The Dangers of DIY Braces

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Over the past few years there has been a large increase in the number of people looking to improve the appearance of their teeth with options such as clear braces and clear aligner therapy. DIY braces and at home teeth straightening options are popping up everywhere, promising dentist quality results at a fraction of the price. The convenience of mail order teeth straightening seems unbeatable, allowing you to straighten your teeth without the need for regular dental appointments. Unfortunately, things that sound too good to be true most often are!

With this in mind there are some things the team at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centrewant to make you aware of regarding your choice of teeth straightening.

What is mail order teeth straightening?

Companies have started to offer cheaper alternatives to attending the dentist for teeth straightening. These companies will send you an at home impression kit to take impressions of your teeth. Once these are sent back, they will be reviewed by one of their technicians, who determines if you are suitable for these aligners. If so, aligners are sent back to be worn for a prescribed period.

This may seem very similar to the process of teeth straightening through the team at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre, but there are some very big differences.

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Teeth straightening requires supervision.

Moving teeth is a medical procedure and needs personal supervision by a dentist. The dentist can monitor how your teeth are moving and if necessary, they will adjust your treatment plan to ensure your teeth move at the most safe and efficient rate.  Moving teeth without a thorough assessment of the overall health of the teeth and gums could result in the loss of teeth, which can cause expensive and lifelong dental problems.

Training

Dentists have years of training and they will identify and treat serious oral health concerns before they even consider offering their patients’ teeth straightening treatments. Serious oral health problems, like gum disease and cavities can be overlooked with home kits because there is not a lot that can be seen from photos or impressions. Mail order teeth straightening  do not use x-rays to see the structure below the gum line and with mail order teeth straightening there is no way of knowing what level of training the people assessing your photos and impressions have.

More expensive in the long run

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Moving teeth too fast or with poorly fitting aligners can result in serious problems. A dentist adjusts treatment along the way to correct any orthodontic errors that crop up. Mail order aligners instead operate along the lines of wear it and hope for the best. This can mean that having paid for your mail order teeth straightening, you will then have to pay even more to see a dentist to repair the damage caused.

Teeth straightening is a medical treatment. Straightening your teeth and aligning your bite is a considerable commitment, that requires an experienced dentist. Why trust your smile to anyone else?

If you would like to find out more about teeth straightening, call Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre today on 01622 682 029 and book a consultation.

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