Are DIY Braces a Good Idea?

DIY Braces are do-it-yourself “braces” that someone with no professional training is applying to their teeth, and they are just as dangerous as they sound. The team at Jaffe Orthodontics has seen the risks involved in these efforts to straighten teeth at home, and we want to advise our patients in Bristol and Barrington, RI that it’s just not worth it! Looking for safe, state-of-the-art orthodontic treatment for kids and adults? Visit Jaffe Orthodontics.

DIY Braces: What Are the Risks?

Whether you’re trying to add an accessory to a Halloween costume, or trying to straighten your teeth using hair ties and office supplies, you’re putting your health and teeth at risk. Gluing objects and different materials to the teeth can damage enamel, presents a choking hazard, and can potentially chip teeth, damage gums, and the soft tissues inside the mouth. If accidentally swallowed, these materials can cause internal injury.

One common DIY braces method is to wrap rubber bands or small hair ties around the teeth in an attempt to close gaps between them. These rubber bands can slip further up the teeth and become stuck in the gum tissue causing pain, bleeding, and requiring medical assistance to remove.

At Home Aligners and the Importance of Supervision

From the very dangerous extreme of making your braces at home to the recently popular mail-order clear Invisalign-style aligner kits, trying to cut costs by straightening teeth without professional supervision just isn’t a good idea.

• Lack of oversight from an orthodontist means that any problems that arise during treatment can go unnoticed until it is too late to easily correct and treat them.
• Your orthodontist makes a detailed plan of your teeth’ desired movement before treatment even begins, so the results are guaranteed to be an improvement, not a new issue to deal with. This kind of consultation and planning is impossible to replicate at home or online.
• The potential for relapse and the need for additional treatment is higher with at-home treatments because timing and duration of wear are not closely monitored.

Contact Your Orthodontist Today

If you’re ready to discover your smile’s full potential using safe and highly advanced professional methods, contact us at Jaffe Orthodontics and request an appointment today. We work with you to choose the right type of braces, from traditional metal to Invisalign, to suit your needs and provide you with the best possible results. Take a look at our before and after gallery to see what you can expect from your care.

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