Up to half of the U.S. population needs treatment with braces or clear aligners to straighten their teeth. Not all of them feel they can afford treatment. A few even take desperate measures to straighten their teeth, relying on tips from social media and at-home kits to straighten their teeth instead of professionals. Let’s be clear: This is a really bad idea. Trying to straighten your teeth or close gaps in your teeth without professional treatment can cause far more damage than it cures. You could end up with infections, loose teeth, damaged teeth, or even missing teeth!
Kanning Orthodontics uses sophisticated technology to plot the precise pressure and movements necessary to create the smile of your dreams, and we know how to do that without causing damage to your mouth. Patients in the Kansas City, Mo., area can get treatment with clear braces or clear aligners, and thanks to our financing options, we can work with you to make it affordable. You’ll see there’s no need to damage your teeth with TikTok trends or at-home kits!
DIY Orthodontics
Let’s face it, nowadays, there are do-it-yourself instructional videos online for just about everything, from making favorite restaurant dishes to home renovations. Most DIY videos are fun and informative. Some, however, can be damaging or even dangerous. DIY braces fall into the latter category.
We’ve seen videos where people suggest closing tooth gaps using rubber bands. There are so many problems with this. Rubber bands put pressure on the wrong parts of the tooth and put too much pressure at once. That means you could end up with loose teeth that could eventually fall out. Plus, you’re not addressing the underlying issue. Why do you have a gap in your teeth? Without fixing that issue, you could end up with a tooth gap again later. These are just some of the things that can go wrong with do-it-yourself braces.
5 Reasons Not to Do DIY Braces at Home
No matter what the videos or web pages say, do-it-yourself braces for teeth will not yield the results you want. Trying to close one gap may open up others. Your teeth could end up even more crooked than before. We haven’t even explained how you could end up with infections and tooth loss.
So let’s take a look at why you shouldn’t do braces at home.
- You can’t control tooth movement: You need precise movements to put your teeth into their proper places. Professional braces provide that control; DIY braces do not. Without these precise movements, you could cause more problems, from a misaligned bite to loose teeth. What’s more, once teeth start to move, it takes them a while to stop. You may think you got your teeth where you wanted them, but without retainers, your teeth will keep moving even without the bands or DIY braces. Then you could end up with a mess of crooked teeth.
- Elastic bands can slip under the gums: We’ve seen videos that suggest using elastic bands or hair ties to close gaps between teeth. This poses a danger because those bands can slip under the gums. This can cause infection to the gums or bone or can choke off the root of the tooth, which holds it in the jaw. That can lead to tooth loss.
- The elastic bands can be toxic: Standard rubber bands, hair ties, and even wires may contain toxic material because they’re not designed to go into the human body. This toxicity can make you ill the longer you use it, sometimes seriously ill.
- Repairs to your teeth could cost thousands of dollars: Once you’ve damaged your teeth, you’ll need to repair that damage or risk tooth loss. The resulting medical, dental, and orthodontic bills could cost thousands of dollars more than you likely would have paid just getting braces from a licensed orthodontist.
Trained professionals know how to move teeth safely: Professional orthodontists spend years in dental school and orthodontic certification programs to learn how to move teeth precisely and properly to prevent damaging your oral and overall health. These precise movements straighten your teeth and line up your bite, preventing excessive tooth wear and jaw pain. Getting this with DIY braces is not possible.
Do-It-Yourself Orthodontics Kits
We’ve talked about how dangerous social media trends are to your teeth. But it’s not just online trends that can damage your teeth. Patients sometimes need proper orthodontic care after trying mail-order clear aligner kits. They think they will get the same results for a much lower price than they would going to an orthodontist. The problem is that these at-home kits lack the precision of professional orthodontists, which means the results may not be as good as you expect.
DIY clear aligner treatment often starts with at-home impressions. If they’re not done correctly, they won’t produce proper clear aligners to move your teeth where they need to go. These impressions won’t provide the details that our digital 3D scanners do. In addition, these mail-order treatments don’t take into account oral issues that could complicate your treatment, from gum disease to tooth decay.
There’s another thing to consider with mail-order clear aligners — not everyone is a good candidate for clear aligner treatment. Some dental issues are too complex for clear aligners, while others require prep work or repair before braces or clear aligner treatment can begin.
Orthodontic treatment is more complicated than you think. To get the best results, you need professional treatment, not something you get through the mail or over the Internet. If you have questions about professional orthodontic treatment, feel free to peruse some of the more common questions patients have about braces treatment.
Making Braces Affordable
Patients who try DIY braces often cite cost as a motivating factor. That’s before they have a chance to talk to us! Kanning Orthodontics provides financing options to make it easier to afford treatment with braces or clear aligners. We offer low down payments, affordable monthly payments, and even extended payment plans, so you can take up to three years to pay off your treatment, even if you don’t wear your braces or clear aligners that long. So forget the TikTok videos and the mail-order kits. Schedule an appointment with Kanning Orthodontics, and let us show you what we can do!