This story is a part of Show Your Teeth, a package in which Allure examines dental care (or lack thereof) in the U.S. and what we can do at home to better care for our teeth.
I spent most of my childhood at the dentist’s office and, thanks to my cleft palate, wore braces on and off for about 10 years of my life. Although I’ve never experienced wearing braces as an adult (I finally got mine off my junior year of high school), I know that it’s a big step toward achieving a straighter smile. The problem is, most teeth-straightening options, including in-office braces and at-home treatment plans, are extensive, expensive, and might not be covered by dental insurance.
As a pre-teen, when my parents and I were deciding which kind of braces to get, there really weren’t many options to choose from, so I went with the classic metal braces. Today, the options for in-office and at-home teeth-straightening plans are vast, making it a really exciting time for orthodontia.
“Traditionally, orthodontic treatments with braces or clear aligners were only available in the dental office, designed and supervised closely by a dentist throughout the treatment,” says Sharon Huang, a dentist and founder of Les Belles NYC in New York City. “In recent years, many direct-to-consumer aligner companies have created mail-order aligners available to consumers without the supervision of a dentist — they’re faster, cheaper, and more convenient. There’s a rise in direct-to-consumer marketing promising a straight smile from home for less money without seeing a dentist.”
However, Huang isn’t a big fan of at-home braces without the supervision of dentists because they go through years of training to master the skills to predictably move teeth, to ensure proper resulting biting force, alignment, and aesthetics. Plus, she doesn’t love that patients, who have no prior dental training, are required to take mold and photos of their own teeth (for most at-home treatment plans).
Some other at-home treatment plans will take a scan of patients’ teeth, and most at-home orthodontic treatment programs do not see patients in person — the full treatment is designed remotely. “It is very difficult to make a proper diagnosis by looking at pictures of a patient,” says Huang. “It’s important for patients starting orthodontic treatment to have a proper exam by a dentist to detect cavities, gum disease, signs of resorption, or shortened roots prior to orthodontic treatment or these may deteriorate throughout orthodontic treatment.”