Comparison

Dental Essentials vs The Braces App

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dental Essentials

Features
Read full description

Dental Essentials from In Hand Health is for clinicians who use the company's In Hand Health Console for invisible aligner treatment. Note: This app requires an In Hand Health account to sign in and does not function independently. Dental Essentials provides access to several key features of the In Hand Health Console (patient dashboard, patient stats, HIPAA-secure messaging and Virtual Visits) through the convenience of a native app on your iPhone. The app also enables you to build your own content through step-by-step wizards. Completed content include all the detail of the patent pending In Hand Health activity/exercise formats: Still photos, instructions, narration, cues and tips, and announcements. Final content is automatically uploaded to your In Hand Health account in your My Saved libraries for you to use when prescribing to your patients.

About

The Braces App

This app provides comprehensive information and tools for individuals interested in, currently wearing, or having previously worn braces. It includes care instructions, video tutorials, dietary advice, a fun brace coloring feature, and even a game.

Highlights
  • Braces care instructions
  • Tutorial videos
  • Dietary guidelines
  • Color your braces feature
  • Braces-themed video game
Features
Read full description

Getting braces? Have braces? Had braces? This app was built for you. The Braces App is the most complete braces resource available — packed with tools, education, and fun that no other orthodontic app offers. COLOR YOUR BRACES Pick your next brace color before your appointment. Choose from dozens of colors — single colors, power chains, glow in the dark, holiday themes, sports teams (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA), and more. See exactly how different combinations look on real teeth. LEARN EVERYTHING ABOUT BRACES How braces work and move teeth How to take care of your braces Braces vs. Invisalign Types of braces and gadgets Common problems and how to fix them Retainers, rubber bands, and more Fun facts, timeline of braces history Books about braces GAMES Play Tooth Fairy Escape — dodge obstacles across 10 levels on Easy, Medium, or Hard. Test your braces knowledge with the Trivia Game. BRUSH TIMER Time your brushing sessions to make sure you're doing it right. REMINDERS Set custom reminders for brushing, flossing, rubber bands, aligners, and more. Whether you're a kid getting braces for the first time, a teen deep into treatment, or a parent trying to help — The Braces App has everything in one place. Free to download.

Screenshots

Dental Essentials4 screens
The Braces App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Dental Essentials at none against The Braces App's shown. Dental Essentials also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 29 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dental Essentials ships an update every 3 weeks, The Braces App every 29 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Dental Essentials versus The Braces App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDental EssentialsThe Braces App
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (26 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—87.5% of reviews
Number of ratings—26 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 29 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Ad-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB15 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperIn Hand Health, LLCBaron Hall

In-app purchases

None

Dental Essentials

No in-app purchases

None

The Braces App

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dental Essentials free?
Dental Essentials is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Braces App free?
The Braces App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Dental Essentials or The Braces App have ads?
The Braces App shows ads; Dental Essentials does not.
Which is updated more often, Dental Essentials or The Braces App?
Dental Essentials ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Braces App every 29 months. Most recently, Dental Essentials was updated on October 4, 2026 and The Braces App on October 24, 2026.

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