The Dangers of DIY Braces

The Dangers of DIY Braces
Posted on 08/01/2017

One of the things we at Myers Orthodontics pride ourselves on the most is our dedication to safety and professionalism when applying braces and other orthodontic treatments. When you go to visit a kids or teen orthodontist in Knoxville or Bearden, TN, you can trust that you or your child’s teeth will be in good hands. We feel like this is vital to mention because there’s a sweeping new trend that’s emerging – one that’s an absolute danger to a person’s teeth. We’re talking about DIY (do-it-yourself) braces, a frightening development where patients attempt to take orthodontic matters into their own hands.

Please Don’t Try This at Home

Due to its promotion on YouTube and other social media sites, DIY braces and other orthodontics have become a growingly popular – and dangerous – fad. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists has reported that approximately 13 percent of its member orthodontists have seen patients who have tried to use DIY methods to straighten their own teeth. After watching people online shifting their own teeth with the use of primitive methods, some patients believed that they too could give themselves a straighter smile all by themselves. These amateur orthodontists would then use household objects like rubber bands, dental floss, string, and paper clips in an attempt to emulate the videos that they were watching.

Unfortunately, these attempts often typically ended in catastrophe. 

Orthodontics is such a complex field that there’s absolutely no way that someone without any experience could even dream to pull it off successfully. The tools and techniques that orthodontists use are specifically designed to exert an exact amount of calibration and force onto a patient’s teeth. Different force levels and different motions are required to guarantee the safety of a patient’s teeth and gums. DIY methods just have no way of matching this precision. In many of these cases, a rubber band or a similar object cuts off the proper blood flow to a tooth, which ends up killing it in the process and requiring a tooth replacement. What was once an attempt to save thousands of dollars in orthodontic costs, ends up with a patient having to spend tens of thousands of dollars to replace the teeth and undo the damage that was done. So please – if you’re in need of orthodontics, visit a professional. 

And don’t try this at home!


Visit Your Knoxville and Bearden, TN Teen and Kids Orthodontist!

Please, if you have any interest in orthodontics, let the professionals handle it. To schedule an appointment with us, you can fill out our complimentary consultation form or you can give us a call at (865) 687-6560. We hope to hear from you soon!