Get a straighter smile at an affordable cost with Basma clear aligners. Read our review to see if Basma is the best aligner provider for you.
Written by Blair Hudson GDP Registered Dentist
Formed in Beirut and now offering clear aligners to customers in many countries around the world, Basma is an affordable provider of straighter smiles.
With a completely at-home service and extensive guarantees, they promise a seamless journey to improved teeth – but do they live up to their claims?
First Glance
Basma dental aligners offer remote smile straightening – there are no clinics to attend, and everything can be done at home. It’s also a simple one-size plan, so you might feel limited if you wanted more flexibility.
Pros
Receive all your aligners up-front
Progress monitored remotely by orthodontists
Results guarantee – further treatment at no cost if needed
Cons
Full-time aligners (22+ hours) only
No in-person support
Limited to 18+ years only
Who is behind Basma?
Basma was founded in 2019 by Cherif Massoud, an orthodontist in Beirut. Primarily targeting the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, they do ship throughout the world and are becoming a bigger name internationally.
Why Basma aligners?
Despite being one of the younger aligner companies, they are already garnering large numbers of positive reviews on independent websites, and due to their prominence in the Middle East, they have a large customer base.
Who can use Basma aligners?
Basma’s clear aligners can treat mild to moderate cases of overcrowding or gaps between teeth. They only move the front teeth – 8 on the top and 8 on the bottom. They can’t move molars or wisdom teeth. Other providers will claim to correct underbites and overbites, but Basma state that they cannot directly do this, although bite issues can sometimes be corrected as a side effect of treatment.
Not everyone will be suited to Basma aligner treatment. When you start the process you’ll use a molding kit to take an impression of your current smile. Professional orthodontists will review this and decide whether you are suited to treatment. If you aren’t, you’ll be able to get a full refund for the impression kit.
Basma’s aligners are only suited to anyone aged 18 or over. Other aligner providers can treat patients as young as 14, if you are looking for your teenager.
How are the clear aligners made?
The aligners provided by Basma are manufactured using FDA-approved medical grade plastic, which is sourced from the US and from Germany. They’re transparent, designed so that you can wear them comfortably without anyone else being aware.
Basma claim that their aligners are stronger and more hygienic than those provided by other providers, although they don’t provide much evidence to reinforce this claim. They are certainly as good as other aligners in the market.
What treatment options are available?
While you can choose to pay in different ways, there is only one course of treatment available with Basma. You’ll order the impression kit, and if you’re a viable candidate for treatment, you’ll then start treatment with all-day aligners, which must be worn for 22 hours per day, only being removed for eating, drinking or brushing your teeth.
If you’d prefer to only wear aligners at night, you may need to consider an alternative aligner provider, but be aware that treatment will normally last longer, or be more expensive for aligners that work faster.
The one extra that is available is whitening – for an extra cost, Basma offers whitening kits that are safe to be used alongside your aligners to brighten your smile as it is straightened. An introductory kit costs $60 while a year of whitening pens costs $100.
How long does Basma treatment take?
On average, Basma customers will receive 16 different sets of aligners to wear, with each one lasting two weeks. Some people require fewer sets, while others may need more. On average, expect to be using the aligners for around six to eight months.
Are there any other steps to take?
Once you’ve begun treatment with Basma, you’ll be asked to provide regular updates and photos through the app or website. This is to show the orthodontists how your teeth are progressing and to prove that you’re using your aligners as intended, and sticking to your treatment plan.
If you don’t provide the updates, and your treatment doesn’t work, you won’t be able to claim further treatment as part of the guarantee.
Once your treatment is complete, you’ll need to wear a retainer for the rest of your life – initially all day for the first two weeks, and then at night from then on. Your first set of retainers are free and included with your treatment kit.
How much does Basma treatment cost?
Basma aligners are reasonably priced when compared with other aligner providers. They aren’t the cheapest, but they aren’t the most expensive either.
Of the companies that only provide at-home service, and don’t offer alternative options, they’re on the more pricey side. They do have their guarantees which may make them more worthwhile, and they have benefits when it comes to replacement aligners too.
