The websites encourage you to take a series of "selfies" and these are used to carry out an assessment and based on this, a person is deemed suitable (or not) for the treatment.
The British Orthodontic Society (the branch of dentistry specialising in improving the appearance, placement and function of teeth) have warned people of the dangers of this treatment.
"When it comes to the health of your teeth and gums, cutting corners is a really bad idea." says Richard George (their director of external relations).
He goes on to say that the aligners that you would purchase online for this treatment, and then actually carrying out this treatment unsupervised, could actually end up causing permanent damage to your teeth.
Taking selfies and uploading them to a website in order to purchase DIY aligners cannot match the level of care and skill of a qualified clinician trained in the clinical diagnosis and treatment planning of such specialist treatment.
People need to be aware that these websites are not regulated and are run by non-dentists (sometimes even business operating from abroad) and there is absolutely no protection for those undertaking the DIY procedure.
"The cost of treatment may be lower but the risks to health and wellbeing are far greater".
So, the message is, if you want to know more about tooth straightening, speak to your dentist!
