I’ve never heard of anyone successfully correcting their own crooked teeth. Are there any orthodontists or dentists who can answer why this would not work?
What about Dental Floss Braces?
I tried Invisalign braces a few years ago but had an allergic reaction to the plastic. I tried to get regular braces and one orthodontist said I do not have enough bone in my jaw so I can’t get my teeth straightened.
I went to another a few years later who insisted I have my teeth cleaned first. I went to do that and had a dentist who I thought messed up the job on one tooth, so I never went back. Therefore, years later, my teeth are still crooked. I saw a picture of myself recently and I was pretty disgusted with my crooked teeth. So, I’m trying something new, “Dental Floss Braces”.
I don’t know what the dangers are of attempting to straighten your own teeth, but the pressure I feel when I rope my teeth together just right with the floss is similar to what I felt with the Invisalign process.
Inside the Mouth Braces
Perhaps Lingual Braces are best if you can afford them? The page I found says, “lingual braces are a good option for those who have sensitivity to plastic.” But the reality is they are terribly uncomfortable, especially if you don’t have a large mouth.
One person claims to have used dental floss braces successfully (but there are no before and after pictures).
Guess what: I straightened my own teeth by tying them together with dental floss. Instead of getting braces I straightened my own teeth (my hand to God). Does that mean I think other people could do the same? Are people who have crooked teeth somehow beneath me because they didn’t take the initiative to straighten their own teeth when I have done so myself?
Dental Floss Braces? Bad Idea
Do not try to straighten your teeth with dental floss braces. You can make your teeth completely fall out this way. I think you could also die of a blood clot if you really mess up.
“It’s important to move the teeth gradually … If you move the teeth too fast, it can result in severe loosening of the teeth or tooth loss.” – enotalone
Yes, you can likely move your teeth with floss braces. Even a few hours with too much tension and you may feel your upper an lower teeth no longer match up… but consider what you have to learn to be a licensed orthodontist: first, you need 4 years of college, then another 4 years to become a dentist, then about 2 to 3 more years to become an orthodontist. During that time, you learn how not to make people’s teeth fall out, how not to kill them with infections, how to deal with many different specific problems that can lead to complications, and so on.
There are less expensive ways to straighten teeth now, if you aren’t allergic to the materials used.
SmileLove Option
Here’s a site that offers what might be the cheapest orthodontist approved method at about $80 per month with a payment plan.
Smilelove is by far the cheapest way to straighten your teeth… At Smilelove we charge $79 for an Impression Kit (this is an at-home mold-making kit that helps us to make custom aligners that will best benefit you) and then $1,895 for your aligners starting at $79 per month. (Source)
That’s an average, the cost will still depend on your specific case. The company Smilelove will refund the cost for the initial impression kit if you are not a candidate for their system.
This company compares favorably to Invisalign brand teeth aligners, ($3,500 to $8,000), traditional braces ($2,500 to $10,000) and ceramic braces ($4,000 to $8,000).
With no in-person meetings required, Smilelove is one of the new brands to offer smile-correcting solutions that are delivered right to your door. Although the braces might not seem as affordable as many customers estimate, Smilelove can be up to 75% more affordable than its alternatives. (StarlightReviews)
Here’s another review:
- Smilelove has the thinnest and most transparent aligners on the market today, so they are even less noticeable than all the other aligners out there. (According to their website – smilelove.com.)
- Smilelove is considerably cheaper than any other mail-based program I’ve found. Start to finish we’re talking $1499 – that’s over $350 less than Smile Direct Club! (As of January 2018.)
Here’s another. I’m trying to figure out if all of these are paid reviews. So far I can’t find any bad ones.
The company claims their product is 75% cheaper than competitors (starting at $1,699) and offers various payment methods including a $78 monthly plan. Smilelove is also covered by most dental insurance plans and accepts Health Savings Account (HSA) & Flexible Spending account (FSA) cards. The company really shines when it comes to convenience. There are no in-person meetings required, consumers receive a molding kit, aligners, and retainers at home, and all communication with experts take place online or by phone. However, the company does have a Better Business Bureau or Trustpilot profile, and little information is available regarding their customer service.
They do have two great reviews on Trustpilot.com. Just to be complete, I checked the Better Business Bureau site, bbb.org and was surprised to find not such good results:
Reading the details of the negative reviews there, one said the aligners didn’t move their teeth, some people didn’t get a refund and one had gaps created in their teeth when trying to fix crowding. The company seems to have responded quickly to each complaint, however.
Part of what is tricky about being an orthodontist is that every mouth is a bit different and some problems are more easily fixed by some solutions than others.
Try A Retainer
One of the cheapest ways to go is to ask an orthodontist to make you a retainer that you would wear nightly to slowly adjust your teeth. Some will do this for you for the cost of an office visit and the cost of the materials and that will slowly improve your smile for far less than braces if you can’t afford them or don’t want them for some other reason.
A Super Cheap On-Line Retainer
On Amazon there is something called
Teeth Straightening Orthodontic Retainer Braces
Some people say they worked, others had bad reviews, that they didn’t work, one said they caused mouth sores, one said you have to constantly bite down on them. But for under $15, it’s an interesting super cheap option. Read the reviews, consider the pros and cons, talk to people who have been through the experience, then check with an orthodontist to see if your plan is reasonable and then go for it. Good luck!
