Mail-in and DIY Teeth Straightening

You have probably seen or heard the advertisements of at-home solutions for straightening your teeth. Let's discuss why this may or may not be a good idea.

Moving teeth, bite, and bone without a Doctor.

Supposedly, a major selling point in a DIY product like "Smile Direct Club" is that you don't need to be seen by a doctor!

Let's start this discussion with a little background. Years ago, when Smile Direct Club was in it's infancy, I was made aware that they were looking for doctors to evaluate and approve patient cases and treatment plans. I offered my services to them as a consultant. I thought that as an orthodontist, I could help them know what kind of treatment could be successful with no doctor visits. It didn't take very long for me to realize that my opinion was not what they were seeking, they just wanted my signature.

This is how it would work. I would get an email 2-3 times a week notifying me that there was a case for me to approve. I would login to the doctor portal and download the information about the particular patient. I would evaluate the patient's photos and their treatment plan. I would then let the Treatment Coordinator know if I wanted any modifications to the setup. In addition, they asked me if I would approve the overall treatment plan and result.

On many occasions, I would inform the Treatment Coordinator that the case was too complex to achieve a satisfactory result without a Doctor utilizing more advanced "hands on" protocols such as IPR (inter-proximal reduction), attachments (small composite bumps and buttons attached to the teeth to assist in tooth movement), and rubber bands (utilized to adjust the bite). Every time this happened, the Treatment Coordinator would inform me that the patient is willing to accept a compromised finish and less than ideal results. You sure don't hear that in the advertisements: "Less than ideal results" or "compromised finish!"

Less actually means less.

Unfortunately, they have a very low standard of quality. Which also explains their other selling point,"faster than braces." This is very deceptive! The total treatment time can often be less than braces (traditional orthodontic treatment) due to the fact that it can't accomplish the same result! There would be no reason to extend treatment time when the result is going to be unsatisfactory anyway. Essentially, you can't reach the same quality of finish as braces, consequently, you have to settle for a mediocre outcome in less time.

As a consumer, you will pay less for less. This may be appealing and not a bad treatment for someone that is only worried about "that one tooth" in the front that is rotated or "sticks out a bit." Ten to fifteen aligners may be all that it takes to straighten that guy out! If that is the main concern, and the single goal in treatment, Smile Direct or other "mail-in" aligners may bring you fulfillment. You will be paying less for less.

However, if your goal is to have a truly beautiful smile with all the teeth exactly where you want them, you will be severely disappointed in limited treatment options like Smile Direct Club.

Know what you want, it will save you lots of time and money.

More than anything, spend some time thinking about what kind of smile you want. Are you satisfied with the overall appearance of things? Or, do you want a wider/broader smile? Do you want to show more teeth? Or, do you want to show less gums? Does your bite feel comfortable? Are some teeth too small or too big? Do you like the way the teeth are shaped? How are your gums? Are they healthy puffy? Or, are the edges of your gums really uneven? Do you like the way your bite feels? Or, it is uncomfortable? If these details matter to you, you need a specialist!

Orthodontic specialists are all about the details. It is where we can really put the finishing touches on a smile and make it truly beautiful. This is what you pay for when you pay for true orthodontic treatment. You pay for the science and the art.

It really comes down to what you want out of treatment. If you want less, you can find orthodontic treatment options where you will pay less and get less.

After roughy 12 months of contract work with Smile Direct Club, I decided to part ways with them. They clearly only wanted my signature and not my professional opinion.

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