I was looking at the Orthofill website. They seem to have a lot of regular people saying it worked for them. It’s so much more affordable than braces. All I really need to do is close a gap in my front teeth. This seems like a much more reasonable option. However, my dad always says if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. I just want to make sure I’m not getting myself scammed when I just want to close a gap. I’m not opposed to spending money, but I don’t want ugly braces and I kind of wanted something that worked faster than braces.
Mandy P.
Dear Mandy,
I’m glad you wrote. People see their gap closing and think “Problem solved.” What they don’t see is that the gap will eventually open back up. The bands don’t actually work on your teeth the way true orthodontics would. They tip your teeth toward one another. You’d get the same results if you wrapped small rubber bands around your front teeth.
There have been horror stories with these too. Bands have wormed their way underneath people’s gums causing horrific damage to the patient. As the bands are most often worn during sleep, you wouldn’t even know it was happening.
Orthodontics aren’t the only solution for a tooth gap. There are cosmetic solutions, such as dental bonding as well. That will use a composite solution to fill in the gap on your teeth. If there are other things you’d like to change on your teeth, porcelain veneers are a great solution. They can completely remake your smile. You mentioned the only thing you were interested in is the gap, so this probably isn’t your solution. I just wanted you to know it was available.
Also, if you’d like to close the gap, not just cosmetically, but actually. There is a way to do it without bulky metal wires and brackets. Invisalign can do the same things as braces, without anyone knowing you’re wearing anything. Faster too.
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