Since a university design student Amos Dudley manufactured his own set of clear, Invisalign-like aligners himself with a 3D printer at his school in 2016, the DIY braces have taken the U.S. by storm, primarily among teenagers and young adults. The desire for a quick fix for their crooked, embarrassing smile and the high cost of traditional orthodontic work, especially for patients without dental insurance, have created the perfect environment for this dangerous trend to occur.

Dudley’s dissatisfaction with his smile, the inability to afford orthodontic treatment and the unwillingness to wait the standard 18-30 months to have a transformed mouth as well as trying to “stick it” to the dental industry were all reasons for Dudley’s experiment.

Amos Dudley’s case is unique in that it was seen as a success, at least on the outside. In addition, Dudley had access to a 3D printer, something that many of the kids and young adults who follow Dudley’s lead don’t have access to. Instead, kids have come up with their own methods of taking their smile into their own hands. String, fishing hooks, paper clips and rubber bands have become popular instruments to straighten teeth and shrink teeth gaps.

Social media, especially YouTube is full of teens proudly showing off their DIY braces and the success they have achieved in a noticeably straighter smile.

As tempting as the idea of spending less than $100 and getting a perfectly straight teeth in a matter of weeks, not months, is there are significant risks involved.

Below are some of the greatest risks involved in DIY braces:

  • Can cause infections in the mouth
  • Can cause excessive tooth wear, damage to the jawbone, and lead to lost teeth
  • Can cause pain
  • Can damage the gums and bone
  • Can cause irreparable damage to the teeth
  • Can lead to more crooked teeth with more, larger gaps
  • Can lead to the need of expensive dental treatment to fix or save teeth
  • Can cause emotional and psychological trauma of damaging one’s smile

As many times these DIY braces are successful, there are many more instances where things have gone terribly wrong. Rubber bands can slip up under the gum line and cause damage to the jawbone and cause strangulation of the tooth roots, leading to tooth loss. In addition, the results of DIY treatments are temporary and won’t last. In fact, the teeth are more likely to revert back to their original, crooked position.

Teens and young adults are already self-conscious of their smiles. The thought of braces can be horrifying, adding to their self-consciousness. As unpleasant as traditional braces are, they are a safe and effective orthodontic treatment that offer a permanent or semi-permanent solution to crooked smiles.

Even Invisalign, a set of clear, plastic correcting trays, are a great alternative to DIY braces. Patients who have minor orthodontic issues and don’t need traditional braces, may be candidates for Invisalign. These types of orthodontic treatments have become very popular among teenagers and adults because they are so transparent that they are nearly invisible.

Regardless of whether traditional braces or Invisalign is the best option for you, having your treatment monitored and guided by a dental professional is the best and safest way to get that straight smile you’ve been longing for.

The additional costs of professional dental treatment is worth it as dental professionals such as those at Madison Smiles Solutions have gone to school and are licensed medical professionals who know oral health very well and the best way to preserve and better its health, appearance and proper functioning. Dentists know how teeth move, the best direction teeth need to move for each patient and to produce a life-long straight smile that doesn’t lead to serious oral health issues requiring additional, extensive dental treatment.  

Regardless of how bad you may have damaged your mouth, it isn’t too late to get professional dental and orthodontic help. Getting treatment from a dental professional at Madison Smiles Solutions  can halt and maybe reverse the damage done. You don’t have to suffer from a crooked, gapped smile any longer. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.