Clear braces, or aligners, have become more popular over the past 10 years and currently show no sign of slowing down. With that, several DIY braces companies have emerged and become very well accepted. Most of them offer low prices with no visit to a dentist needed. It all sounds great, but is it too good to be true? We’ll share the honest truth with you about do-it-yourself braces and hope answer any questions you may have.
Five Unseen Consequences of DIY Braces
1) Minimal Customer Support
These clear aligners are fabricated based on a computer simulation of how your teeth should move. However, many times teeth don’t always move how they should or were expected to. In these cases, it is very beneficial to have a trained dentist or orthodontist evaluating your individualized case to problem solve and troubleshoot issues to get you back on track. With many of these companies you are only speaking to a technician on the phone.
2) Capable of Only the Most Basic Tooth Movements
These systems do not provide tooth colored button attachments that allow for proper tooth movements. They also are not capable of what is called interproximal reduction, which is just a fancy way of saying gently thinning the teeth. This is necessary when you have crowded teeth to get the end result of a nice straight smile.
3) Undesired Results
As more of these cases are being “finished” we are seeing more issues including loose teeth, gum recession, improper positioning of teeth and not meeting the cosmetic demands of what the patients are seeking.
4) May be Short Lived
The American Dental Association (ADA) and state dental boards are seeing so many of these issues that are trying to shut down these companies. Time will tell, but unsupervised mail order dentistry may signal the end of these companies.
5) Cost Benefits Aren’t Always What They Seem
At first it initially seems cheaper, but you cannot use dental insurance and many times limited in office Invisalign cases aren’t much more in price.
Learn More About Clear Aligners
Clear aligner therapy can be very predictable if done with the right system by someone with the proper training. If you do go the online route, we want make sure you have appropriate expectations and we will be here for you if you run into complications. Give our office a call for a free consult on how to get whiter and straighter teeth.