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HomeCompareActive Aligners vs SureSmile
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Active Aligners vs SureSmile

Starting price, treatment length, supervision, FDA safety record and full spec sheet for Active Aligners and SureSmile, side by side. Every figure links to the source that states it.

Prices verified Sep 30, 2026FDA records verified Sep 30, 2026
4comparisons with Active Aligners
19comparisons with SureSmile

Active Aligners (Active Aligners)·SureSmile (SureSmile clear aligners)

Active Aligners
In-office
SureSmile
In-office
At a glance
Starting price
R27 000
$3,000-6,000provider-set

Blue marks the lower price only where every compared price is quoted the same way (a monthly price in US dollars); prices quoted in another currency, as a one-time fee or as a provider-set range are shown exactly as stated and never converted. Adverse-event figures are raw counts of reports filed with the FDA, not rates (what the reports mean). Each spec value opens that brand's spec sheet, and its numbered sources verify the specs as a set. None of this is a recommendation: the right choice depends on your case, your budget and, above all, an in-person exam by a dentist or orthodontist.

The bottom line

What actually differs

  • Neither is marked lower, since only monthly prices quoted in US dollars are ranked against each other: Active Aligners R27 000 and SureSmile $3,000-6,000 (provider-set).
  • Typical treatment differs: Active Aligners 6-7 months and SureSmile 6-18 months.
Go deeper

Open the full record

Active Aligners
  • Prices
  • Treatment length
  • Supervision
  • FDA safety
  • Specs
  • Sources
  • Where to get it
SureSmile
  • Prices
  • Treatment length
  • Supervision
Keep comparing

Every comparison with these brands

Each brand against every other brand on the market. All comparisons

All 4 comparisons with Active Aligners

  • vs Graphy
  • vs Invisalign
  • vs Smilers
  • vs Spark

All 19 comparisons with SureSmile

  • vs Alineadent
  • vs Angel Aligner
InvisibleBraces is an informational data platform, not a dentist, an orthodontist, or a seller of aligners. Nothing here is dental or medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to start, stop, or change any treatment. At-home clear aligners are not right for every case, and moving teeth without an in-person exam carries real risk. Data is aggregated from public sources and each brand's own terms and can be incomplete or out of date. Always consult a licensed dentist or orthodontist and confirm current prices and terms with the provider.
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The independent, fully-cited comparison of at-home clear aligner brands. Every figure traces to its source. Informational only, not dental or medical advice.

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Typical treatment
6-7 months
6-18 months
Supervision
In-office
In-office
FDA safety
No recalls
No recalls
FDA adverse-event reports
0
45
Treatment
Treats
CrowdingSpacing and gapsMild to moderate misalignment
Complex / comprehensive cases (per provider)
Product lines
Active Aligners
SureSmile clear aligners
Wear schedule
All-day (22 hrs)
20 to 22 hrs/day, trays changed about every 2 weeks
Spec sheet
Start method
3D scan or impression at an Active Aligners dental provider
In-office; the provider captures a Primescan intraoral 3D scan plus an x-ray, and the case is planned in SureSmile software and produced at the Dallas-area TechCenter
Material
A tri-layer medical-grade material, 3D printed and positive-pressure thermoformed (the brand does not name the maker)
Essix ACE plastic (Dentsply Sirona), a clear aligner material noted for clarity and durability that holds shape for up to about 14 days
Retainers
Worn full time for 3 months and at night after that; a fixed lingual retainer is available through the provider
SureSmile Retainer available through the provider, indicated after aligner therapy to maintain alignment and prevent relapse
Whitening
Not published
SureSmile Whitening Kit offered at the end of treatment (included in the complete-case package alongside VPro)
Refinements / touch-ups
Prescribed by the provider if needed; the brand says 65 to 75% of its patients need none
Unlimited refinements included for up to 3 years from first aligner production under the flat-rate provider pricing; company states 3 of 4 cases need no refinements
Guarantee
Not published (no money-back guarantee; submitting the scan for planning involves an initial fee, and no further charge is made if the patient decides not to go ahead)
Provider-facing flat-rate pricing with unlimited refinements for up to 3 years is the core assurance; any patient-facing satisfaction guarantee is set by the individual provider
Clinical oversight
In-office: the lab's treatment team plans, a dentist reviews and approves, and the provider guides treatment in person
Doctor-directed with required in-office visits about monthly to collect new trays and monitor progress
Financing
MediWallet medical finance up to R40 000, 3 to 18 month terms, R0 deposit
Provider-set in-office payment plans; no brand-run consumer financing (provider pays Dentsply a flat case rate)
HSA / FSA
Not applicable (South Africa; US HSA/FSA does not apply)
Generally HSA/FSA eligible as orthodontic treatment; depends on the provider and plan
Insurance
Depends on the medical aid: none, a portion or the full amount may be claimed back, the brand says
Often covered under orthodontic benefits; coverage varies by plan and provider
Availability
South Africa, through dental providers (the brand also cites selected markets worldwide without naming them)
United States, Australia (Dentsply Sirona Australia offers it to dentists) and other international markets through Dentsply Sirona-authorized dental providers
Headquarters
Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA (aligners fabricated at the SureSmile TechCenter in the Dallas, Texas area)
Spec sources
  1. 1.activealigners.co.za
  2. 2.activealigners.co.za
  3. 3.activealigners.co.za
  4. 4.activealigners.co.za
  5. 5.activealigners.co.za
  6. 6.smileclub.co.za
  1. 1.dentaly.org
  2. 2.dentsplysirona.com
  3. 3.dentsplysirona.com
  4. 4.newmouth.com
  5. 5.dentsplysirona.com
Company
On the market since
–
2018
Parent company
Active Aligners Lab (Smile Club), Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa
Dentsply Sirona (Nasdaq: XRAY)
  • FDA safety
  • Specs
  • Sources
  • Where to get it
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