What are Do-It-Yourself Orthodontics?
Do-It-Yourself, or DIY Orthodontics is a business model that’s beginning to gain some popularity in certain markets. You’ve probably seen the commercials on TV where the promise is made to give you a straight smile by sending clear aligners right to your front door. They often compare getting a straight new smile to shopping online for clothes.
While there may be a few very specific cases in which someone benefits from that sort of orthodontics, in the vast majority of cases, the best results are seen with orthodontic work done by a qualified, university trained orthodontic specialist.
Why Does Someone Choose DIY Orthodontics?
Reasons for choosing do-it-yourself orthodontics vary from person to person. Many choose the DIY route because it promises a lower cost and seems so simple to do.
How it works is you receive a kit in the mail and all you have to do is make a mold of your teeth, take a picture of your bite, send it back, and they’ll send you a series of aligners with the promise you’ll end up with straight teeth and a beautiful smile.Other people choose this method because they fear the dentist and they perceive this as a way to straighten their teeth without having to see the dentist or orthodontist.
The question that needs to be asked is this – if you cut out the professional, whose job it is to care for and treat your mouth, teeth and gums…what happens if something goes wrong?
And things can go wrong. Very wrong.
What are the Risks?
One of the biggest risks with DIY orthodontics is the lack of any sort of ongoing evaluation throughout the orthodontic process. Each case is incredibly unique, and proper care needs to be taken from the very beginning to assess what treatment is best. Periodic follow-up exams also need to be made to evaluate the progress and make adjustments as needed.
With mail order braces, there is no initial exam. There is no follow-up exam. The average patient doesn’t know what to look for as far as issues with the teeth or gums and is not qualified to make any adjustments that may need to be made.
There are other risks involved with unsupervised Do-It-Yourself orthodontics. You can wind up experiencing additional problems with your teeth and gums, including:
- Serious gum damage
- Increased infection risk
- Tooth loss
- Problems with the jaw or bite
- Serious dental problems for life
What’s the Best Alternative to Do-It-Yourself Orthodontics?
Your teeth and overall oral health should only be trusted to a professional. The best alternative to DIY orthodontics is to seek out a qualified, university trained orthodontist. This gives you peace of mind knowing any issues you may have will be properly evaluated, treated and followed up as necessary.
Orthodontists are specialists that receive 2-3 years of additional education after dental school at a University based program and gain extensive clinical experience in a Orthodontic residency program. This education and training goes far beyond what’s required of your general dentist. Their specialized knowledge gives them vastly increased insight into every detail about the proper movement and alignment of your teeth, your mouth and your jaw.
It doesn’t make sense to risk further damage, possibly even irreparable damage, to your teeth, gums, mouth or jaw by attempting to re-align them on your own with no qualified professional to oversee the entire process from start to finish.
