Attack of the Mail-Order Aligners – Keeping Our Dental Patients Safe
Would you trust clear aligners to straighten your teeth without consulting with your dentist or an orthodontist first? Getting straight teeth has become all the rage, with multiple companies now offering to mail you clear aligners to get the job done. But many dentists, journalists, and even analysts are saying that these companies are not taking the proper precautions to ensure the safety of the patient.
In order to understand the risk of using these under-regulated services, it helps to know what the factors are in getting the smile you want. Orthodontic treatment is not just about straightening teeth; for many patients, there are larger cosmetic and functional dental goals. A dental patient might find that even after their teeth are straightened, they are still not completely satisfied with the appearance of their teeth and would want some bonding or veneers to fix further irregularities. If these subsequent cosmetic dental procedures are not taken into account during the initial planning, it could lead to complications down the line.
Another issue that could arise from not having a proper consultation with a dentist or orthodontist is ending up with functional issues down the line, such as misaligned bites and painful jaws, as a result of mail-order aligners.
Until services like these become safer, you might want to consider going to a dentist or orthodontist that has a holistic view of how to achieve a patient’s dental goals. If you end up opting for cheap tooth alignment, you may find that the real cost will appear later.
