Beware of ‘DIY orthodontics’

You can find a do-it-yourself tutorial for just about anything online, even one for how to straighten your teeth!

It may sound like a good way to save money, but experts warn at-home orthodontics is a risky business.

One that could cost you much more in the long run.

Tina Hicks has always felt self- conscious about the space between her two front teeth.

“The perfect smile for me is a smile with no gaps,” said Hicks.

She says she had her perfect smile after four years of wearing invisible aligners, prescribed by her orthodontist.

“Sadly, I lost my retainers. I knew my gaps were going to re-open, and that’s what started to happen.”

Another set of braces wasn’t in Hicks’ budget, so she decided to take treatment into her own hands, and logged online for advice.

A quick internet search of terms like “do-it-yourself orthodontics” will reveal thousands of YouTube videos, some with hundreds of thousands of views.

The videos suggest moving teeth with inexpensive items, like clear hair bands, elastics, paper clips, and dental floss.

The American Association of Orthodontists warns that these videos, which are not posted by dental professionals, can put your oral health in jeopardy.

“I have seen more than one instance where harm has been done – irreversible damage. I also can assure you that with the internet, and the availability of information that’s out there for a lot of consumers, that there’s going to be more occurring if the advice that’s out there is followed,” said Dr. Dewayne McCamish.

That’s because even if teeth and gums appear healthy on the surface, there can be underlying problems that affect treatment. Tiny elastic bands, pitched online as “gap bands,” are considered one of the most dangerous “quick fixes.”

“A tooth is shaped like an ice cream cone. That rubber band, as it goes up the teeth, it pulls that tooth out of the bone,” said McCamish.

Which can lead to permanent loss of teeth and expensive and lifelong dental problems.

If cost is an issue, Dr. McCamish says most orthodontists will work with you on a payment plan to fit your monthly budget.

“We are dealing with a medical procedure. We are dealing with how a person is going to be for a lifetime. This is not today and tomorrow. This is forever.”

Most orthodontists offer free consultations.