Why Mail-Order Aligner Kits are Bad News

Why Mail-Order Aligner Kits are Bad News

There’s a big hoopla now surrounding the new mail-order aligner kits that have come out. These kits, produced by companies such as Smile Direct, are designed to help individuals straighten their own teeth at home, saving money on conventional orthodontic care.

But as a professional dentist, my concern is the fact that people are not considering the potential risks that may be associated with these mail-order treatments. Unless you happen to be a dentist or an orthodontist yourself, chances are you really don’t know enough to take control of your own orthodontic treatment.

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Dentists and orthodontists rely on specialized training that takes several years of careful study and clinical experience, which you as a layperson do not have. A physician’s training and knowledge regarding the health and function of the teeth and underlying jawbone gives them important insights into the best way to exert pressure on the teeth to cause them to shift gradually into their proper positions using devices such as braces or acrylic aligners like Invisalign®.

Below are the key points that, to me, are most worrisome with regards to mail order teeth straightening kits. Please take these into consideration before you consider a do-it-yourself mail-order orthodontic treatment over a proper, professional treatment.

•  There is a risk of causing serious long-term damage to your teeth, gums, and bone if your aligners pull on the teeth incorrectly and you continue to wear them for too long. This is why it is crucial that you have regular orthodontic checkups throughout treatment.
• Malocclusions and the manipulation of teeth affect the underlying bone tissue, as well as the gums. All of these areas become more vulnerable to infection when the teeth are unaligned, as well as during the process of alignment, due to the pressure that braces or aligners exert on the teeth, gums, and bone. Without regular checkups, you might miss clues to potential problems such as infections or structural issues that would have to be taken care of before undergoing orthodontic treatment.
• There are potential problems that can occur if you don’t know how to properly take a good impression of your own teeth. It takes skill and practice to learn how to do this correctly and avoid potential damage to your teeth caused by exerting pressure on them incorrectly. Impressions are most successful when taken correctly in professional settings by trained orthodontic professionals.
• Optimal outcomes in orthodontic care depend on a customized treatment plan that includes x-rays and regular visits to evaluate the progress of the treatment. At each visit, I check to see how well the patient is doing, check for potential signs of infection or other problems, and note whether or not they are making the expected progress. Based on this, I make specific adjustments such as tightening the braces or replacing aligners to customize the treatment according to the progress the patient is making. With no doctor to oversee your treatment, it is highly unlikely that you can achieve a truly optimal outcome.

If you’d like to know more about the proper way to straighten your teeth without risking damage to the gums or bone, contact Dr. Terry Song at Access Dental Care, serving residents of Reno and Sparks, and neighboring communities in Nevada.