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The Dangers of Gap Bands and DIY Braces: An Open Letter to Teens

Gap Bands and other DIY orthodontic treatment can be very dangerous!

The Dangers of Gap Bands and DIY Braces: An Open Letter to Teens

October 16, 2015 Consumer Guides & Information, Orthodontics, Braces, & Invisalign, Uncategorized
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Dear Teens,

Normally we spend a lot of time talking to your parents and other adults about you. We talk about how important it is to have a healthy smile that’s properly aligned. How a gorgeous, healthy smile can help you to be more successful in your future career opportunities, as well as socially and personally.  That’s all true, but we’ll come back to this later.  

Today, we, the Orthodontists at 1st Family Dental, are talking directly to YOU about something extremely important that’s going on for a lot of you right now.  

Gap Bands and DIY Braces are a Dangerous Trend

Gap bands.  Teens all over the U.S. have been attempting to “straighten” or remove a gap between their teeth on their own, using orthodontic rubber bands or other elastics.  

gap-bands-orthodontic-elastics-DIY-braces-dangerousTypically, the desire is to close a gap between the front teeth, called a diastema.  It’s been going on for a while, and we’re concerned it will continue.  In fact, there’s a very popular YouTube video made by a teen who says it “worked” for her.  There’s even a site that sells “gap band” products, and clearly markets to teens.  We’re not surprised that there is very clear “liability limitations” on their website about the possible damages caused by their product.  That’s because we’ve seen the results, and they are not good.  In some cases, the damage is following some teens and young adults for the rest of their lives.

Straightening Teeth using Orthodontics is a Lesson In Precision Mechanics and Biology

orthodontic gap bands alternative - deep overbite case study teen

Straightening teeth isn’t easy, but we make it look that way!

Our teeth are a living part of our bodies.  It may not seem that way since the crown, or what you see on the outside, is hard and made of bone, but they are.  Each tooth contains living tissue and nerves, set inside our jaw bones and held in place by our gums and other connective tissue.  Our teeth and jaw are designed to line up with each other in order to function properly.  When they do, your teeth fit together perfectly, like puzzle pieces.  It’s easier to chew, and to keep them clean and healthy.  

Straight teeth also look fantastic.  When your teeth don’t line up properly, orthodontic treatment may be needed to move them into their proper places.

Moving teeth is a delicate and complex process.  Orthodontic treatment, like braces or Invisalign, takes place over time. Moving teeth too fast, or at the wrong angle, can cause permanent damage to the nerves and delicate connective tissue and blood supply.  This can result in tooth loss.  Closing a gap between two teeth without considering the rest of the teeth can throw the rest of the jaw’s alignment off, or cause major problems somewhere else in the mouth.  

More Than What You Can See: Lifelong Consequences for Gap Bands Gone Wrong

Successful orthodontic treatment consists of a lot of measurements, calculations, and recalculations, and the commitment by each patient to take good care of their teeth and come back for regular adjustments.  The results often result in a total facial transformation.

On the other hand, the results of DIY orthodontia like gap bands can be devastating and lifelong.  Braces and aligners like retainers and Invisalign are designed to protect your teeth while they move.  Wrapping an elastic around your teeth will NOT achieve the same result.  In fact, it can harm the gums and connective tissue, and result in irreversible damage and tooth loss.  If you want to see what kind of damage gap bands can do, click here.  Caution: this content shows dental damage close-up, and may not be suitable for sensitive viewers.

 

You Have Options: Braces and Alternative Orthodontic Treatments Are Available

Julissa Before & After Braces - gap band alternative for teens - front teeth

Julissa’s total smile transformation with braces!

The results of good orthodontic treatment can be amazing.  More than amazing, they can be life-changing, just like they were for our patient Julissa.  A while back we wrote a blog for parents of teens who needed braces but didn’t want them, because the long-term benefits are so important.  It’s worth a read.

