In a bid to achieve that perfectly straight, bright, white, flawless smile, more people than ever are turning to mail order, unregulated tooth treatments, or even travelling abroad for cosmetic dental work.

We spoke to some experienced, professional Essex dental experts to find out the truth about the reality behind these cut price treatments and what it could mean for your teeth and overall health.

Mail Order Braces

Invisalign, clear aligners and invisible braces are all extremely popular for patients of all ages as an effective, comfortable and non-invasive tooth straightening solution and a great alternative to the traditional, metal fixed braces.

However, there has been a huge rise in the popularity of mail order brace companies that cut out the dentist and use impressions that you take yourself at home. The aligners trays are then delivered to you and away you go, working through the sequence. Sounds great right?

As convenient as this may all sound and it might save a little bit of money, there is a reason that orthodontic treatment should always be supervised by a trained, experienced professional. Some of the many disadvantages and issues that can occur from cutting corners when it comes to braces include;

• The condition of the teeth, gums and roots should always be checked prior to treatment
• Progress should be monitored every 6-8 weeks at the dentist to make any necessary adjustments and ensure there are no issues
• Some patients require fine filing between teeth to be done at certain stages
• Orthodontics isn’t an exact science and sometimes new impressions need to be taken and adjustments to trays made to ensure the best results
• Taking impressions isn’t easy and can be extremely inaccurate, they should be done using the latest 3d scan technology, not DIY at home moulds
• Teeth can often end up worse than before
• Clear aligners are not a suitable treatment option for all patients

Teeth Abroad

Also commonly known now as ‘turkey teeth’, going abroad for implants and veneers is on the rise with people desperate for discount dental work. The horrifying reality is that following these treatments, patients are requiring costly and painful remedial work to resolve the very dangerous and serious issues that these cut-price procedures have caused.

Here are some of the many complications that are frequently seen as a result of travelling abroad for dental treatment;

• Severe infections
• Abscesses
• Constant pain
• Teeth, implants and crowns falling out
• Rotten teeth
• Exposed nerves
• Jaw problems
• misalignment
• Sensitive teeth
• Poor fitting, unnatural results
• Excessive swelling

Teeth Whitening

Tooth whitening with a dentist is a very affordable, straight forward and effective treatment that can provide great results. There really is no reason to cut corners and put your teeth at risk yet people do in the effort to achieve a white smile at a discounted price. Tooth whitening should only ever be done by a registered dentist and buying unregulated and often illegal products online is a bad idea for a number of reasons, such as;

• There is no dental examination carried out to examine teeth and determine suitability
• Illegal whitening products can contain up to 300 times the legal amount of hydrogen peroxide
• Ingestion of unsafe chemicals can cause throat and stomach irritation as well as other complications
• Products can cause blistering, burning, swelling, damaged enamel and even permanent tooth pain
• Can produce uneven, patchy results that make the teeth look worse

When it comes to your teeth, there is nobody that is going to be able to take better care of them and deliver results like a qualified, experienced dentist. Teeth are extremely important and wanting to improve them, make them straighter, whiter or better shaped is not a bad thing. However, don’t ever try to save money by putting your teeth and your health at risk, always used a trusted and reliable dentist.