An alarming new trend among school-aged children has dentists cringing. Children have started to use fishing wire, rubber bands, and paper clips as materials to straighten their teeth at home. The DIY-trend is extremely dangerous and can cause teeth to fall out. Rubber bands are full of bacteria. Their abrasive quality can cut gums, allowing that bacteria to enter the bloodstream and cause serious infections that could lead to tooth loss.
While parents keep a close eye on their children to make sure their ingenuity stays in the realm of arts and crafts and out of their mouth, many adults have also bought into the DIY orthodonture trend.
The Risks of DIY Orthodonture
Mail-order companies like Smile Direct Club encourage what some describe as a do-it-yourself process for straightening crooked or misaligned teeth. They’re attractive because there are no in-office appointments, but the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) believe this is exactly the problem with this model. Patients who need to correct a bite alignment or who wish to cosmetically straighten their smile, need X-rays and personal attention by a professional. For this reason, the AAO has filed complaints with 36 state dental boards and attorneys general against SmileDirectClub alone.
Customers of DIY-orthodontics have complained of ill-fitting aligners, worsened bite alignment and even chipped teeth. DIY methods promise convenience and flexibility, but at what cost?
6-Month Smiles
It is baffling that people would want to try these techniques when dentists can offer such reliable results so much more quickly than traditional orthodontics. Adult braces straighten teeth quickly, in six months. These new adult braces are use tooth-colored wire to blend in seamlessly with teeth. Clear plastic aligners provided by DIY orthodonture companies typically take 12 to 18 months, or 2 to 3 times longer.
For even faster results, we can offer instant orthodontics with porcelain veneers. Straighten your teeth in under a month. And as a bonus, veneers will also whiten stained teeth and repair chips, wear, and other damage.
Leave Dentistry to a Dentist
Don’t take the risk of losing teeth to DIY dentistry. Leave the strength, health and beauty of your smile to a professional. Blue Bell cosmetic dentist Dr. Siegel at Blue Bell Dental was trained at the prestigious Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies where he earned the title of Master Aesthetic Dentist. He has been practicing for over 35 years.
If you’re in the Blue Bell area and you’re interested in braces, call (610) 272-0828 to make an appointment online.
