Do home teeth straightening kits work? Before you rush out and purchase a teeth straightening kit, you’ll want to know does it actually work. You’ll also want to learn about the pros, cons and risks. With that said, here’s everything you should know about kits that can supposedly align teeth at home.
Table of Contents
How It Works & Does It Work
Generally speaking, there are three steps involved with getting straight teeth at home via an at home teeth alignment kit. Let’s discuss the steps and then let’s discuss if it actually works.
1. Assess Your Teeth
The first step involves taking your own impression. Typically, you’ll receive putty with the kit. After biting down on the putty, you send the impression of your bite back to the company that provided the kit.
2. Inspection
Your impressions will be looked at by a dental professional. Then they’ll create a treatment plan for you to follow, but only if they determine you’re a good candidate for teeth alignment at home.
Aligners, or braces, will be created for your teeth. You’ll be told how many hours per day to wear them for, as well as how long the length of the treatment will last for.
3. Retainers
Once your treatment is finished, the company you got your kit from will provide you with retainers. These are worn to make sure teeth don’t go back to the way they were.
Does It Actually Work
Now you know how to straighten your own teeth at home, but do kits actually work? The answer is yes, but only to a certain extent. Do not expect to get the results you desired. Retainers and aligners can straighten your teeth, but you need guidance. Go to a dental office during the course of a treatment is how to get your teeth straightened the right way.
The Best Way To Straighten Teeth At Home
A lot of people wonder how to straighten teeth at home, which is why kits are popular. The truth is that there is no best or cheap teeth straightening at home kits that will deliver perfect results. Seeing an actual dentist is the most effective way to get straighter teeth. However, if you still want to straighten your teeth fast at home, then make an appointment with Bruce Vafa DDS before you order a kit. He can advise you on what your options are and whether or not it’s actually a good idea to attempt to use a kit.
The bottom line is any teeth whitening and straightening kit will likely not give you the results you were hoping to get. Kits are not a good substitute for seeing a dentist when your goal is to get straight teeth. A dental professional can discuss all of your teeth straightening options before recommending which one you should choose.
The Pros
There’s a handful of good things that can be said about the kits. The top are:
Effective
If you require only a mild correction, then an at-home straightening kits can be effective. Your teeth may look much better within a few months time. However, if your teeth are really crooked or need more than a mild form of treatment, then your best bet would be to see a dentist.
Furthermore, the best way to strengthen your teeth is to brush them regularly. Use a high quality toothpaste and stay away from sugary foods and drinks. If you do those things, your teeth will become stronger and in turn they will look better. While it’s true your teeth won’t become straighter, they will become stronger.
Aesthetics
Depending on the kit you use, the aligners provided will look good. You may even receive invisible braces, such as an alternative to Invisalign. People won’t be able to tell you are wearing anything on your teeth. In the event you receive traditional retainers, then don’t worry because they too are aesthetically appealing to the eye.
Whiter Teeth
Most kits include product/products that can be used alongside the retainers. These products are formulated to whiten your teeth. The idea is to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time, that way by the time the treatment ends you’ll have a totally transformed smile.
Affordable
Without a doubt, one of the cheapest way to straighten teeth is to use a kit. You simply order a kit online and follow the instructions. There’s no need to go to a dentist, followup appointments or anything of that nature.
Cons
The cons associated with using teeth straightening kits at home include:
Lack Of Specialist Support
The absolute best ways to straighten teeth is to see a dentist and let them develop a treatment plan. Then they’ll have you come in for followup appointments. However, you don’t get this with teeth straightening kits. There’s a major lack of support, which leaves rooms for you to make mistakes.
Large Issues Won’t Be Fixed
If you only have minor issues with your teeth, such as a few are crooked, then you’re fine. A kit might work, but it’s best to steer clear of them if you have larger issues. If your teeth are severely damaged, crooked and so forth, then a kit is not for you. Your best option is to see a professional.
No X-Rays
Let’s not forget to mention there’s no X-Rays involved with kits. If you see a dentist, they will perform a thorough examination of your mouth and take X-Rays. They’ll make sure there’s no issues present and if you can receive treatment to straighten your teeth.
Those are only a few of the many disadvantages. You should schedule a free dental consultation with a cosmetic dentist. They’ll provide you with an effective treatment plan to help you get the smile you desire.
Risks
There are several risks associated with teeth straightening kits. The tops risks are:
. Teeth Damage- A home orthodontics kit comes with extremely high risk of damaging your teeth. It’s too easy for people to not follow instructions. By not following instructions to the T, you’re likely going to do more damage to your teeth.
. Gum Recession- A dentist knows how to properly adjust aligners, braces, Invisalign and so on. With a kit, you receive aligners that have supposedly been adjusted. If they have not been properly adjusted, then your gums could recede.
. Root Damage- Aligners that are not accurately made for your teeth can lead to root damage. Sure, they may see to fit at first. However, as time goes by the roots can become damaged. This will lead to you needing a root canal, which is expensive.
. Replacements- Another risk is difficulties with replacing aligners that you broke or lost. If you end up breaking or losing the appliances, then there will be a long process involved with getting them replaced. This can delay treatment, halt progress or cause even more issues.
. Underlying Issues- Sometimes people who have crooked teeth have underlying issues or issues that have been caused by crooked teeth. If you get at-home aligners and have an underlying issue, then much bigger problems can arise.
These are only a handful of problems and risks associated with at-home teeth straightening kits.
Final Verdict
So, is it possible to straighten your teeth at home? Possibly, but you should see a cosmetic dentist instead of trying to straighten teeth at home. If you’re in Los Angeles or Beverly Hills, then schedule an appointment with Bruce Vafa DDS. The truth is most patients aren’t candidates for in-home teeth straightening and kits can lead to long-term issues.