Impression kit
The first thing you’ll need to pay for is your impression kit, which includes everything you need to make an impression of your current smile. The cost of the kit is $94, which includes shipping. You’ll get a full refund if the orthodontists decide that you aren’t a suitable candidate for treatment.
Treatment
Once your impression kit is reviewed, you’ll be sent a 3D image of what your new smile will look like. If you’re happy to proceed you’ll need to pay for your treatment. The cheapest way is to pay upfront, which is a one-off fee of $1,699.
Replacements
If you break or lose an aligner, you’ll need to get a replacement. Almost every aligner provider will ask you to pay for an extra set, often costing over $100.
Basma stand out here as they offer free replacements as part of their guarantee. Just let them know about the issue, and they’ll likely recommend you switch to the prior set until your new ones are with you, at no extra cost.
Retainers
When your treatment is complete, you’ll need to wear a set of retainers. Your first set is free, but then you’ll need to replace them every six months. We’re looking into the cost of these and will update this review when we know more.
Are payment options available?
Most aligner providers understand that the cost of aligners is significant, and so offer a payment plan to make it more affordable. Basma is no different. While most providers will allow treatment costs to be spread over 12 or 24 months, Basma do only offer payments across 5 months.
Each payment is $363, for a total cost of $1,815. The difference of $116 between paying in full and choosing instalments is less of a jump than it is with other providers.
How old do you have to be?
Basma aligners are only available to adults aged 18 or over. Other aligner providers can treat younger patients if you need help for a teenager.
You might need to have your wisdom teeth removed before starting aligner treatment – your impression kit results will explain this to you.
Where is Basma treatment available?
As Basma is a purely at-home service, it’s available to any US resident. You simply place your order online and your impression kit, and then later your aligners, are shipped to your home.
What about customer service?
There are a number of ways that you can get in touch with Basma. If you’ve already started treatment, the easiest option is to use online support through the app or website. Otherwise, you can use the contact form on the website, email hello@basma.com or find them on social media.
You can also call between the hours of 8am and 7pm from Sunday to Friday, although note that the contact numbers supplied are international numbers for the offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Basma: The Verdict
Availability
Basma is a completely at-home service. There are no clinics to visit – everything is shipped to your home, and all customer support is carried out remotely, usually online.
This is ideal for making sure more people have access to the treatment. However some people prefer the in-person service of a clinic, and the reassurance of being able to have someone directly examine their teeth. If you want this to be included in your service, you may need to look at another provider.
Price
Basma’s total cost of between $1700 and $1900, including impression kit, is slightly higher than average for other providers who only work remotely, but it is still cheaper than providers that use 3D scan clinics. You can spread the cost, but only over 5 months, and $363 per month might still be out of your budget. On the other hand, it does mean that you aren’t tied into making payments for a long time.
Cheaper providers are available if budget is your main concern, but the guarantees offered by Basma may make their price worthwhile.
Ease of use
Because Basma’s aligners are a completely at-home option, they strive to make sure everything is as easy as possible. Your impression kit comes with step-by-step instructions, and you can refer to the customer service if you struggle.
You’ll then get a 3D preview, and if you’re not happy then you can decline to proceed. If you do go ahead, you’ll get all of your aligners at once, so there’s no waiting around for more shipments. You’ll also get free chewies, which are optional extras you can chew on to help get your aligners to fit in place, making it easier to get the right fit.
You will need to provide updates throughout your treatment in order to qualify for the guarantee, if that is necessary once your original treatment plan is concluded.
Options
There are not many options available to you as a Basma customer – the treatment is pretty standard, although tailored to your particular tooth alignment. You’ll use an impression kit, and then proceed with all-day aligners that need to be worn for 22 hours a day, only removed when you’re eating, drinking or brushing. There’s no clinic to visit if you want in-person support, and no option for nighttime-only aligners.
You do get options when it comes to payment, either upfront or over 5 instalments. And there are optional whitening kits that you can buy to complement your aligner treatment. However if you want more flexible treatment you may need to consider another provider.
Reassurance
Basma’s customer service is highly reviewed on independent websites, and you have plenty of options if you want to get in touch. The website has a set of FAQs to answer general questions, and then you can reach out via email, social media or telephone if you need more help, although customer support on the phone is based in the Middle East so you may get charged international dialing fees if you need to call.
