Unlike many of the harmless fads that spread online, the DIY braces trend that has gained popularity in schools across the country can have serious ramifications. This trend involves teenagers or adults using tools and other devices to fashion their own braces. Whether they have legitimate orthodontic needs, or are trying to correct a perceived flaw, the results can be devastating and long-term.
What is the DIY Braces Trend?
There are many different techniques used by teens to try and make their own braces. Many will simply use rubber bands or other elastics to try and pull their teeth into a new position.
However, others take it a step further, bending metal earrings or other jewelry into make-shift brackets and even gluing them to their teeth! One popularized case involved a student using a 3D printer to create their own plastic aligners!
While there are alternative types of braces to the traditional metal kind you may think of, DIY braces are not one of them!
Can DIY Braces Work for You?
No. To someone who has never undergone orthodontic treatment, it may appear that braces simply pull teeth together. But the process involved requires a great deal of knowledge, finesse and specialized tools to work correctly. Even the most sophisticated DIY braces won’t function like those placed by a trained and educated professional.
It is possible, and likely, that anyone trying the DIY braces trend will alter the alignment of their teeth. However, it’s a guarantee that what they do will negatively impact their mouth and overall health – possibly permanently.
DIY Braces Often Have No Effect
One of the most common outcomes of using DIY braces is that they do nothing at all. Many of the makeshift tools or elastics used by teens aren’t strong enough to make any noticeable change on their teeth. While even a small amount of force can impact growth, most DIY options are very painful. This leads children or teens to use “solutions” that don’t hurt – largely because they have no effect at all.
In other cases, the child only wears them for a brief time. Orthodontic treatment requires months of adjustments and progress, so one or two nights of this painful DIY fad will likely accomplish nothing.
This is best outcome for anyone participating in the DIY braces trend. Without the tools and experience of an orthodontist, it’s difficult to make effective braces that properly adjust your teeth. As most teens give up quickly, they spare themselves a lot of the risks surrounding DIY braces.
What Are the Risks of DIY Braces?
The DIY braces trend has lead to several cases of teens or even adults doing irreparable harm to their mouth. True orthodontic treatment takes months, while DIY braces can shift teeth in just weeks. This may sound appealing but putting that much force on your teeth is guaranteed to cause harm. There’s a reason your orthodontist doesn’t rush things!
Improper Alignment
Anyone who has worn traditional braces knows that regular visits to the orthodontist are necessary to adjust their bands. This adjustment is very precise work, and is the primary mechanism that allows an orthodontist to adjust your teeth’s alignment.
Orthodontists spend years in education and training to reach their level of expertise – it’s not exactly easy to become one! That training is what allows them to assess and perform the necessary progression of treatments to correct your smile.
Not only are you trying to do the same thing without this experience, you’ll also be trying to work on your own mouth. That isn’t easy; even orthodontists visit other dental professionals for their oral health!
Tooth Loss
Since rubber bands or other elastics are one of the most common techniques for teens to make their own DIY braces, it’s common for tooth loss to be a real risk. In fact, rubber bands were a common technique in the earliest eras of orthodontics for tooth extraction – not exactly the best idea for trying to improve oral health on your own!
The force of these rubber bands, which will often be pulling right near the roots of your teeth, can lead to your teeth slowly being pulled from the gums. It’s not pretty, and it can be rather painful.
Severe Damage
In some cases, your teeth won’t fall out, but that doesn’t save you from severe damage to your oral health. Your roots and your gums are susceptible to permanent damage from homemade braces. Eventually, this damage can lead to losing your teeth and begin issues of bone loss or other problems with gum disease.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Do you think you need braces? You can find out how we can help by scheduling a free consultation! Contact us online or call 440-842-8015
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