How to put rubber bands on your teeth without braces

We love the DIY movement as much as the next person. But there’s a huge difference between making your own coffee table and something like DIY braces. Videos of people straightening their teeth with elastic bands, known as gap bands, rubber bands, dental floss and other objects have been getting serious views on YouTube. Now websites are selling these gap bands promising consumers they’ll leave you with a straight smile for next to nothing. A recent New York Times article highlighted this do it yourself teeth straightening trend and yeah, of course, a super cheap alternative to braces is appealing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t only seem too good to be true; it is too good to be true. Here’s why:

Do it Yourself Braces Safety Concerns

We’ll get to the effectiveness and logistics later, but let’s start with the basic question, “Are DIY braces dangerous?” Yes! You shouldn’t apply foreign objects to your teeth without a doctor’s supervision and this includes elastics. The gap bands that are used to close the space between two teeth can make their way under the gums, which can destroy the bone and soft tissue causing teeth to fall out at the root. If you’re not too squeamish, the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics published a photo of the damage caused by a rogue band.

Once the rubber band is buried in the gums, it’s extremely difficult, sometimes impossible, to remove. The solution will either be living with the missing teeth (one way to avoid braces!) or undergoing time-consuming and expensive procedures to fix the damage and put in dental implants, crowns or dentures.

In addition to tooth loss, the dangers of do it yourself orthodontics also include allergic reactions to the materials, such as latex, and accidentally aspirating the objects used. Plus, the teeth are part of a larger whole and closing the gap between two teeth may cause space between surrounding teeth, creating further bite problems.

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It takes more than YouTube videos and Internet tutorials to become an orthodontist and that’s because it’s complex and teeth straightening is a medical procedure. Every patient is different and what works for one individual may not work for another. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to malocclusion, though that did make for a nice rhyme. When patients come into our Brooklyn orthodontic clinic for a consultation, they receive an exam, photographs and x-rays, all of which have to be done face-to-face and are crucial for forming a diagnosis and determining any underlying problems and conditions, including oral health concerns that must be addressed before braces. It’s only when we have all of the information that we can customize a treatment plan that specifically fits your needs. You can’t do this with elastics, mail-order aligners or any other DIY orthodontics endeavors.

It’s not just the first consultation that’s important either. When undergoing braces or Invisalign treatment, there will be periodic appointments so that we can assess your progress, make adjustments and ensure your teeth are being straightened efficiently, safely and effectively.

Long Term Teeth Straightening Results

If you’re going to put in the effort to straighten your teeth, you’ll want to do it correctly the first time. If you do move your teeth using an at home method and eventually decide to have braces, be aware you might have just added more time and expense to your treatment. Relying on a professional ensures the solution you choose, whether it’s metal braces, Invisalign or lingual braces, works for you and the teeth move in a way that’s in harmony with your jaw. The end result will last. Lifelong straight teeth also involve using a retainer when you get your braces off and retainers too must come from an orthodontist. You’re not going to get a permanent solution from an at-home, quick fix.

We all want straight teeth but do it yourself tooth straightening isn’t the way to go. It’s dangerous and ineffective. So step away from YouTube! Contact Fresh Orthodontics in Brooklyn and we’ll set up a complimentary consultation in our Park Slope office. We can chat about the different options so we can achieve a perfect smile in a way that fits your needs and budget.

Worrying online trend sees teenagers making 'painful but cheap' DIY BRACES using elastic bands - which experts warn will ruin gums and make teeth fall out

Dental experts have issued severe warnings about a growing trend that sees young people using cheap elastics to straighten their teeth – a procedure which could cause permanent damage to their gums and even result in their teeth falling out. 

Around 60 per cent of Americans have dental cover as part of their insurance plan, but many are not covered for any procedures involving braces, leaving millions of people high and dry in the event of a serious dental issue. 

And this is especially a concern for young people, whose insecurities about their looks are seeing some resort to a dangerous short cut in order to achieve ‘perfect’ straight teeth. 