If you have concerns about how your smile looks, or if you have any symptoms that may indicate that orthodontic care might be needed, consider this: The best thing you can do is discover your options.  Traditional braces are one possibility, but alternatives such as clear braces or Invisalign are available, too.  And sometimes, our patients who do have a gap between their teeth discover it is totally healthy, and they embrace it as a part of their individual beauty.

Please, before you try something yourself that can have permanent consequences, see an orthodontist first.  In some cases, teens will discover that orthodontic treatment isn’t necessary, or if it is, complete results are possible in a much shorter time span than they may think.  

Friends Don’t Let Friends Ruin Their Smile

Here’s a message to our current  braces patients: If you have a friend who wants to have some of your elastics to try something on their own, tell them no.  Not because you don’t care, but because you do.  Ask them to come with you (with a parent’s permission) for a consultation while you get your adjustment done.  

Orthodontic consultations at 1st Family Dental are ALWAYS free.  They only take a few minutes and don’t require any commitment to start.  Patients under the age of 18 require the consent of a parent or guardian to have a consult, so please bring a parent with you.

October is Orthodontic Health Month.  

We’re celebrating it by giving away Amazon.com gift certificates worth $500 for anyone who comes in for a consultation before October 31st, or refers a friend who comes to see us.  

We offer FREE Orthodontic consultations and care at every 1st Family Dental location.  If there’s something we can do to make it easier to find us, or to get a consultation done for you, please let us know.  

If you have any questions at all about gap bands or DIY orthodontic treatment, please don’t hesitate to ask us.  We’ll get back to you ASAP.

 

Sincerely, 

Gap Bands Orthodontists Duaibis Mathrani Oweis Williams Chicago Dentist

 

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23 Comments

Leave your reply.
  • Human
    · Reply

    April 21, 2018 at 11:53 PM

    I’m poor I can’t afford braces😢

  • The
    · Reply

    March 14, 2018 at 9:13 AM

    I want to ask that if the gap of teeths are not treated they become or they have the same widness of before ????

  • Amy Marie
    · Reply

    February 27, 2018 at 9:28 AM

    Ive had a gap my entire life, I used to hate it. Ive had braces, retainers, and had THREE surgeries to remove the band of muscle; each time I got the ok to stop wearing tgevretainers, it grew back. I finally have learned to accept that my gap is part of my unique charm; in fact, Ive had more people compliment on how cute it is than criticize. (And someone who would critique such a minor aspect to a person’s appearance is a shallow jerk anyways. Im currently looking for a grill that has some bling to play up my gap. I would sncourage everyone to accept yourself as you were made. How boring would the world be if we all looked the same? Besides, bonding makes your teeth look like chiclets. Scary.

    Btw, I cant see the image from the link…it tells me I have to be invited? Bummer.

  • Tayyanna
    · Reply

    February 2, 2018 at 5:45 PM

    Thank you.. because I was about to try them and i saw this and it really did scare me

  • Madhu
    · Reply

    August 31, 2017 at 9:29 AM

    Hello. I also have the same matter in all upper front teeth. I got braces today and it is only for 10 teeth each upper and lower. Will I get braces for all teeth after fixing the front teeth? Will the teeth be again gain the gap as before?

  • Betty
    · Reply

    March 22, 2017 at 9:48 PM

    I’m totally confused, what if your a senior citizen with a fixed income. And can’t afford a dentist? Can I use the gap bands?

    • 1st Family Dental
      · Reply

      March 27, 2017 at 5:18 PM

      Hi Betty. If you’re a senior citizen and your teeth are suddenly starting to move then we recommend getting in to see the dentist as soon as possible. If that’s not the case and it’s just that you have the urge to straighten your teeth then we still wouldn’t recommend gap bands as they could potentially cause more harm than good. This could be very bad news, especially if you’re on a fixed income. We hope that helps. If you’d like a free orthodontic consultation, please give us a call.

