You can find just about any kind of do-it-yourself tutorial you can think of online, even how to straighten your teeth at home.
It's becoming a popular way to save a few bucks, but as Tina Hicks found out the hard way, saving now may mean problems later.
[WEB EXTRA: American Association of Orthodontists]
Hicks said she has always felt self-conscious about the space between her two front teeth.
"The perfect smile for me is a smile with no gaps," said Hicks.
She got that perfect smile after four years of wearing invisible aligners, but that quickly changed.
"Sadly, I lost my retainers. I knew my gaps were going to reopen, and that's what started to happen," said Hicks.
Another set of braces didn't fit into Hicks' budget, so she decided to take treatment into her own hands.
A quick Internet search of terms like "do-it-yourself orthodontics" will reveal thousands of YouTube videos, some with hundreds of thousands of views.
Many suggest moving teeth with inexpensive items, like clear hair bands, elastics, paper clips and dental floss.
But orthodontists warn these videos, which are not posted by dental professionals, can put your oral health in jeopardy.
On the American Association of Orthodontists website, the following alert is posted:
"The American Association of Orthodontists is urging consumers to beware of Internet videos and websites which encourage people to try and straighten their own teeth. Moving teeth is a medical procedure and needs personal supervision by an orthodontist. Please be wary of any suggestions to move teeth with rubber bands, dental floss, or other objects ordered on the Internet. Moving teeth without a thorough examination of the overall health of the teeth and gums could result in the permanent loss of teeth, which may result in expensive and lifelong dental problems. Orthodontists receive two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school and are specialists in straightening teeth and aligning the bite."
"I have seen more than one instance where harm has been done- irreversible damage. i also can assure you that with the Internet, and the availability of information that's out there for a lot of consumers, that there's going to be more occurring if the advice that's out there is followed," said Dr. DeWayne McCamish from the American Association of Orthodontists.
That's because even if teeth and gums appear healthy on the surface, there can be underlying problems. Even if not, the tiny elastic bands pitched online as "gap bands" are considered one of the most dangerous "quick-fixes."
"A tooth is shaped like an ice cream cone. That rubber band, as it goes up the teeth, it pulls that tooth out of the bone," said McCamish.
That can lead to permanent loss of teeth and expensive and lifelong dental problems.
Hicks tried using the gap bands but said she quickly found out they weren't the best choice.
"They were cutting into my gums," said Hicks. "It was super painful."
If cost is an issue, McCamish said most orthodontists will work with you on a payment plan to fit your monthly budget, and in the end, he said it's worth it.
"We are dealing with a medical procedure," said McCamish. "We are dealing with how a person is going to be for a lifetime. This is not today and tomorrow. This is forever."
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