Does Do It Yourself Orthodontics Work?

Consumers have been inundated with advertising of various Do IT Yourself Orthodontic Treatment companies. They all are trying to compete with the success of Invisalign removable clear tray professional orthodontic treatment.  Because they use clear trays, they make it seem like it’s the same treatment for a fraction of the cost.

Let’s compare apples with apples. Invisalign is the clear leader in research and development of clear tray orthodontics for over 23 years. There are a multitude of clinical protocols that only an experienced and trained Invisalign dentist can provide for a predictable clinical outcome. I was one of the first trained Invisalign providers since 1998. The technology has changed and developed where I can confidently now treat 95% of orthodontic cases with Invisalign vs. regular wire braces. I believe that less than 10% of the cases I’ve done could be performed successfully with Do It Yourself treatments.

The vast majority of cases I see have crowded and overlapped teeth. There are these little tooth colored buttons that need to be bonded onto certain teeth to help rotate or move them into proper position for more predictable movement. This cannot be done with these other systems. There is also often needed “loosening” of the tight overlapped contacts between the teeth using sandpaper strips. Without this procedure, these teeth are often locked in place and will not move adequately with the forces of the plastic trays. Some of these companies have retail locations where they digitally scan your teeth but some send you at home impression making kits to create models of your teeth. Taking proper dental impressions is a learned skill that cannot possibly be done maximally without training.

Most importantly is that fact that the tooth movements for the treatment are created by a computer program without any individual customization. Even with Invisalign, this is done by technicians with various levels of clinical knowledge and skill. With Invisalign, the trained dentist must first approve or modify the program. In my 23 years of experience, I can say that I have accepted less than 10% of the initial programming done by the computer. 90% of the time, I need to customize the program and often go back and forth multiple times until I approve the program to ensure more predictable clinical results.

The Do It Yourself companies simply follow the one time computer program and you get what you get. These companies make you sign a waiver that your treatment outcome may not be satisfactory! There have been a multitude of lawsuits against these companies despite their waivers. I have had many patients choose the Do It Yourself route to save money, then come in unhappy and ask me how can I now fix them? They end up spending more money in the long term to achieve their goals.

Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Quality plus service equals price, so if you want a lower price you must sacrifice either quality, service or both! If you truly want straighter teeth which lead to better dental and medical health in addition to a great smile, then please consult with me regarding your options. Depending on the extent and length of your treatment, there are various tiers and price points. In addition, we have fantastic financing options as well.

For more information, you can contact Dr. Michael Krochak at

drk@nycsmilespa.com

NYC Smile Spa

30 E. 60th St., Rm 1201

New York, NY 10022

(212) 838-2900