A new concerning trend from America: DIY dentistry

Experts are sounding the alarm about a new, worrying trend sweeping the U.S. It is the… DIY dentistry and orthodontics, which has become extremely popular, especially among teenagers and young adults.

A simple search on YouTube reveals dozens of videos of teenagers creating their own fake braces. Unfortunately, each of them has a few thousand to millions of views, with the creators boasting that “I’m so excited! I made my own braces!” or “Turns out, it’s so easy to make braces.”

However, just because something is easy, it doesn’t automatically mean it’s safe. In reality, American dentists and orthodontists are scrambling to fix the damage caused by these “braces” and other makeshift devices.

In fact, the American Dental Association (ADA) started informing the public with advertising notices from the end of August that they should avoid Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Dentistry, as it poses serious risks to oral health.

Similar warnings had been issued a few months earlier by the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), whose members are increasingly seeing the consequences of these homemade orthodontic devices.

“Teeth are not decorative elements, but organs that are supported by the bones of the jaw and consist of two parts and four tissues,” says Dr. Katerina Douma-Michelaki, DDS, PhD, specialist in Orthodontics for Children & Adults and general secretary of the Greek Association of Orthodontic Appliances (GAOA). “Moreover, they are involved in vital functions that do not begin or end with chewing and speaking. Therefore, before someone rushes to make the slightest change to their teeth or the anatomy of their mouth, they really need to understand how the mouth functions, otherwise, they risk causing significant damage.”

According to the ADA, DIY Dentistry and Orthodontics can cause damage to the gums, jawbones, the ligaments that support the teeth, and/or the teeth themselves. Depending on the dental issue they attempt to fix and the nature of the “treatment” they perform, there is a risk of permanent damage to the jaw, the chewing mechanism, and the teeth themselves. In some cases, the consequences even lead to the loss of teeth or gums.

According to research conducted last year by the AAO, 13% of orthodontist members have treated patients who tried to straighten their teeth on their own, causing irreversible damage in some cases.

The patients had used all sorts of materials to fix their dental misalignment. Rubber bands, dental floss, fishing lines, paper clips, chewing… pencils, continuous pressure with the finger, and makeshift stabilizing devices (retainers) were the most widely used methods.

In fact, one of the orthodontists who participated in the research mentioned that he saw a patient who tried to close the gap between their two lower incisors (the two front teeth) with a string. When the patient went to the orthodontist, the string had gone deep into their gums and their teeth had significant mobility.

“What most people don’t understand is that the movement of teeth is a biological process that involves bone,” says Dr. Douma-Michelaki. “The bone is not passive in the movement but is affected by it, so one must know very well what they are doing and how they are doing it.”

And she continues: “Both scientific associations have been warning for a long time that there is a problem with homemade braces and other orthodontic devices, but unfortunately, people don’t listen. This trend may slowly or quickly come to our country due to the economic crisis. Unfortunately, the cost paid in the end is much greater than anyone can imagine.”

Correcting the damage caused by makeshift devices can be time-consuming and costly, according to the AAO. As shown by their research, 39% of orthodontists who treated patients with damage caused by homemade devices had to provide expensive corrective treatments. In many cases, experts say, patients could have saved effort, pain, and money if they had initially visited an orthodontist to get proper braces.

According to the AAO, the age range of people who tried to self-correct their dental misalignment ranges from 8 to 60 years old. However, 70% belong to the age group that loves social media and is tech-savvy, i.e., between 10 and 34 years old. Of these patients, over 80% reported using social media frequently, hence the AAO’s assessment that social media plays a crucial role in the entire issue.

The whole issue was highlighted recently in an extensive report by the American broadcast network NBC.