Don’t we love a straighter smile? And sometimes we may wonder, can we actually take a few shortcuts to get the smile of our dreams? If you’ve heard of cheap DIY braces in the market, you may be thinking of trying them out to see if they can give you straighter teeth. However, these quick fixes may not actually be great for your new smile or your oral health. Read on to learn more!
What are DIY braces?
DIY braces are presented as a cheaper alternative to getting straighter teeth. They are a self-administered orthodontic treatment that you can use to straighten your teeth without the need for a dental consultation. For orthodontists, this is the stuff nightmares are made of.
In fact, there’s a whole ecosystem of DIY orthodontics available online, from “fashion” braces, to rubber bands and at-home aligner moulds. That’s not all – people have used rubber bands made for hair and even paper clips in an attempt to straighten their teeth! These are certainly not safe methods to get a new smile, and definitely things you should not try at home.
Effects of DIY or fake braces
We completely understand that you may be looking for a cheaper alternative to getting straighter teeth. But trust us on this, fake or cheap braces simply put, are a danger to your oral health.
Fake braces also put you at risk of developing gum disease, and if untreated this increases the risk of tooth loss. It can also mess up your bite, which may cause irreversible damage to your smile.
Oftentimes, these fake braces are not fitted by a licensed dentist or orthodontist, and may not be done in a hygienic setting. You’d run a higher risk of exposing your mouth to even more bacteria and other oral infections.
Some DIY braces are also sold as one-size-fits-all aligners, presenting many dangers considering that everyone’s teeth are different.
Why do fake braces fail?
When it comes to the real deal, orthodontists look at correcting your teeth alignment and your bite. This is why pre-assessments are crucial, so dentists can spot potential issues that may interfere with your braces treatment. There’s precision required when it comes to moving teeth. This is why some people require attachments when they use invisible braces as they determine the direction of how the teeth are aligned.
Finally, consistent communication is needed between the patient and orthodontist to track treatment progress. Most fake or DIY braces do not offer an accountable process either, which is unethical especially if your fake braces cause problems, which they often do.
If wearing fake braces has damaged your smile, it will likely take a longer time to correct it, plus a lot of money. You might also end up paying more than you would have if you opted for real braces.
Comparing real vs fake braces
At Zenyum, we’re as transparent as our invisible braces. We’re with you at every step of the way, from the pre-assessment stage to after your treatment. Our treatment plans need to be approved by our partner dentists before anything else. Even if your teeth aren’t suitable for our invisible braces, we tell it like it is.
When you start your Smile Journey, your first consultation will be conducted by expert dentists at our trusted partner clinics. You can expect X-ray scans and 3D intraoral scans of your teeth at the dental consultation. Zenyum also makes things easier by connecting patients with our Customer Care team via our app for consistent communication. In addition, remote treatment monitoring reduces the number of dental visits you need to make!
Don't gamble on your oral health or smile!
Taking a shortcut to a better smile is never worth the risk, especially when your oral health is concerned. In case you forgot, your teeth are meant to last for life, so they deserve all the care they can get! At Zenyum we have an expansive network of expert partners to help you Smile More.
Zenyum is the convenient, safe and affordable choice for your smile. Level up today by starting your Free Smile Assesement us here!