One area where Basma excels is in their guarantees. They have three guarantees that they offer.
Basma’s customer service is highly reviewed on independent websites, and you have plenty of options if you want to get in touch.
The first is that, if you’re not suited to treatment after completing your impression kit, you’ll get a complete refund. Note that this doesn’t apply if you are suitable for aligners, but you decline to proceed – you won’t get your refund there. This is a pretty standard guarantee that many providers offer.
Then there’s the results guarantee. If you’ve followed all of the treatment steps as planned, switching aligners at the right times and provided updates as requested, and you’ve not got the results you were promised, you’ll be eligible for further sets of aligners to complete your treatment at no extra cost to you. Some aligner providers offer this, but not all.
The final guarantee is on replacement aligners – if you break or lose a set, you can request a new one and it’ll be shipped to you quickly at no extra charge. Very few, if any, aligner providers offer completely free replacements for errors on your part, and this helps Basma to stand out.
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Basma FAQs
😃 What comes with the Basma whitening kit?
The Basma whitening kit comes with two whitening pens, which should last you for a 10-day treatment. With that, you can expect to enjoy whiter teeth for up to 90 days. As well as the whitening pens you’ll also get an LED light to help accelerate treatment, and a travel case to keep everything safe if you’re on the move.
You can buy further whitening pens too, if you have the initial kit but just want to top up your treatment.
😬 Can my treatment plan be changed?
Once you’re on your treatment plan, you shouldn’t need to change it. Our professional orthodontists will have developed your treatment based on the best results you could expect, and so you should carry on wearing the aligners as recommended.
If there’s any reason why you want to alter your treatment plan, get in touch with Basma’s customer service team. They can talk you through your options, but they might recommend you stay the course until your initial treatment is complete.
🤓 What guarantees does Basma offer?
Basma offers a results guarantee – if you follow all of the steps of your treatment, and check in with updates on the online portal when you’re asked to, and you haven’t got the smile you were promised at the end of your treatment, you can get more aligners for no extra charge.
You’re also guaranteed to get a refund on the impression kit if you aren’t eligible for treatment, and if you break or lose a set of aligners, they’ll be replaced free of charge.
🤔 Do I need to wear a retainer when treatment finishes?
Once you’ve completed all of your sets of aligners, your treatment is considered complete. You’ll need to switch to wearing a retainer to stop your teeth from moving back at all. You’ll wear this retainer for the rest of your life. You should get a new one every six months – the first one is included free.
For the first two weeks after treatment, you should wear the retainer for the same amount of time as you wore your aligners – 22 hours per day, only removed when eating, drinking or brushing. After this initial two week period, you can switch to only wearing the retainer at night.
🤷🏽♂️ What do I get when I order my aligners?
When you’ve accepted the treatment plan and order your aligners, you’ll be shipped a package that includes all of your aligners. Make sure you keep them organized so that you wear them in the right order, or it could impact your treatment. You’ll get a user guide with it, which talks you through how to wear your aligners, and how to get setup with the online portal.
You’ll also get your free retainer, to use when treatment is finished, and an aligner case to keep each set safe as you remove them to eat, drink or brush your teeth. Finally you’ll also get some chewies – these are a useful tool that you bite on whilst fitting your aligners, to help snap them snug against your teeth.
#️⃣ How many sets of aligners will I receive?
The number of sets of aligners that you receive will depend on the severity of your case. If you have larger gaps or a lot of crowding problems, you’ll get more than anyone that only needs minor adjustments.
On average, Basma customers get 16 sets of aligners. You need to wear each set for two weeks before moving straight onto the next, making sure you go through them in order – each set is carefully manufactured to nudge your teeth slightly further into their new position.
🧐 How will I know what results to expect?
Once your impression kit is complete and has been shipped back to the Basma team for analysis, you should hear back within around a week. At this point, you’ll be given a 3D view of what your teeth could look like. This is specific to your mouth and your impressions, so if you follow your treatment, you’ll see what your new smile should look like.
Most customers will experience the right result if they stick to the plan. Some people may find that it takes a little longer than expected, if they have unseen difficulties within the gums that prevent teeth from moving as quickly as they should. That’s where Basma’s guarantee is useful as it means you can continue treatment even when problems had not been foreseen.