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146 comments
I just tried this the other day. The Invisalign was not giving enough pressure to go the last millimeter. So, I wrapped some floss around and pulled gently, and it lined them up! Then I put the Invisalign over that. I was getting desperate because I have an appointment tomorrow for the final impression and I wanted it to be just perfect. For moving the teeth long distances, though, it might be too much of a hassle. Also, avoid Glide floss, I read that the material might leach chemicals over long periods of time.
How do you string your teeth together? I have never had braces and I can’t really afford them. I’m 29, and my teeth are rather crooked. My front two incisors kick a little off to the left and my lateral incisors are slightly behind them. This causes me problems as I am constantly getting food lodged there. Plus, it just looks weird in pictures. I hate my teeth. I do have one other tooth on the bottom (another lateral incisory) that sits a bit behind my bottom row of teeth, but it doesn’t really show much unless my mouth is hanging open, so it really isn’t of concern to me.
Do you think I could bother with this? I don’t mind the time or the hassle, if it pays off in the end. I’ve got plenty of time to learn. I just don’t have a lot of money.
I have been thinking about doing this for years, this is the first time I have ever come across anyone with the same idea. I have two teeth that are very slightly out of place, the upper right canine and the incisor next to it. It is the incisor that looks unsightly, I had braces when I was a teenager (now I’m 31) and they moved the teeth fairly successfully, but unfortunately they moved back after I the braces came off, although perhaps not quite as badly as before. Nonetheless it has always bothered me, but not quite enough to go through all the pain again. I only need to move them two or three millimetres and luckily for me there is a gap the other side of the canine so there is room to move them into place.
So having read this I have just decided to try it! I have tied a loop of floss from the rear molars round the canine, pulled it tight so it’s slightly under tension, and cut the excess floss. I’m going to try sleeping with it in place, and see how I get on. I will try and move the canine first, then perhaps in a few months if it works I’ll start on the incisor. I’ll report back for anyone who’s interested in how it goes!
hi, i just wanted to know how the floss works. my two front teeth are fine but i want to pull one of them a little bit so both of them are perfect and aligned!!! how wouuld i do this with floss and did it work on you?
thank you
I don’t know all my front teeth are pushed out how does floss help.(I’m 12 years old)
I came across your Idea.. I looked at the date And this was in 2009.
. It’s 2030 now . So did it work ? Any results ?
I am very keen to hear how you got on, as I am thinking about doing it as well.
Thanks
please dont try this moving teeth with dentalfloss. it may move one a litttle but in the long run after a month or so it will go right back into place. teeth have memory, thats the reason for retainers. i have invisalign and if i dont wear a tray for a week i have to go back 2 trays in order to move them back to the place they should be. your wasting your time. save money and most dentists will start invisalign with half down and take payments on the rest. best luck to you all.
I recently lost my invisalign retainer and am going to have to get new impressions but I have a slight gap due to my teeth moving. I decided to do this to pull them together about a millimeter and just keep dental floss tied around them not to tightly, just to keep them together till I get my impressions made. I would not do this as an option of braces, but for what I need to do it seems to be fine.
i have an idea to straighten teeth using a mold-able mouth guard you can get at a store for cheap. Since you boil the mouthguard, then put it on your teeth, it makes an exact mold of your teeth. And you can re-do this process many times using the same mouthguard.
So, if you apply a little pressure for a while to move your teeth just a little bit (while boiling the mouthpiece), then put the mouthguard in while your teeth are moved slightly, it seems to me you can make somewhat of a knockoff of invisalign. Put this mouthguard in every night and repeat the process as necessary to further move your teeth. Seems feasible to me!
I’m currently using mouthguards as a mouth piece for teeth whitening and thought about this. Let me know if anyone tries it out!
I think I will try that. My teeth are practically straight on the bottom and the top. My two fang teeth however are turned slightly inward, so it creates a small gap next to my two front teeth. Not horrid looking, but personally, not enjoyable. 🙂 I wanna test this out!
To : Chris ( A moldable mouth guard) Do U mean – while mouth guard is hot after removing it from the boiling water? Then press slightly/ slowly on your teeth for how long??? Then sleep with the mouth guard -each day , til morning? Of course til teeth are aligned correctly… Great idea, just need more information from YOU or others who got it right!
Edmondot, U.S.A.
hi, quick question, where would you get mouth guards? i wanna push a teeth that’s starting to come out and i wouldn’t know how to do that!! If you have any ideas, please inform me!
Thankyou
i got one for my teeth grinding problem at night it was from walmart you can just ask a worker where they are located they are usally about 10-15 for me 🙂
I can see that the tying-floss solution can work when there is a gap in between teeth because then there is space for them to move. For me, my 2 bottom middle teeth (lower central incisors) are on the verge of overlapping. They are tight together, but crooked instead of aligned like a flat wall. I’m wondering if tying just the 2 of them together with dental floss would serve to “flatten” the wall, or would it cause them to overlap even more by pulling them tighter together? Has anyone tried the dental floss method on teeth without a gap? Any insight?
