5 Reasons Why Mail Order Braces are a Really Bad Idea

If you’re unhappy with your smile and on a budget, mail order braces and at-home teeth aligner kits can seem like an appealing choice. On social media, they are advertised as an ideal solution for anyone with a busy lifestyle and tight budget that wants a perfect smile. But the reality is that they aren’t the miracle they appear to be on social media, and can actually be detrimental to your oral health. Here are five reasons why. 

You Never See a Dentist in Person 

Unlike mail order braces, a dentist doesn’t only straighten teeth. A dentist will also tend to alignment issues and a number of other serious oral health concerns that at-home kits often neglect. In fact, existing concerns could even get worse through the use of mail order braces because an orthodontist isn’t monitoring your progress in person. 

A dentist will regularly monitor your progress throughout the length of your treatment, give advice and answer any questions you may have, to make sure you attain the smile of your dreams. 

Your Treatment Isn’t Adjusted Along the Way 

It can be hard to anticipate how your teeth are going to move throughout your orthodontic treatment. Your teeth can move faster, slower or in a different way than originally expected. A dentist will observe your progress closely and reroute your treatment plan as needed. 

With DYI braces or aligners, this tailored service isn’t available. Their plan is based on your initial impressions and is not adjusted throughout your treatment process, which can lead to serious damage to your teeth, gums, and jaw. 

Aligners Don’t Work for Everyone

Your dental health and needs should be addressed on an individual basis. Everyone’s orthodontic health and needs are different, and clear aligners may not work for all those needs.  A dentist has several different types of braces at their disposal to provide the best-customized treatment plan for you. 

There are reviewers of mail-order kits that said the placement or condition of their teeth was worse after using the kits. This could be due to ill-fitting aligners or placement issues that aligners can’t fix. An assessment by an orthodontist can prevent this damage. 

There May Be Issues That Go Untreated 

Many orthodontic issues are present under the gum line, and with the jaw itself. A mail-in aligner kit can’t treat these issues. A good dentist can perform necessary procedures like widening your jaw so your teeth have the best fit or check that your jaw bone is adapting to treatment properly. 

Overall Cost May Be More Than Your Standard Orthodontic Treatment 

If you use a mail-order aligner kit and end up with teeth that look worse than before or you end up having serious orthodontic problems from ill-fitting aligners, you will most likely have to seek treatment through traditional orthodontics. This means you will have to pay double what you originally planned plus the potential cost of serious surgery or other treatments. 

Any complications that can arise from the use of mail-order aligners is completely avoidable if you seek traditional treatment with a dentist. Traditional orthodontics is safer and can be more cost-effective by preventing damages that mail-order kits can cause. You can obtain the smile of your dreams and protect both your oral health and your wallet by seeing a dentist. 

Want a more beautiful, straighter smile?  Schedule a consultation today with Dr. Farinas-Han at Smiles by Bergen Dental! Smiles by Bergen Dental is conveniently located in Midland Park New Jersey, within minutes from Ridgewood, Wyckoff, Glen Rock, Paramus, Ramsey, Allendale, Saddle River, Upper Saddle River, and Franklin Lakes.