The risk of online dentistry

With the power of technology we now have access to more information and products than ever before. The internet and world of social media has made self-image and cosmetic treatments even more popular.  With the rise of modern dental techniques there has also been an increase of DIY dental treatment, all accessible online. The appeal of these products and treatments is simple, the price tag and convenience.  Our concern as dental professionals is these unsupervised devices come with the potential of health and financial risk, that a consumer may not be unaware of.

Clear aligners

Here at Dentalspa we use clear aligners through the Invisalign system to not only straighten teeth, but make the right corrections to your bite. Any form of orthodontic treatment does require further training and also regular supervision by a trained professional to ensure your teeth are moved safely and correctly.

There are new systems available online whereby a kit is mailed to you. You then take your own DIY dental impression and send them back to the company. Your clear aligners are then constructed from your homemade impressions.

The risks associated with this DIY straightening include;

• Poorly fitting aligners
• Damage to your teeth and roots
• Gum recession
• Tooth mobility

Once you receive the aligners the rest is all up to you. To us this is a scary process and also a treatment which will not give you a good result (trust us we’ve seen them).

Veneers

Veneers are a small piece of composite or porcelain material which are placed over the tooth to achieve an improved shape, shade and smile aesthetic. Online you can now purchase removable veneers.

These removable veneers fit over the existing teeth to then hide or mask imperfections. With a similar process to the clear aligners you take your own impressions from home. The concern with these clip on veneers is that people are paying a considerable amount of money for poor results and serious dental issues are being overlooked.

Some of the before and after videos are actually hilarious to watch!

Charcoal/ tooth whitening

We’ve posted about charcoal tooth paste before so let’s just keep it simple. Charcoal will not whiten your teeth. Brushing with charcoal may cause dental damage as it can be highly abrasive and result in unwanted wear to the enamel. Abrasion to tooth enamel can cause other dental concerns such as chronic sensitivity and dentine (internal tooth) exposure. Although charcoal may have the ability to remove surface stain it will not remove internal stains or lighten tooth shade.

Online whitening products are just everywhere nowadays. We see so many patients come through who have tried at home whitening treatments and are unhappy with the result. Our concern with these products is there is no clear disclosure of what some of these products actually contain. So what are you putting on your teeth and in your mouth?

Whitening with us will see you guided through your tooth whitening with our dental professionals over a series of appointments to ensure you get the results you’re after. We also have a variety of options to manage sensitivity and ensure you get the best result, first go.

Our basic message from this blog is to invest in your smile. The number one concern with these DIY dentistry treatments is things can go horribly wrong. In most cases many people are disappointed with the results, there is more expense involved in repairs and there is no accountability or supervision of the treatment. Think of the disasters that can result from DIY home renovations. Any form of dental treatment especially cosmetic, requires thorough planning and professional supervision in order to ensure good results.

Leave it to the professionals people!

By Ashleigh Lilly