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 tried Invisalign and got pretty good results, but I still have one tooth that is a little bit off. I think I’m going to try this out, but I only have the Glide floss, which someone else commented can leach chemicals.
I straightened my teeth with tiny rubber bands like orthodontists sometimes use. I had a huge space on one side,& fixed that besides straightened the rest. I told my dentist & he said my teeth & gums were in perfect condition & an orthodontist could not have done better. So it is possible to fix your own teeth without complications.
How long did it take? Do you have any reccomendations on how to do it exactly? Do you have any before and after pics by any chance?
Thank You
My trying to use the small rubber bands to straighten some gaps in my theeth but when I put them on they just roll up on my gum how do I keep the bands down on my teeth?
What size rubber bands did you use? How long a day did you wear them?
I have crooked teeth & am attempting to try it. How long did it take you to straighten them with the rubber band & how long per day should you leave them on?
I had some molars removed, and everything is shifting around now, some teeth are starting to really fall. I’ll try this…
My cat is named Brandy xD
nobody cares XD
I have crooked teeth, and I’m sick of it! I’m tempted to try the dental floss thing myself.. Maybe if Dentists and orthodontists made getting dental work affordable for poor ppl like me, home remedies wouldn’t be necessary!
I lived with crooked teeth for most my life and only finally got braces as an adult. Have an orthodontist do it when the time is right, if you really want to, but if you try to straighten your teeth yourself, they may fall out and teeth don’t grow back. Crooked teeth are better than no teeth.
This sounds like the dental equivalent of do-it-yourself liposuction, aka entirely unsafe and crazy. Save your money elsewhere. It is not worth the risk of the almost guaranteed medical bills you will have incurred to later treat your infections. Besides, even if you could permanently move them, how do you know it would be the right place? You could probably hurt an over/underbite even more.
I think I’ll try this. But I wish I had a schematic. Two of my front teeth sometimes cut into my lip and I really want to straighten them, but I can’t afford a dentist, much less an orthodontist.
P.S. I’ll bet dimes to dollars that everyone who lands here is American. When I lived in Japan, I should totally have taken advantage of the health care there.
i had near perfect teeth 3 years ago,but i got on the methidone program to get my life straight after making the mistake of experimenting with drugs(long story),im happy i got out of that lifestyle and have been clean for years now, but no one told me id have dental problems from that medication, and now my teeth have spaced out and i have lots of bone loss/gapped teeth that look totally different and horrible compared to before the program!!! so i want to try this dental floss thing,but cuz of the bone loss, im scared i might lose my teeth trying….someone said to just save money elsewhere to be able to afford dental work, but what do you do when you dont have any money to save in the first place?!?!….and yes, im an american,…our healthcare should be the best in the world!!!,but its not even close!!! ive become so severely depressed because of my teeth,that i cant go in public without being conscious of my mouth,let alone work ,to have money or a dental plan…i had jobs almost my whole life till these last couple years,….why cant my government help me get my smile back so i can face the world again?????!!!!! why do i have to resort to a diy with dental floss and rubber bands like if im in a 3rd world country !!!???? almost half the ppl i know and grew up with now have dental problems and had to get teeth pulled instead of filled or capped because medicaid wont pay for nothing but to pull all your teeth out instead of preserving your smile…..these are ppl who still have young faces,but now with messed up smiles, because we can have our taxxes pay for our government to fly around first class and in private jets, but not pay for lower/middle class america to have a decent smile! this is how our country cares for us!!!!!!! were not the great country we like to say we are if we cant even smile saying it!!!!! -azmode
I read somewhere that there are smile again programs to help low income people with braces. Its worth to googleing it . Gl
So, wait….you want me, an American taxpayer, to pay MORE taxes so that the government can pay for YOUR to be fixed…and you f%$%#d them up yourself using drugs? I work my ass off and have never used drugs, why on God’s green earth should I pay for YOUR teeth? THIS is what’s wrong with America today and exactly what the founding fathers were afraid would happen. Here’s an idea…are you working three jobs like I am? Babysit, mow lawns, repair things for people…in short, get off your ass and do whatever you can to save the money to get your OWN teeth fixed. You are not a victim…you can take care of yourself.
Damn str8 sis’, State and Federal assistance needs some serious reform.
“dental problems from that medication”
From the medication that our lovely government forced him to have for treatment – and then they don’t want to pay for the consequences.
Leave the drugs out of it, it was from the medication.
wait until you have a problem the Govt won’t pay for. You will see. Drug habits omitted! Just sayin’!
