DIY braces putting children’s teeth at risk: orthodontists associations

Suzan Vrdoljak expects her 12-year-old daughter’s braces will run her about $7,000.

“We want our daughter to have nice, straight teeth and we want her to have this last a lifetime,” Vrdoljak said. “We believe this is probably going to be what’s best for her in the long run.”

Not all families have the ability to fork out that money for a straight smile.

READ MORE: Straighten Your Teeth – Without the metal!

Toronto orthodontist Dr. Michael Goldstein thinks expense could be a factor behind the rise of do-it-yourself braces demonstrations appearing online. YouTube is brimming with videos of young children – mostly girls – showcasing homemade braces made from rubber bands, string, paper clips, earring backs and other materials.

“There are many risks involved that people that are trying to do this don’t quite understand such as bone loss, gum disease and potentially tooth loss.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There are many risks involved that people that are trying to do this don't quite understand such as bone loss, gum disease and potentially tooth loss."

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) reported an “uptick” in the number of patients attempting do-it-yourself teeth straightening in February.

In a press release, the AAO reported that 13 per cent of its member orthodontists had seen patients who had attempted the DIY practice. The association states 39 per cent of orthodontists who reported seeing DIY patients had to deal with the aftermath and “the majority of those doctors say the patients would have ultimately saved time and money if they had gone to an orthodontist in the first place for professional treatment.”

The Canadian Association of Orthodontists followed suit in late April by releasing a warning about DIY straightening. It said, in part:

“With DIY orthodontics, by the time a problem is recognized, damage has likely been done that is not reversible, even with professional help. The best solution to obtain a healthy, beautiful smile is to visit an orthodontist – many will do an initial consultation at no cost – and talk about professional treatment options.”

Dr. Goldstein is particularly concerned about misuse of elastic bands.

“Many times, what would happen is they’ll put the rubber band on their teeth and go to bed and then in the morning they’ll see that there’s no rubber band there anymore and the space is starting to close,” Goldstein said. “So they’ll feel like maybe the rubber band did its job and fell out or whatever. But what they may not know is that rubber band has started to creep itself up the root of the tooth.

“What would end up happening is if the elastic keeps creeping up the root, is it will start to destroy the tissues around it,” he added. “It could cause bone loss, it could cause gum disease and many times, unfortunately, it’s caused actual tooth extraction where the tooth falls out and unfortunately, by the time people realize what’s happening, sometimes it’s too late.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "What would end up happening is if the elastic keeps creeping up the root, is it will start to destroy the tissues around it," he added. "It could cause bone loss, it could cause gum disease and many times, unfortunately, it's caused actual tooth extraction where the tooth falls out and unfortunately, by the time people realize what's happening, sometimes it's too late."

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The Canadian Association of Orthodontists suggests low-income families check out Smiles4Canada where orthodontists donate their time to provide treatment for children.