🤳🏽 Do I need to give treatment updates?
Yes – throughout your treatment plan you’ll need to check-in on the online portal and give updates on your treatment. This will normally involve taking a photo of your teeth, so that Basma’s orthodontists can check that everything is progressing as it should be. If you don’t check in when you should, and your treatment doesn’t go to plan, you won’t be able to claim further free treatment on the guarantee.
🦷 What problems can Basma fix?
Most clear aligner providers state that they can fix mild to moderate crowding and gaps between teeth, as well as some overbite or underbite issues, depending on how severe the problem is. Underbites and overbites tend to be caused by the jaw rather than teeth though, and so Basma don’t claim to be able to treat them.
Some of the most extreme cases of overcrowding or gaps might not be treatable by aligners. Some may be possible if initial dental work is carried out first, in particular the removal of wisdom teeth. If you get an impression kit and you aren’t suitable, you’ll be told why, and you may be able to try again after undergoing further dental treatment.
Summary
Get a straighter smile at an affordable cost with Basma clear aligners. Read our review to see if Basma is the best aligner provider for you.
Results guarantee – further treatment at no cost if needed
Cons
Full-time aligners (22+ hours) only
No in-person support
Limited to 18+ years only
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Reviews
Feel free to read all the reviews and leave your own review
Sinan Api
February 11, 2022
A terrible experience. My wife had purchased BASMA online
A terrible experience. My wife had purchased BASMA online. After sending them, she has been asked to see dentist in Dubai, to have IPR. Our understanding she was to have 0.1mm. Dentist followed BASMA given paper instructions. After 1 week, they came back telling it was not done properly, and asked her to go see same dentist again. Dentist had new instructions from BASMA, according to the paper given, the spacing should be max 0.3m, and 0.2mm between bottom line tooth. 6 of her tooth are over shaved to almost 1mm. Almost the 3 times the maximum required. The dentist in Dubai was I wonder if a real dentist, the fuss around BASMA instructions, and just sweet talks. Go to proper dentist/orthodontist if you want to have proper alignment. Now we have to pay almost the double, with hope we can have my wife’s tooth aligned, and she will probably will need additional in-between tooth fillings, as other PROFESIONAL dentist explained and shown on new 3D model. AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE, WITH FULL OF REGRET.
A terrible experience. My wife had purchased BASMA online. After sending them, she has been asked to see dentist in Dubai, to have IPR. Our understanding she was to have 0.1mm. Dentist followed BASMA given paper instructions. After 1 week, they came back telling it was not done properly, and asked her to go see same dentist again. Dentist had new instructions from BASMA, according to the paper given, the spacing should be max 0.3m, and 0.2mm between bottom line tooth. 6 of her tooth are over shaved to almost 1mm. Almost the 3 times the maximum required. The dentist in Dubai was I wonder if a real dentist, the fuss around BASMA instructions, and just sweet talks. Go to proper dentist/orthodontist if you want to have proper alignment. Now we have to pay almost the double, with hope we can have my wife’s tooth aligned, and she will probably will need additional in-between tooth fillings, as other PROFESIONAL dentist explained and shown on new 3D model. AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE, WITH FULL OF REGRET.
Comments
R they in dubai plz?
Hi there! Yes, Basma operates in the UAE and Dubai.
A terrible experience. My wife had purchased BASMA online. After sending them, she has been asked to see dentist in Dubai, to have IPR. Our understanding she was to have 0.1mm. Dentist followed BASMA given paper instructions. After 1 week, they came back telling it was not done properly, and asked her to go see same dentist again. Dentist had new instructions from BASMA, according to the paper given, the spacing should be max 0.3m, and 0.2mm between bottom line tooth. 6 of her tooth are over shaved to almost 1mm. Almost the 3 times the maximum required. The dentist in Dubai was I wonder if a real dentist, the fuss around BASMA instructions, and just sweet talks. Go to proper dentist/orthodontist if you want to have proper alignment. Now we have to pay almost the double, with hope we can have my wife’s tooth aligned, and she will probably will need additional in-between tooth fillings, as other PROFESIONAL dentist explained and shown on new 3D model. AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE, WITH FULL OF REGRET.