  • Leah
    · Reply

    January 1, 2017 at 12:09 PM

    I tried gap bands and they work perfectly.. These people are just trying to scare you and keep money in there pockets!! Try the bands for yourself!! You’ll thank me later.

  • Yvonne Campos
    · Reply

    July 7, 2016 at 11:20 PM

    In 37 had braces when I was 22 now 37 my gap was back after two years retainer really didn’t keep my gap right. Anyways all my teethe are straight . tryed the rubberbands and gap closed. In two wks. You’ll want to pull the other two teeth on the sides of your front teeth so you won’t have a gap between those teeth. There are videos on yutube that show how to place the rubberbands on without them rising up to your gums. Trust the videos they work . Worked for me. Orthos and dentist will all work against this because it takes money from them. But it’s about time they realize the ridiculous amount of money they charge us for braces for something that in reality isn’t permanent. They want to keep you going back. They are scammers pay attn to all the negative responses they will give you on your questions on better ways to fix your teeth that won’t cost as much. They will try to get you to go the more expensive route. Try the bands!!☺??

    • 1st Family Dental
      · Reply

      July 11, 2016 at 2:11 PM

      Thanks for the comment, Yvonne. You’re correct that braces won’t stop your teeth from moving in the future, which is why there are retainers and post-treatment plans your orthodontist should’ve recommended. We recently wrote a blog post that has more information about this topic, you can find it here: http://ffdblog.wpengine.com/keeping-teeth-straight-after-braces/

    • Toni
      · Reply

      November 5, 2016 at 8:01 PM

      Which gap bands did you use !

  • bananass
    · Reply

    June 7, 2016 at 10:20 PM

    LOL. Major fear mongering article. Orthodontists would rather take your $$$$ instead of having you spend 10 bucks on rubber bands that do the same thing. Take it from someone who spent over 5k on braces yet still has to use these bands because the orthodontist failed to close my gap permanently… despite their high fee.

    • Thomas vitellean
      · Reply

      September 27, 2016 at 3:38 AM

      Same I still use the bands from my braces to keep my gap shut even years after getting them off

  • lisa
    · Reply

    June 5, 2016 at 3:15 PM

    well maybe if there were lower cost options for teens and young adults with no health insurance, people wouldn’t look for alternative ways to get the job done, i mean it’s expensive af! so when people see results from these bands that cost on average 5$ it’s super tempting. either way i feel like this is a dangerous way to close any sized gap, which is why our health care system needs some changes.

  • Phoebe Marqueza
    · Reply

    May 17, 2016 at 7:51 PM

    I tried Orthofill Ortho Bands but I did not have any problems with it.

  • Christopher Keene
    · Reply

    May 12, 2016 at 6:47 PM

    This article is just a scare tactic to prevent people from spending their money somewhere else. Being that I wore braces years ago and I recently used bands to close a gap that I had since developed I feel that I am pretty qualified to comment on this article.

    I wasn’t on top of wearing my retainer in the years after I had my braces and as a result I developed a gap in my teeth. I didn’t want to go through wearing braces again and I was glad to see that there was an alternative. I remembered my orthodontist giving me orthodontic bands to apply on my own in between visits. So I thought that the bands alone would work to close my gap. I was pleased that the bands worked in a couple of weeks. I have never had any problems whatsoever since the bands closed my gap.

    Comparing that experience with the time that I had braces is like night and day. My braces had me in excruciating pain for an entire week after every orthodontic visit (my visits were every 3 to 4 weeks) where my braces were tightened. I couldn’t eat an apple for 3 years because my mouth was so sensitive. Plus, the braces costed around $4,000.00 and took years to work.

    I needed braces back then because I had a lot of issues that needed to be straightened out with my teeth.

    I definitely did not need braces to do something as simple as closing my gap. The bands were much easier on my mouth than braces were. Quicker, easier, cheaper and they finished the job in weeks as opposed to the years that braces took.