Thanks,
Lidia
Lidia, I have the same problem with my bottom front teeth. What I do (and so far it’s working excellently), is I put the dental floss through the two front teeth and then i pull the other direction. This makes the tooth I’m pulling go away from the other tooth that is not having any pressure put on it. It’s working for me!
here’s another idea to throw into the mix. my problem is that my upper teeth all turn in just a bit and i feel like my lower jaw is always being set back and it is somewhat uncomfortable.
i tried the moldable bite piece as suggested above but couldn’t really get it the way i wanted.
i have considered making something out of FIMO, that bakeable plastic clay that gets quite hard when you cook it. i don’t know anything about the toxicity of the material and haven’t tried it yet.
just wanted to put it out there.
aila
Hey I was wondering how did you get on with your teeth as I have the exact same problem and I really want to get it fixed but can’t afford to
i make charms using clay and i dont know about if it is toxic or not but it will not do well in your mouth it could get soft again or dissolve(even after you bake it ) you would have to use a glaze of some sort but i dont know if it is a good idea to put it in your mouth
i havent been to the dentist for 30 years simply because of their rip off prices,id rather all my teeth fell out than give some one 3k so he can keep his top of the range bmw in petrol,dentist pay peanuts to have false teeth etc made,theyll charge 3k upwards for something that costs them a couple of hundred quid,my best mate owns a dental lab so i know what he charges the dentist to make a set of false teeth.if i get a hole in a tooth i fill with the stuff you get from the chemist, i rekon that listerine wrecks your teeth, i never had probs till i started using that.
Absolutely brilliant Chris, You could say the same for Lawyers how much does it cost for a word processing program, paper and the printer ink if they even use that nowadays.
What if I want to move my front tooth forward??
Highschool starts in about anothr month for me. Ive always bin pretty self concious about my smile sense thats pretty much the only thing i or anyone else can complain about. the main problem is that my mom cant afford braces for me.I wud really like to use a mout guard or dental floss. My 2 front teeth are slightly buck, the two teeth that are one either side of my 2 front teeth have spaces on either side, and 2 of my bottom teeth are crookd. I would really appreciate it if u guys cud giv me sum gud advice
Writing from personal experience. Starting at the age of 7, I straightened my own teeth using dental floss, ribbon, or whatever else I happened to find that was durable enough. I did this over the course of two years just tying my top teeth (which had large gaps) in place for a couple hours a day. It did work, I have had perfectly straight top teeth since the age of 9 (I am 17) and have never had any problems as a result. An orthodontist in Australia even praised me for being a clever enough child to figure out how to do it, and so well. It would not, however, work for all orthodontic problems one may encounter. Since gaps were pretty much my only problem on the top, it was an easy fix. My bottom teeth, which look not too different to the picture you show, are still crooked as I haven’t yet figured out a way to fix them myself (and am too cheap to pay for braces. yeah, we’re jewish haha.) Best of luck to you, it is possible for some cases, just think it through strategically first.
Sarah, and or anyone reading this message with great ideas or solutions. My doctor said bones that support my teeth are THIN like the mad scientist who wrote about his SAME experiences/ learning to move the teeth SLOWLY. He is not mad , i am just giving clues, references. In fact, he s got more gutts than most people who just sit and wander only.
Can U make a chart or drawings how to make your teeth straight with womderful alignments.. This will help dummies like me who are new at it! HOW TO CORRECTLY APPROACH THE MATTERS ARE IMPORTANT THAN GUESSING WRONG.
Edmondo, native American
Thanks, i think ill actually try this idea:) i just hav to figure out how to do it…lol.
I have the same problems, i completely kinda hurt and frustrated that medicaid don’t pay for braces, and i or my parents cannot afford it. i think it’s kinda crazy for them to take that away when there creating all this other sh*t, it sucks but thanks to u all for the ideas, i only have narrow spaces between my teeth at the top there shaped nice and in order but spaced out, so i will be trying the mouth guard and floss, because ima diy die-hard fan especially if you can’t afford things the way the economy is god help us all thanks guys,
Medicaid really? If you can’t afford things for your kids don’t have them
if you dont have anything nice to say then just dont post anything at all..nobodys ever ready to have kids so keep your dumb little smartass comments to yourself.
Unforeseen things happen. Just b/c someone needs medicaid NOW doesn’t mean they needed it when they originally had kids. They could have had a great job, plenty of money, and then got laid off…guess what? Those people still need medical care. So, I agree with Vivi21, keep your comments to yourself.
Seriously?? Straighter teeth boosts confidence, which in turn promotes more verbal interaction in a classroom setting and in group study. this will help a child retain more of what is being taught. A higher level of intellect is what this country needs. Good dental health (including straighter teeth) leave a great impression on the people an individual meets. It is a sign that someone takes pride in taking care of themselves. It shows the ability to stick to and follow a routine, Both of which will be sought after traits in a person interviewing for a job. Regardless of how a person wound up on Medicaid our government should consider the impact on our future as a country and cover the cost of a straighter smile on both children and adults on Medicaid (and those who are not on Medicaid but still can not afford straighter teeth). Straighter teeth also aids in good oral health, and that would cut the costs of tooth extraction and other procedures already covered by Medicaid. Overall orthodontics should be available at an affordable rate for everyone.
