Aligner accessories and candidacy
The add-ons sold alongside at-home aligners (retainers, whitening, cleaning) and who is a candidate, graded against the real evidence. None is the treatment itself.
- Updated weekly · checked 11 d ago
7 accessories and candidacy topics around at-home aligners are described here, each with our verdict and how much research stands behind it, plus 5 products the brands sell, each priced from its own page, and 9 care products sold on Amazon. None is the aligner treatment itself, and none replaces a dentist's exam.
Aligner accessories are not orthodontic treatment.
Retainers, whitening kits, and cleaning products can support treatment, but they do not straighten teeth. None replaces a doctor-directed aligner plan, and none is a substitute for an in-person orthodontic exam. We describe each by what it actually does, never by who sells it. For the at-home clear aligner brands we review, see the clear aligner brands.
Every option, with our verdict
Each accessory or candidacy topic with our verdict and how much research stands behind it. The verdicts are InvisibleBraces editorial judgments; every research figure opens the literature search it counts. Research volume is not an endorsement.
Retainer (1)
Also: Essix retainers, post-treatment retainers
Our verdict: Not optional. Retainers are what protect the months and money you spent straightening, so budget for replacements.
Whitening (1)
Also: whitening kit, whitening gel
Our verdict: A real perk when it is included for free, but a cosmetic bonus, not part of the treatment. Do not pay a large premium for it.
Cleaning (1)
Also: cleaning crystals, retainer cleaner
Our verdict: Cheap and worth doing every day. The specialty products are optional over mild soap and a soft brush.
Comfort (1)
Also: seating chewies
Our verdict: A cheap, useful habit that helps trays track. Helpful, not magic.
Impression (1)
Also: impression kit, at-home mold kit
Our verdict: Convenient and low-cost, but the weakest link: a poor mold, or a dental problem the kit cannot see, starts treatment on the wrong foot.
Candidacy (2)
Also: mild-to-moderate cases
Our verdict: If your case is mild-to-moderate, at-home aligners are a sensible, lower-cost option. Match the tool to the case.
Also: complex cases, bite problems
Our verdict: For anything beyond mild-to-moderate, see a licensed orthodontist. Aligners by mail are not the tool for a complex bite.
Accessories you can buy
The products marketed alongside at-home aligners, what they actually are, who sells them, where, and the price. Each row opens the page it is read from.
What it is: One set of clear post-treatment retainers (also sold as night guards).
Marketed as: Hold teeth in their new position after treatment so they do not drift back.
Price: $149 per set ($99 for members)
Sold via newsmilelife.com · Retainers are not included with treatment; each set is bought separately at the end of treatment.
Source: newsmilelife.com
What it is: Two sets of clear retainers for post-treatment retention.
Marketed as: Lock in your results with backup retainers on hand.
Price: $210 for 2 sets (reg $260)
Sold via smileie.com · Two sets are included with standard plans; this is the standalone replacement price.
Source: smileie.com
What it is: Peroxide whitening gel with an applicator; a cosmetic add-on, not part of straightening.
Marketed as: A brighter smile alongside (or after) treatment.
Price: $29.99 (reg $49.99)
Sold via alignerco.com · Whitening is bundled with some plans; a standalone whitening pen runs about $15.
Source: alignerco.com
What it is: Dissolving whitening strips with hydroxyapatite, worn on the teeth with the aligners out; a cosmetic extra, not part of straightening.
Marketed as: Formulated with hydroxyapatite to help visibly lift surface stains for a brighter looking smile, with no peeling and no residue.
Price: $44 for 21 treatments ($29 for 7)
Sold via trysnow.com · A strip cannot reach the enamel under attachments (the tooth-coloured bumps some aligners use), so ask your provider when to whiten.
Source: trysnow.com
What it is: Putty and trays to mold your teeth at home, plus prepaid return shipping.
Marketed as: Start treatment without a dental visit.
Price: $29.99 (reg $75)
Sold via alignerco.com · Refunded if a licensed dentist or orthodontist determines you are not a candidate.
Source: alignerco.com
Aligner care you can buy on Amazon
Aligners, custom retainers and impression kits are made for one person's teeth, so the brands and labs sell them, not Amazon. What you buy around the trays is on Amazon: cleaners, a case, chewies, a removal tool, whitening strips. Each topic's page lists the ones that belong to it.
- Invisalign Aligner Cleaning Foam (2 pack)View on Amazon
Made by Invisalign
Invisalign's own cleaning foam for aligners and retainers. A pump or two goes inside the trays before you put them back in, so it works away from a sink, or the trays can sit in it for a few minutes at home.
- Retainer Brite cleaning tablets (96 count)View on Amazon
Made by Retainer Brite
Fizzing tablets you dissolve in a glass of water and soak aligners or a retainer in. Made for removable orthodontic appliances, not for dentures.
- Polident 3 Minute Antibacterial Retainer Cleaner (2 x 90 tablets)View on Amazon
Made by Polident
Antibacterial soaking tablets from the denture-cleaner brand, sold for retainers, aligners and mouthguards, with a three-minute soak.
- EverSmile AlignerFresh Original Clean foam (2 pack)View on Amazon
Made by EverSmile
A cleaning foam you put inside the trays and wear. It contains hydrogen peroxide, so it whitens teeth as well as cleaning the trays.
Worth knowing: It whitens, so as with any whitening, ask your provider before using it while teeth are moving.
- Invisalign Aligner and Retainer CaseView on Amazon
Made by Invisalign
Invisalign's own hard case with a magnetic catch, made to hold a set of aligners or a retainer between meals.
Worth knowing: Trays come out at every meal: a case keeps them clean and in one piece, where a napkin gets thrown away with the trays inside.
- Movemints aligner mints, spearmint (3 pack)View on Amazon
Made by Movemints
Sugar-free xylitol mints with grooves you bite into to press the trays onto the teeth: an edible alternative to a chewie. Made by Movemints, not by an aligner brand.
- IXO aligner chewies with seater handles (10 pack)View on Amazon
Made by IXO
Soft chewies you bite on for a few minutes after putting the trays in, so each tray sits fully against the teeth. Reusable until worn.
- PUL aligner removal tool (2 pack)View on Amazon
Made by PUL
A small hook that unclips a tight tray from the back teeth without using fingernails, most useful in the first days of each new tray.
- Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional EffectsView on Amazon
Made by Crest
Peroxide whitening strips worn on the teeth for a set time each day, not inside the aligners.
Worth knowing: A strip cannot reach the enamel under attachments (the tooth-coloured bumps some aligners use), so ask your provider when to whiten.
Links open Amazon.com, the US store, which sets the price and availability. We last checked these products there on Oct 24, 2026. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How the research-volume score is built
The score (about 0 to 100) is the one figure here we compute ourselves. It blends three Europe PMC counts for each topic's literature search: every indexed paper, the randomized controlled trials, and the systematic reviews, each on a logarithmic scale, with a trial or a review counting for more than an ordinary paper. So it measures how much research exists, not how strong the marketing is, and not whether a product works for you. Each card shows the three counts beside its score, and each count opens the search that returns it. It is context, never an endorsement or a substitute for a dentist's advice.
Ready to compare the brands?
The products above come from NewSmile, Smileie and AlignerCo, which are aligner brands themselves. Compare all 94 brands by price, treatment length, financing, and FDA device safety, each cited to its source.