DIY braces are dangerous because they cause permanent damage to your teeth. They use non-sterile materials that can cut your gums and cause open sores. They also restrict blood flow to your teeth, which can destroy the roots. If you are experiencing any of these problems, call boca Dental and Braces now.
Infections, tooth, and bone damage caused by DIY braces can be expensive to repair and may require surgery. You will also likely experience new problems like clenching your teeth, shooting pain, and jaw issues.
The American Association of Orthodontists warns that DIY braces can cause permanent damage to your teeth and gums. Using random household items such as braces like hair elastic ties, paper clips, the backs of earrings, fishing lines, or electrical wire can lead to cuts in your mouth and expose your gum tissue to bacteria, preventing healing and increasing the risk of infection. These objects can also chip or fracture your teeth and cut the tissues surrounding your tooth, causing further dental problems.
The tightness of these DIY braces restricts blood flow to your teeth, causing them to lose nutrients and become damaged. Gap bands, for example, seem harmless when wrapped around a gap in your teeth but tighten over time and can destroy the roots of your teeth by strangling them. This results in tooth loss at its root and can lead to bone loss in your jaw, making it more difficult for you to chew or speak properly.
Besides the direct damage caused by these DIY braces, they can also affect your overall health by reducing your immune system’s function and causing chronic inflammation in your gums and other tissues in your mouth. This can directly impact your mental health by lowering serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels, which are typically correlated with mood disorders.
DIY braces can also cause your teeth to shift in ways that can change how your upper and lower jaws interact, resulting in serious bite problems that may require costly surgery. DIY braces can also cause permanent damage to your enamel by exposing the underlying dentin and causing it to break down, making your teeth more sensitive to hot or cold or more susceptible to tooth decay.
One of the biggest reasons to avoid DIY braces is that they can cause injury to your gums and cheeks. Many of the objects used in DIY braces are pointed, and they can stab or poke the gums, tongue, lips, and inner cheeks. These injuries can be painful, and they may leave the area raw and prone to infection. Some DIY braces methods, such as rubber bands, can even damage or break teeth if wrapped around them too long.
Another problem is that these foreign objects can get stuck inside the mouth, leading to food getting stuck and causing tooth decay. Some of the objects people use in DIY braces, such as metal twist garbage ties, can also make it difficult to clean the mouth properly, which may lead to food becoming trapped between the teeth and creating a buildup that needs to be removed by a dentist.
There are also risks associated with injuries to the roof of your mouth, throat, tonsils, and other deeper tissues in your head or neck. These injuries can be serious and can affect your ability to speak, swallow, or breathe. They can also lead to infection and may require surgery or other dental procedures.
Sometimes, an injury occurs without any specific incident or accident. For example, some patients develop sores along the inner cheek or gums because of irritation from the brackets and wires on their braces. This is normal; these sores can be covered with relief wax to help ease the discomfort.
Some people also injure their teeth or jaws by chewing on hard items such as pens, pencils, or the back of a ring or necklace. This can crack, chip, or break a tooth and may cause it to change color. If a tooth is broken, it can become jammed in the gums and must be pulled out by a dentist. These injuries can be painful and costly to repair, so it is best to avoid them altogether. Call your dentist immediately to schedule an appointment if you have a loose or broken tooth.
Since many items used to create DIY at-home braces are non-sterile and non-medical, they are easy to infect. Tight bands cut off blood flow and circulation to the teeth, which can destroy the roots, resulting in tooth loss. Infection may also spread to other facial and blood tissues, causing severe bone and tissue damage, tooth decay, gum disease, and can even become life-threatening in some cases.
In addition to cutting into the gums, the items used for DIY braces may rub against the mouth tissues, resulting in ulcers (round, swollen whitish spots). These sores can make eating and brushing painful experiences and may require medical treatment from your dentist as soon as possible. A dental professional can also prevent these ulcers using special mouthwash and a more comfortable mouthguard.
Sometimes, a DIY orthodontic treatment will cause permanent damage to the teeth and jaw. This is because the tools used in these treatments are often non-sterile, causing irritation and other problems. Gum infection is just one of the many serious consequences that can occur with this type of treatment. Gum infections result in open sores that can’t heal and may also cause tooth and bone loss if the infection isn’t treated by a dentist soon enough.
Another risk of DIY braces is the possibility that they’ll cause a change in your bite pattern. This change can impact your ability to chew and speak, resulting in speech impediments or other dental issues down the road. In addition, some people who wear DIY braces might notice that their lower and upper teeth no longer fit together correctly. This misalignment can cause increased jaw pain and even result in teeth falling out.
It’s also important to note that the materials used in DIY orthodontic treatments, such as rubber bands and metal twist garbage ties, must be sanitary. These objects are covered in germs and can easily cut into the gums, tongue, cheek, or other parts of the mouth. This can cause a painful and bloody mess. Plus, it’s not uncommon for rogue elastics or other pieces of DIY braces to get lost in the gums. This can cause the roots of the teeth to lose their blood supply, destroying them from the inside out and possibly leading to the need for tooth extraction.
The bottom line is that the risk of damaging your mouth with DIY braces far outweighs any potential savings you might get from the treatment. The good news is that orthodontic options that don’t require surgery are available and will provide you with a straighter smile. If you want to know more about improving your smile, reach out and schedule an appointment with our team of caring professionals today!
In addition, fixing any damage caused by DIY braces is a lot more expensive than visiting an orthodontist. Teeth replacement and surgery to treat gum infections are not cheap, so choosing a professional orthodontist to handle your braces is best to avoid the risk altogether.