Just curious. Have you ever lost a job? Well guess what. When you do, you will need health insurance. My guess is, since your on here reading how to straighten your teeth with dental floss, you aren’t in a position to pay cash for Neurologist surgery. With 3weeks, my husband and I both are unemployed. How do you expect us to pay for any medical needs? Sometimes it’s not a matter of affording something.
Hello friends out there with stories of crooked teeth… And the mad scientist who found a remedy ( Crazy Idea #358)
Actully, NONE of you are crazy… Just got frustrated as I did. Paying doctor bills are endless! I can clearly understand your all stories as i have read from Chis, Ann , Sarah and others. I got NO good results from doctors too. Therefore, finding natural remedies like yours and others with PROVEN methods are worth the trys and SAVING big bucks are worth it all! I loved all the stories read on this page or posted by Xeno! Thank God that there are people will to share a great light of wonderful magic! Why waste more time with people who just want to give a run around and collect more money from your pocket with POOR advice or assistance! I learned how to cut my OWN hair , and did “natural” facial remedies that worked! People always tell me i look 10 to 11 years younger than my real age! Now, I will take ALL of the articles many of you posted and MOVE MY TEETH SLOWLY AND SLOWLY … Thanks for all of your great tips! But.. there are NO charts ot drawings to show “orthodontic” theories on how to APPROACH THE CORRECT ANGLES TO ALIGN THE TEETH CORRECTLY.. OTHERWISE, USE COMMON SENSE.??? My bone is THIN like the mad scientist explained about his own experiences…But.. i shall work with all the tips that i read from Xeno posted comments!
Edmondo, native American
All the comments and suggestions are wonderful! I hope to see more of it with somekind of chart or drawings on how to ALIGN the teeth correctly with with-OUT doing the wrong approaches!
Edmondot, U.S.A.
OMG!!! I AM TOO HAPPY TO HAVE STUMBLED ON THIS TOPIC! I HAVE TERRIBLE TEETH,OVERBITE AND CROWDING. LIKE MANY OF YOU,I CANT AFFORD BRACES EVEN IF THE COUNTRY WASNT IN RECESSION…BUT I KEEP HAVING THIS VOICE IN MY HEAD TELL ME I CAN SOMEHOW DO IT MYSELF. I NEVER THOUGHT OF FLOSS OR ANY OTHER MATERIAL BUT NOW I AM DESTINED TO TRY SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT COST ME A DOWN PAYMENT OF A CAR AND HOUSE…THANKS YOU ALL!! I HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS I BEGIN MY EXPERIMENT.SORRY FOR ALL THOSE WHO SAY DONT DO IT BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT…HOW DID SOMEONE INVENT BRACES ANYWAY?? IT MAY HAVE STARTED WITH DENTAL FLOSS OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ARE DOING! ONCE AGAIN THANKS ALOT!I WILL KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED AND HOPE YOU DO THE SAME…!
I’ve got to agree with everything posted here. A lot of people might think you are “Crazy” or out of your mind when doing this, and a lot of people say that it can’t be done, but it can, I’ve even had dentists tell me that. In reality, it’s not “strange” at all. People do this all the time, as a matter of fact, you can even move teeth with your finger. After all, the entire point of braces is to apply continuous gradual pressure in order to move teeth. You can still create movement without constant pressure, but it may take a bit longer. You can even retain your teeth on your own by continuing to practice the movement a bit longer. I say go for it because it works, I’ve tried it myself. Just think about people with a tongue thrust. It’s NOT constant pressure, but over time (and not much time at that) their tongues create an open bite that only seems fixable with braces. Likewise, you can also use your tongue to “thrust” on certain teeth in the direction you want them to move. Just remember that it takes time. Apply slight pressure, either with floss, your finger, or tongue, and yes they will move. Just don’t ask dentist this (The dentist that told me was a close friend of mine) because they will probably tell you no because they want your money. Gradual constant pressure in a specific direction = the entire concept of braces = movement of teeth.
This is absolutely correct. That’s why people who suck their thumbs end up with buck teeth and end up needing braces.
I have surgery and the Anesthologist broke my two front teeth. I got them fixed with bonding. But they feel like they moved further into my gums and slightly outward. Is that possible. Dentist’s tell me no.
People its easy to move your teeth back and into place just use your hand and fingers and apply pressure! it will take u 6 months to 2 years like braces and it’s completely FREE! simple as ever.
C.
Did you do it that way? Seems dangerous and time consuming… I’d hate for someone to have teeth fall out from this.
I’ve tried this, it really doesnt work, just bucks your teeth out and then you have to push them back again which takes months and reverts the whole process
Any ways on how to straighten my crooked teeth?
On my top teeth, the middle tooth is slightly pushed back. Any help?
I plan on getting braces, but dnt want to make my parents spend tht much money on me.
