealing with extra appointments to fix things later, I’m not sure it was worth it. Guess for some people the brand could matter if their case is straightforward, but for anything even a little complicated? In-person care wins for me.