Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day?
If you, like many people, find yourself constantly pressed for time, you probably look for time-saving shortcuts to make your life easier. Whether this is ordering your groceries online, hiring a cleaning service for your house, or even trying out DIY dentistry, these alternatives are guaranteed to free up some time.
DIY dentistry is a new trend that allows you to skip orthodontist appointments. Rather than going into the office for impressions for orthodontics and aligners, people order kits online and have them shipped to their home.
Then, they take the impressions at home and send them back to the company. After that, their customer fitted device is sent to them. This eliminates the need to go to the orthodontist entirely.
This allows you to fit your treatment into your lifestyle. Maybe you take the impressions when you have a few minutes in the morning or at night before you go to bed.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to skip routine checkups? Use at home impression kits instead of waiting in the office?
You could avoid the commute, the wait time, and the lengthy appointment. Sounds pretty good, right?
Unfortunately, as nice as this sounds, this practice is not recommended by dentists or orthodontists. While the companies that produce these DIY dentistry devices do employ licensed orthodontists to regulate the process, there are still risks.
This quick fix alternative to a trip to the orthodontist can actually cause damage to the teeth in the long run. When you go to the orthodontist, they evaluate your whole mouth. There’s more to your appointment than just taking an impression of your teeth.
Instead, they build your treatment plan based on what they see in your mouth. You receive the best treatment for your health and situation rather than a one size fits all solution.
An orthodontist will monitor the progress of your treatment, make adjustments if necessary, and ensure that you are taking care of your mouth properly.
This DIY Dentistry predicament spans beyond orthodontics. Seemingly harmless practices such as at home teeth whitening or purchasing a mouthguard or aligner from a pharmacy can also be risky.
Without a dentist to evaluate your oral health, you don’t know if you have damage or health problems that are invisible to you. Additionally, by using these at home, often cheaper solutions, you can cause damage to your teeth.
At home whitening kits and trends can leave a lasting negative impact on your teeth. If used improperly, your teeth can break down due to the chemicals. It’s becoming more and more common to blindly follow trends online using charcoal on teeth, oil pulling, and other quick fix solutions do pose risks. Always seek the advice of a dental professional before trying any of these practices.
Are you interested in improving your appearance with alignment or whitening treatments? Contact our office today to schedule an appointment. You will receive a custom treatment plan that helps both correct your issue and keep your teeth healthy.