Thank u so much for this wonderful ideal..just took my son to the dentist last week for having pain with his tooth..one of his caps broke…while he was making my son feel at ease..I decided to ask him questions about the cost of braces and what I need to do first…he told me $4500-$5000.00 dollars for braces…I bout fell out the chair..I thought to myself that’s abuying a damn car..PAID FOR…THAT’S CRAZY!!! so no I need this home remedy fast..I have to much going on in my life not to try this…so thank u…like they.say beauty is pain…
Susan – From what I understand, you have a front tooth that is pushed back and overlapped by another. If there is anyway you can do this – go onto eBay or some other site that sells orthodontic rubberbands. They come in all strengths. Don’t just purchase rubber bands from your local discount store because they are not made to withstand that type of pressure. Order clear orthodontic bands of a gradual strength then move your way up – you don’t want to make the tooth loose. Place the rubber band on the tooth that is overlapped to move sideways next to the other tooth in order to make room for the other problem tooth to move in the direction needed. Remember, this is a gradual process, so it will take time, but you can get your tooth to move. You may have to do this for a while. Push on the other tooth just a few times a day, everyday in the direction it needs to be moved. Do this continuously for months (I know it sounds crazy but if you want your teeth to move without braces or invisalign, this is the way to do it. A lot of people end up getting braces just to fix one teeth and end up dissatisfied because braces actually reshape your entire bite and change everything – including your facial structure, the way you look, talk, etc. For some people, their previous look is much better than after braces. If that is not what you want, braces aren’t for you. Using strong rubberbands for teeth that are overlapped to move them sideways and push on the other teeth is the best way to accomplish what you are trying to do. That is the way braces work as well, they move teeth the the side, and then back again. You might also try pushing with your tongue, as each thrust applies approximately 6 pounds of pressure. Hope that answers your question. Please let me know If I can help anymore.
my teeth do the same as Susan’s, and this helps alot!! thank you! but im still alittle blurry on how to apply the rubber band? and how to get it on ebay? please get back to me as soon as possible:) thank you!
I’m using rubber bands i bought for $1.50 at target. The are actually working fine to move my teeth. I have never had one break, and it’s easy to stretch them as little or as much as you want to get the right amount of tension. toothgap.com sells their tooth straightening rubber bans for 19.99, maybe they are cheaper on ebay I haven’t checked. I’m sure they are better quality, but for now I’m going to continue using this pack and if they don’t work, at that price, I’m okay with that. Also the pack I’ve bought also had different sized rubber bands so I’ve been putting one over three of my teeth to try and pull them all together. I’m sure the more teeth you try to move the more dangerous, so I am doing this only for a few hours a night, I’m sure long term improvements will take a while.
Also I read an analogy somewhere that said to picture a tall block you are trying to move, you don’t want to pull it from the bottom because it will fall backwards and you don’t want to pull from the top because it will fall forward, you have to apply pressure in the middle. I’m no expert on this, but I thought that was useful to keep in mind. I think the key to doing this is patience, and to do it slowly like others have said.
yes, it is definitely possible. I’ve had a lot of gap teeth on the bottom which are closing up. I’ve actually purchased my dental rubberbands from teethgap.com. They are made to close gaps in the teeth and move them from side to side. I’ve found that it has helped out tremendously – despite what others may think or say. It does take a lot of time. So far I’ve been wearing mine on and off for a few months and have managed to close my gaps almost completely up, even after leaving the rubber bands out for a few days. It takes a lot of time. Fortunately, teeth aren’t cemented into your head and are very moveable. Thanks for the tip about movement. 🙂 Doing this slowly is the key. You def. don’t want to apply too much pressure, just a few hours per day when you’re not doing anything, just push on your teeth in the direction they need to go. Over time (possibly years), (my teeth have moved a lot in the past four years and look way better, but again, I’ve only done this in my spare time) you should notice a huge difference. Your teeth my not be perfect, but certainly much better than they have been in the past. For more strategic placement, braces may be required, but if you’re not looking for *absolute perfection*, moving your own teeth is a pretty cheap alternative.
And I just wanted to add this piece of info from medicinenet.com about how braces work, just for clarification and to let everyone know that yes, you can move your own teeth:
“How Do Braces Work?
In their entirety, braces work by applying continuous pressure over a period of time to slowly move teeth in a specific direction. As the teeth move, the bony tooth socket reabsorbs and changes shape as pressure is applied.”
Seriously, why would you do this?
You can buy Braces on ebay for $300.
i’m sure you’ll find something somewhere that tells you how to get them on
or maybe tell a dentist about your situation and they might help you out?
all I know is, this isnt a good idea.
Ooh, my Bartlett dentist will get mad at me if I try doing that. Even a thought would earn me a scolding. Ha ha! I wouldn’t dare, anyway. It’s just too scary to solve your own dental problems. It’s like performing your own surgery. Well, that didn’t make it into your list for nothing, right? I wonder how CRAZY the other ideas are.
Obviously, it is best to get braces. They can be expensive, but are a much better and quicker alternative to trying to do it yourself. Although you can indeed move your teeth with your tounge, pushing on them, etc., there are dangers involved. More than anything, it can be frustrating. As far as bite is concerned, you may never get the perfect bite, so braces treatment is recommended. If you don’t prefer braces, there is also invisalign. Most orthodontists will fix just about any minor or major alignment problem. There are also appliances (such as Simpli5, Clear Correct, and Red, White, & Blue) that can be used to move teeth up to 2 to 4 mm, which is barely nothing but can be a lot if your bite is severely affected. Most dentists will work with you when it comes to payment options. Just be honest with your orthodontist about what you can pay, as it is best to simply get braces.
And to add, it is best to go to more than one orthodontist for several different opinions, as some of them will provide you with invisalign when others won’t. In the end, you’ll end up with the same “basic” result, however it is all a matter of professioal expertise and personal opinion as far as your ortho is concerned.
