Affiliate Disclosure

ClearlyBraced is reader supported. Some of the links in our guides are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you buy something after clicking one. The price you pay is exactly the same as it would be otherwise. This page explains how that works and, more importantly, what it does not change about our recommendations.

How affiliate links work here

When you click an affiliate link, the retailer records that the visit came from us. If you then buy within the retailer's tracking window, we receive a percentage of the sale. We receive anonymised reporting only: we can see that a purchase happened, not who you are, what your address is or how you paid.

We take part in retailer and marketplace affiliate programmes for products commonly used during orthodontic treatment, such as interdental brushes, water flossers, aligner cases, cleaning crystals, orthodontic wax and travel oral care kits.

How we choose products

Commission rates never decide what appears in a guide or what ranks first in a comparison. Our picks are chosen on the same basis every time:

• Whether the product solves a problem readers actually report during treatment.
• Hands on use by our editor, who wears clear aligners, wherever that is possible.
• Published guidance from dental and orthodontic bodies for anything health related.
• Patterns in long term user reviews, especially recurring complaints.
• Availability and realistic pricing in the markets our readers live in.

If nothing in a category is worth buying, we say so. If a cheaper product beats an expensive one, we say that too, even when the cheaper option pays us less or nothing at all.

Our own products

We sell a paid ebook about living with clear aligners. That is a direct sale, not an affiliate arrangement, and payment is handled by Payhip. We also offer a free Aligner Starter Kit to newsletter subscribers. Where we mention our own products inside an article, we label them clearly so you can tell the difference between a recommendation and our own offer.

Sponsorships and free samples

We do not sell paid placements inside reviews or rankings, and we do not accept payment in exchange for a positive verdict. If a brand ever sends a product for testing at no cost, that is stated inside the article. Receiving a sample never guarantees coverage, and it does not stop us publishing a negative conclusion.

Editorial independence

Commercial relationships are handled separately from editorial decisions. Writers are not told to favour a brand, and content is not shown to brands for approval before publication. When we update a guide and change a recommendation, we change it because the evidence changed, not because the payout did.

This is information, not dental advice

Nothing on ClearlyBraced, including product recommendations, is personal medical or dental advice. Products that suit one person may be unsuitable for another, particularly during active treatment. Ask your dentist or orthodontist before changing your cleaning routine or trying anything new on your braces, aligners or retainers.

Questions

If you want to know whether a specific link is an affiliate link, or how we reached a particular recommendation, email hello@clearlybraced.com and we will tell you plainly. You can also read our privacy policy to see what data is involved.