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At-home dentistry: A trend growing in popularity in recent months sees young people using cheap elastic bands to try and straighten their teeth

The method: The elastics are used to create 'gap bands' to help close the spaces between teeth

Last resort: The young people creating the videos often claim they are doing so because their family cannot afford to get them braces

The increasingly-popular ‘gap band’ trend sees young people tying small, cheap hair elastics around their teeth in an effort to close the gaps between them

But while the trend seems to have gained momentum in recent months, it is by no means a new technique; one YouTuber, named singerforeverlove, created her DIY tutorial back in 2012 - and it now has over 430,000 views.

'Cheap easy braces!! Without going to the dentist!!!!!' says the video's title.

The young YouTuber claims that she used to be able to fit a plastic clothes hanger between the gaps of her teeth and, finding that her family couldn't afford to get her braces to correct the issue, she turned to DIY dentistry to fix it herself. 

She instructs her viewers to wear the bands 'for at least a few weeks' or 'as long as you think it takes to work', adding: 'It's gonna hurt, especially the first few days...but don't [give up], because it's totally worth it in the end.​' 

But according to experts, this is simply not the case, with the American Association of Orthodontists issuing a warning directed specifically at the trend; even though braces cost upwards of $5,000 in the United States, doctors warn that repairing the damage done by these 'gap bands' could be much more expensive.

Recent trend: Several videos have been popping up on YouTube just this year showing young people guiding others on how to move their teeth without braces

Trying it at home: The popularity of the practice has led the American Association of Orthodontists to issue a warning against the use of elastics on teeth

'It seems very attractive that you could possibly move your own teeth, but when you move a tooth, the color of the tooth might change because you are damaging the blood supply,' Juan Rendon, DDS, MSD, of Jefferson Dental Clinics in Texas told Refinery29. 

'You're also going to have problems with your gums. When the gums are subject to pressure, the blood supply is cut [off], which changes the shape of the gums and can cause severe inflammation and infection.' 

Because of these effects, the practice can lead to bone loss, root damage and can even result in teeth simply falling out. 

In fact, according to the consumer warning, the use of elastics is not new in the world of dentistry, however rather than using them to straighten teeth, they are more commonly used as an effective technique for tooth extraction. 

'The practitioner simply placed a rubber band around the tooth to be extracted,' read the warning. 'Because of the shape of the teeth, the rubber band slowly worked its way up or down the sides of the tooth roots, destroying the bone and soft tissues, and the tooth just fell out, all in about 4 to 6 weeks.'

Pulled in place: Doctors warn that 'gap bands' can result in damaged gums and even the loss of teeth

DIY nightmare: A consumer warning explains that the use of elastics on teeth is actually an effective method of tooth extraction

Youth: Some of the DIY tutorials are created by very young teens 

However, the warnings may not be enough as plenty of the online tutorials feature young people claiming that the technique did in fact close their gaps.

And with studies showing that people are feeling increasingly pressured to have perfect teeth, including a 2013 survey which found that a bright white smile could be the key factor in getting a new job or even a first date, the trend shows no sign of stopping. 

One video, by YouTube user Raeyel, was posted just in March and features a 20-year-old woman championing the use of elastics for closing teeth gaps saying 'nobody has that kind of money' needed to get braces and claims to have been using the technique for over five years to great success.

Another, considerably younger user, FantabulousFrootloop, posted a similar video in June using tiny latex elastics to stretch over several of her lower teeth - while yet another used tied-up floss to create her band. 

Before and after: Washington woman Jamila Garza claimed to have closed her gap using the technique in just 44 days, and added that a dentist told her that her teeth 'look really healthy'

Leave it to the experts: Doctors claim that the movement of teeth is something that should be handled by doctors and not at home (photo for representation)

A woman from Washington named Jamila Garza garnered some media attention back in February for her videos documenting how she closed a gap in her front teeth in 44 days, with a pack of $5 elastic bands. She even told reporters that she had gone to the dentist to have her progressed checked and the doctor told her that her teeth 'look really healthy'.

'He said my gums are healthy. I have a few cavities but that has nothing to do with wearing the gap bands,' she added.

But dentists like Dr. Rendon are quick to explain that despite the appearance of success, the risks simply aren't worth taking, and orthodontia is something best left to the professionals. 

'When we do brace fittings, when we do alignments, what we normally have is a wire that is going to work as a template to keep the shape of the arch,' he said Dr. Rendon. 'We know how much we're moving; we know if the teeth are sliding through the wire, and eventually, the roots start moving in the same direction we want to move the teeth.'

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