Well some of us just do not have $5000 dollars, okay? Doesn’t anyone understand that?
is there any drawing or instructions as to how the dental floss must be used because i have a seriously BIG problem with my teeth i have overcrowded teeth both on top and down and i can not afford braces or anything costlier so please do help !!!!
Did anyone ever contact you about a drawing? If so, would you please post it. Thanks.
i have an extra tooth on the inside of my mouth and one thats hanging over my teeth who can I get my crowed teeth straighed
i stumbled upon this site while googling for if mouthguards can be used to straighten teeth. i’d love if anyone who has any success with diy methods to post up some detailed instructions with pictures 🙂 i would also like to get some opinions on this item: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/dental-teeth-orthodontic-appliance-trainer-alignment-transparent-blue-53215 . do you think it will effective and to what extent?
hello everyone!
i am probably like all of you: i want to have a nice smile, but don’t have any money or professional help…
can you please give me an advice or put a picture because i still don’t understand
how it is possible to straighten the teeth with a floss or rubber bands. anyway, sounds tempting and it’s free!
my left canine is too high and looks a bit like a vampire tooth. i am so embarrassed every time i smile.
please help me…
Hi Gaby,
I hate my smile too and I’m currently trying to figure out the best way to get my teeth straightened. Here is an interesting option, a thing you wear only at night: http://www.nightshiftortho.com/
I may just go ahead and pay the $5,000 to get my teeth straightened over the next few years. Actually I have insurance so it won’t be so bad.
I’m looking at going with a Dentist who uses Insignia braces.
They seem to be using similar computer modeling technology that is used in Invisalign braces. The Invisalign braces didn’t work for me because I had a plastic allergy. I haven’t tried anything else for years. But when I look at my teeth in a video I just made, I totally cringe. So I have to do something.
I am a dental hygiene student and I am truly horrified by this thread! There is a reason you have to be a doctor to do this. The health of your mouth is connected to the health of the rest of your body. You should know that even when standard orthodontic therapy is used for many years, it results in the permanent irreversible shortening of the roots. This compromises the integrity of the tooth and can result in tooth loss. I cannot even begin to imagine the trauma done to the tooth by moving it so quickly by amateur means. Then there is the damage to the periodontal tissues. It is very dangerous to connect the blood in the mouth to the blood in the rest of the body. That is why some people must be premedicated with powerful antibiotics before they can get a simple cleaning. You could cause a stroke/heart attack or infection by causing trauma to the tissues in the oral cavity. Also, shifting your teeth with no knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the oral cavity means that your teeth will probably just shift right back into their original crooked position, since you don’t know what the underlying cause is, let alone how to fix it. Misaligned teeth are misaligned for a reason. We have all felt our teeth shift ever so slightly after flossing, but that is because there is a ligament that allows for slight (slight!) changes when pressure is applied, as with any other joint. It is not meant to allow such quick and drastic changes and can easily be damaged – thinned out – something I have seen on many x-rays (leads to tooth loss). If you really can’t afford braces, consider alternatives. Do your research. Consider finding a school for dentists/orthodontists. They typically provide services for next to nothing in exchange for a long time in their chair as they are supervised and learn their trade.
How do I know how much root shortening will happen? Should I not get braces as an adult?
So what do you suggest when schools are still expensive and they wont fix them until you get at least 1000 worth of work done? Be miserable and never smile? I have even told my fiance I refuse to get wedding pictures because of my donkey-horse teeth. My insurance wont cover anything and cant afford monthly payments because when its all said and done the cheapest is about 5,000 + any dental work I need done. I spent months comparing prices and the best advice i got was to bounce around between dentists to get work done for the cheapest price. working full time, going to school fulltime and having a part time job on the weekends. Impossible. so your response pretty much advises me to be miserable and never smile again. I think its worse seeing my mouth vs having no teeth at all. why not just knock them all out?
Maybe they didn’t teach you about SARPE in dental hygiene courses. They aren’t ligaments genius, they’re called gingival fibers. And in the above named procedure, they stretch very rapidly and extensively producing a significant diastema (look that one up, probably didn’t teach that in hygiene school), which will repair itself over time as the fibers contract and pull teeth back together over the new tissue. The mouth is extremely versatile.
Sounds like you are creative inventor. Maybe you will invent a self teeth straightening kit . Do it yourself kit 🙂
Great idea … but there are some life changing risks, such as if you move teeth too fast, they fall out. That can be very expensive to fix with implants…. I ended up getting a great deal on real braces. It is only costing me $1,300 and my insurance pays the rest ($1700), so after all these years of thinking about, I went for it.
Basicly all my life I have had a gap between my teeth. I sucked my thumb till third grade(Im in 8th now) and this is what I end up with. I also have crooked bottom teeth. But they are all together. A while ago(about 9 months) my grandma told me a story of her friend from elementry. Her friend sucked on her thumb and had a gap. Her parents couldnt afford for braces so she did this. She took her thumb nails and applied a bit of presure on the sides of her front teeth. She ended up with no gap in about a year. But my problem is they always seem to move away again. Any ideas?
Alexis U.S.A.