    I recommended these to a co-worker and she told me about this article. This article is pretty misleading because the orthodontic bands that people are buying online are the same exact bands that my orthodontist used to send me home with. The only difference is that I didn’t have to pay a few thousand dollars to get them when I purchased them online.

    • Jessica F.
      · Reply

      May 19, 2016 at 6:37 AM

      Hi Christopher, thanks for your comment. Our objective when targeting this message to teenagers is to provide them with information, and to let them know there are safe, effective, and affordable options to have a healthy, aligned smile. You may have been fortunate enough not to encounter any adverse effects from using gap bands but that doesn’t make it a safe treatment option. There have been case reports of tooth loss due to elastomerics forced into gums around teeth. There are much safer and simpler options that can be used to close spaces without taking unnecessary risks. For example, certain types of retainers can be used for that purpose and they only cost a fraction of what full orthodontic treatment usually costs. Orthodontic consultations with 1st Family Dental are always free, and never require any commitment to start treatment. Take care!

      • Hannah
        · Reply

        August 29, 2016 at 7:01 PM

        so im 12 and im a girl and i have anxiety so I always worry about my gap in my front teeth and my parents don’t have enough money for braces and people always say “its whats on the inside that counts ” even though my generation thinks differently so i saw that there are the ” teeth gap bands” so i did research and found this website to make sure that they where safe now from reading this website I didn’t quite get if they where safe or not can someone please tell me if they are or not thank you

        • 1st Family Dental
          · Reply

          September 9, 2016 at 10:08 AM

          Hannah, you could actually create more problems with your teeth. We highly recommend that you discuss your options with an orthodontist. Check locally for an orthodontist that offers free consultations and ask for their recommendation, as well.

  • A.R
    · Reply

    April 17, 2016 at 9:39 AM

    These bands that you state will absolutely cause nerve damage or possible tooth loss worked for me for two years and this article seems like a badly written attempt to convince me to stop using them. Instead, I should rely on getting braces by a dentist? That is a horrific idea and cosmetic dental surgeons are the only ones I’d consider going to for gaps between my teeth but that can cost a ridiculous amount of money, especially for young adults or teens who want a quick and easy fix. Braces are not an alternative, and providing pictures of “oral bands gone wrong” isn’t proper proof. You tried to explain your reasoning behind not using oral bands with scare tactics and I hope anyone who reads this letter sees that immediately. Rewrite this article with better reasoning and actually provide reasonable alternatives to minor gaps.

    • 1st Family Dental
      · Reply

      April 18, 2016 at 12:12 PM

      Thank you for your comment. As members of the dental health profession, it is our responsibility to educate and inform our patients so that they can make the best possible choices for themselves. Part of that responsibility includes reviewing the risks and benefits associated with treatment options, which comes from a team of experienced and highly trained orthodontists and dentists. Attempting self-treatment methods outside of the dental and orthodontic standard of care comes with a known set of risks and we would be remiss if we did not inform our readership of the possible outcomes.

      There are alternatives to braces and orthodontic treatment, in some cases. Each person is different, and treatment options should be presented by taking into consideration overall oral health. We offer free orthodontic consultations, with no commitment to start treatment. We urge teens and young adults to come in for a free consultation with a licensed and trained orthodontic professional to review all of their potential options to make a well-informed decision.

  • Tina
    · Reply

    April 8, 2016 at 1:37 AM

    What if the teeth between my gaps are only 0.1- 0.2 cm? Would that still cause some damages?

    • 1st Family Dental
      · Reply

      April 9, 2016 at 8:56 AM

      Hi Tina, that’s a great question. The best person to answer that would be an orthodontist, who can look at your teeth in relationship to the alignment of your jaw and overall oral health. Sometimes gaps between teeth are caused by other issues such as gum disease, so it’s important to see the whole picture. You can learn more here: http://ffdblog.wpengine.com/orthodontic-services/orthodontic-consultation/

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