Real braces aren’t so bad and that is the safest way to move your teeth. If you do it yourself, your teeth could fall out and you would regret that for life… Or until you had artificial teeth put in… Which costs more than braces
i am using the mouth guard technique now,i had braces as a kid and now as an adult my front teeth started to shift. i made the mold of my teeth with the mouth piece and then cut a thin piece off the mouth guard, put in boiling water for a few seconds and then applied it to the part of the guard where i want to move my one tooth back. this puts the pressure on the tooth to move. it does move at night while i sleep but sometimes i forget to wear it at night and the tooth does shift back. the process does work, it will just take time like regular braces.
Just curious to know how that’s working for you thus far? That was such a good idea and then hearing your imput makes it very tempting to try out! Hope it’s going well 🙂
I have one tooth in front that sticks way out. Orthodontist wants to charge me 7500.00 to fix. I previousley went to Orthodontist five years ago and paid 3500 dollars. I noticed students working for the Ortho, were not practicing proper hygene. Student went to place mold in my mouth. I saw another student previously put mold back in box without sterilization. I refused and complained to Ortho assistant. She reprimaded student. Next week a mold was placed in my mouth, did not fit and student placed mold back in box without sterilization. Once more I told ortho assistant. Next day I broke out in huge cold sores all over mouth and face. I also suffered from severe fatigue and headaches for several months. A year later my tooth was sticking out. Retainer was not correct and pushed one tooth outward. I have wrapped dental floss around both back teeth and tied in front tightly. I am using small plastic stick as a tournequet; sllid it under dental floss on top of protruding tooth, slowly turned once and then again, small amount of pressure on protruding tooth. I will leave it in two, three or four hours every evening for the next three months. I can already tell it is working. Thank you for the dental floss idea. The pressure after two hours has lessoned. I won’t tighten it any further. As a few of you have stated, it takes time and rushing the process may damage root system. I will leave it in two more hours and start again tomorrrow evening. I don’t recommend sleeping like this as the whole dental floss and tournequet could come loose. Patience, that is the key, patience. Thank you all for the wonderful informative posts.
Hi Pauline, I’m vey interested in what you’re doing with your teeth, my left upper canine is protruding, and high, I’d like to try the dental floss method, can you tell me where should I wrap the floss? around the canine and around the left molar teeth or around the right molars? and do you think the small plastic stick is necessary or I can do without?
P.S. : I have no patience, I’d like to have my tooth straightened tomorrow!
Okay so my issue is of a different sort, although it does involve moving teeth. Reading your comments has been quite helpful, but i’m wondering if anyone has experienced or has any comment on my situtation. So a while a ago I had a crown fall out undamaged. I saved the crown because I know they are costly to replace. I could not visit the dentist at the time because they are so expensive and I have no insurance. I came across this product that secures crowns temporarily until you can visit a dentist. I found my crown and tried to put it back in (it’s been a bit). Well it didn’t quite fit because my teeth had shifted into the gap. But if they shifted in they can shift back out right? So I forced the crown into place….nearly into place. I can feel pressure in the surrounding teeth. The crown slightly high and makes chewing uncomfortable. So hear is my question: Over time with applying pressure to that crown won’t it go back into place? Don’t worry there is not enough space for food to become trapped between the gum and the crown. It’s just out of place enough to not allow proper chewing. Here is the other issue…I can’t get it back out because it’s wedged tightly in there. I really believe if it fit in there once it can fit again. A new crown will cost $800 to $1500, when I have a perfectly good one.
Wow great ideas all round will have to try that for my teeth. reading this thread reminded me that someone told me to use one of those wooden icypole sticks which you can buy in packs from the supermarket and gradually move them in-between teeth to separate them(pretty much same as other ideas I guess) .
Now having had braces for a few months and feeling the speed at which you can safely move teeth, I do not recommend trying to move your teeth yourself. You risk loosening teeth and having them fall out.
Sent from my iPhone
I just want to say, thank you so much for posting this! I’m only 15, and my family isn’t very rich.. we can’t afford paying for braces, :(. It took me YEARS to find this, and omg. I am soo grateful, i just tried it, no idea if i did it right.. but i’m willing to take the risk. I am so desperate, it’s not even funny. I’ll be posting my results! (Well, if i see any of course! :D).
I can feel the pressure push on my teeth, and when i slightly pull on the floss, i can feel my teeth tug a bit. I’m really liking the feel, :).
The only hard part was thinking up a strategy about where to tie the end of the floss at. Tie at the right, or left? If it pulled this way, will it work or not? Those are the thoughts i kept on my mind the whole time, and i have a feeling i’m going to see something i like, :).
Thanks again, <3. VERY much appreciated!
Hi Jennifer,
The risk is real that you will make your teeth fall out and they will never grow back. You will look worse without those teeth. I’m sure you don’t want that. After I had this idea of dental floss braces, I went and got real braces, and now, feeling how much pressure needs to be there, month after month to see results without damaging your teeth, I recommend either getting braces later in life when you can afford them as I did, or just leaving your teeth as they are. Another idea, depending on where your teeth are and how much they need to move, would be to use toothpicks you break off to move your teeth overnight, but you need to understand how the teeth interact with each other to avoid making your situation worse. Hope this helps. If you want, email me what city you are in and I’ll ask my orthodontist friend if he knows how to get your braces at a discount: xeno@xenomail.us
Well I have read all of the threads. I went to a school and they still want to charge 5,000 on top of paying 900 to get some teeth fixed before I even get the braces then dentist said I should also pay for whitening also which is another 200.. My Insurance does not cover any of this and I have such a serious overbite to the point where I dont take pictures, I never smile and show my teeth so I feel like a constant meanie but really I avoid laughing to not show my teeth. I cannot afford the 24 month payment on 5,000 and I dont know who has the money to blow 900 on dental. My credit isnt that great so even if I took a loan out I would probably pay double or triple on a 27% interest rate and I cant even get a care credit card. So what do you suggest for someone like that?
It doesnt mean it takes all those years to be able to straighten your teeth
Same with a mechanic and electrition
Just cos it takes 4 years to be fully qualified
Doesnt meen you need the 4 years knoladge to change a battery or sparkplug
I think it can be done thier is enough info out their and
Im going to try it if my teeth fall out ill pay to get false teeth at least i tried
And besides after all the dodgy dentist around messing simple procedures like fillings id rather do it my self
hello!,I love your writing so much! share we be in contact extra about your post on AOL? I need a specialist on this space to solve my problem. Maybe that’s you! Having a look forward to see you.
My name is Chelsea and I have all straight teeth apart from the to big teeth at the front at the top which they are like buck teeth and stick out a lot .. I really want them straight but it costs so much to do it without braces and I really don’t want to wear braces 🙁 help ?
I have a small gap between my top 2 front teeth.
It’s not that big of a deal, but it was something that kept me from smiling.
I guess I considered closing it with dental floss, but then I realized it really wasn’t worth the risk.
Might as well invest on $20 orthodontic bands rather than screwing up my teeth with dental floss.
hey guys.. sorry my English bad.. I’m wondering how to tie my front teeth with a dental floss. my teeth looks ugly and I can’t afford to buy brace, so I want to try using floss like u said but I don’t know how to tie them :(.
hie my front two teeth r protuded and i want to put the braces but the problem is that my mum is against the extraction thing and doctor said its compulsory in braces treatment 🙁 so plz now suggest me home remedy like you all posted above . Are these dental flossin works ?
please reply
I did this years ago, using those twisting things you put around to close a package of bread. I wrapped it around my front canines which were horribly bucked for some 3-4 months every evening while watching TV and I know it worked because they looked much better and my dentist asked me where I got braces! It is ridiculous I would have to pay $5,000 to get my teeth straight! I would never sleep with it on though because I was afraid of accidentally swallowing it.
My front teeth is just outside and little banned on the left side it clearly appears when i laugh. It seems my upper teeth is step up with lower teeth. Can i make it straight without braces?
I spaced my teeth a little by putting floss in between my crowded teeth for 1 hour a day and it helped a little!
The floss thing actually works. But it can harm your gums and teeth. Braces is the only way…
I had a big space between my 2 front teeth, a stub of a tooth to the left and a high protruding tooth next to that. When I was 20 I went to a well known dentist who was willing to do a ‘quick fix’ which was not done in those days. He gave me orthodontic rubberbands that I had to put on: left front then twisted band and secured to right incisor and same -right front, twist to left incisor. I only did this when I was home (not often!) and at night. When they were together in about 4 months the work started. Tooth to left of front was pulled and next to that was filed down so I then had a bridge and on the right of the front those 2 teeth were filed for caps. This was a drastic step to 4 very healthy teeth just to keep my two front teeth together. I was then told that my teeth will move as I got older – which they have. What I did not know then, we all know now: if you move teeth, they must be retained with a good retainer and it should be worn during the day for months and every night forever after. As for crowded teeth, a dentist will usually have to pull a tooth or teeth in order to make space for movement or to move all teeth to make room, so I cannot see how any of you are accomplishing a correction without making matters worse.
I completely sympathize with everyone who cannot afford braces. I spent 20 years never smiling, but afterwards that is all I did and am still doing 35 years later! I would say to you please do not try to do anything without seeing a dentist – make an appointment for a consultaion and be honest with him/her. Say what you are thinking of doing and talk over the complications. You might end up with a terrible bite which will give you extreme headaches or will cause worse movement someplace else and as stated, you could lose teeth. If you really are going to go ahead and try something that might be really bad, and you had a good caring dentist, at least you will be fully informed.
CORRECTION to above: where I have incisor, it should be canine 🙂 so sorry!!!!
Now this is getting silly……….my son did the correction above for me, but signed off as himself! It should have been from me.
Great advice! Now, are you going to pay for it on behalf of all of us who cannot AFFORD the good and caring dentist (and we all KNOW that we SHOULD see a dentist– and if we had the MONEY, we’d be SEEING a dentist instead of looking for low cost do-it-yourself fixes).
ok, so my 8-year old daughter has a crossbite. one upper tooth sits behind her lower teeth. I know there must be a way to move the darn thing. I’ve read on-line about dentists using bonded resin-composite slopes to bring the tooth forward and that would seem to be a lot cheaper than braces, but our dentist didn’t offer to do anything like that and in fact said we should wait until child’s permanent teeth have come in to get braces, but readinng on line, treatment can begin early. I’m so confused and really would rather just move the tooth myself if I can, but it is scary if it might fall if I move it too fast. what are everyone’s thoughts?