I’m with you on that one. No incentive for anyone to work now a days when the government gives money and health care to anyone.
azmode, first of all I want to commend you on getting clean and sober. That is great. However, I would be willing to bet that it was the drugs that ruined your teeth and not the Methadone. The only method of Methadone I cannot speak for, which is what you may have been on is the liquid Methadone. Having been on Methadone tablets myself for almost 20 yrs now, for chronic pain, I have no issues with my teeth, other than one bottom tooth that juts out due to having braces WAY too early (9 yrs old, off at 11 yrs old), my wisdom teeth coming in at an angle and pushing my bottom teeth, and not wearing my retainers. My ortho never stressed the fact that retainers are forever. I am sorry to hear that drugs, whether it was Methadone or whatever, messed up your teeth. But I am glad you were able to overcome your addiction. It is possible.
Hi, well i tryed rhis ut now witj floss, i use goody hair band you can get them for 5 dollars at walmart, the work good & my teeth had loosend a tiny bit but bot to the poont where it was become savere so you can try thos but IT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK have a blessed day 🙂
if i were to try this…… what do i have to get like my supplies? how long does it take?
supplies: dental floss, false teeth in case you make yours fall out by trying to move them too fast.
time: about 2 Years.
Better to develop tongue and lip habits that move your teeth to where they should be. That also takes years but isn’t very risky .
How do I develop those “tongue and lip habits” to reposition the teeth to where they should be? What do I have to do?
Where is Sandy, did she come back with more info…I would like to know precisely what Sandy did and is it still working for her. I heard when you straighten your teeth, they soon want to go back to being crooked so what did Sandy use to anchor them…..
to keep teeth from not going back crooked use a retainer, you can buy one online
lol, you cant buy a retainer online… your mouth has to be fitted for them… by a dentist.
Yes you can. Go to Amazon and look.
Well I have one messed up tooth it it one to the left (when looking at me) from my 2 front teeth it is really annoying and I am refusing to get braces for a year just to have one tooth straightened its not that out of line but is slightly and It is slightly annoying to have but I will live.
people are so [screw]ing stupid dude, do you know how much more braces pull on your teeth compared to a rubber band or a piece of floss?
I asked an orthodontist how much force the wire puts on teeth to move them. It isn’t a lot, but it is constant and consistent, and you need that over a long time to move your teeth without having them fall out.
I think there is always a possibility to do things like this by yourself. Im pretty sure your teeth will give you some good painful hints before they decide to fall out;)
I do agree that dentists know a looot more then me about the danger of messing with teeth but still, people has got their teeth messed up huge by dentists and paid lots of money for it..
I straightened my teeth, bleached and polished/ filed them down myself. No one believes me though they think I paid lots of money for it..
Linnea, You are ABSOLUTELY right! People have paid a lot of money for dentists to screw up their teeth. They have paid lots of money for plastic surgeons to screw up their bodies, and lots of money for doctors to screw up their health. I am a nurse, an RN and I am straightening my own teeth right now and it is working just fine. I am not saying anyone should or shouldn’t do it. To each his own. If insurance wasn’t so expensive, if health care wasn’t so expensive, if people who CAN work WOULD work and stop looking for free handouts, maybe people who NEED health care and dental care could afford it. Just saying.
It’s great that people have Independent ideas, and logically come up with solutions that can help resolve the problem; I also believe that people should have the Basic Right to Dental Treatment, as they should have the Basic Right to Healthcare of their own Choice. And.. I believe that Tax-payers money should be put towards THESE IMPORTANT MATTERS, TO CARE FOR THE PEOPLE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GOVERN, RATHER THAN GREEDY GOVERNMENT LAVISHLY SQUANDERING IT ON THEIR OWN PERSONAL MEANS.
I’m buying a Hawley retainer online. I have a pretty intense overbite that I’ve endure throughout high school. I began treatment at several orthodonists as a preteen/teenager, but my parents could never afford to keep up with the appointments. Now I’m in my 20’s and had recently begun treatment funded by my factory job that pays very little, but yet again, finances prevented me from being able to proceed. In my teens my ortho started me out with a retainer and I certainly noticed a difference in my teeth as they tightened it (They wanted my teeth to shift slightly before braces were put in). I watched as they tightened it slightly about once a month. When my father could’t afford to take me in any more I ended up tightening it on my own at the same pace the ortho was doing it. I did notice a difference in tooth placement over time. After a year my retainer broke and my father couldn’t take me in to replace it. Unfortunately my teeth are right back where they were as a kid. Low and behold! I found this website run by a dental lab, where I can do my own molds, ship them to the lab, and have a custom retainer made for only $150, as opposed to the ortho’s $200-per-appointment fees ([screw] that [crap]). I ordered it today, but after seeing your comments I am going to be extremely cautious with the adjustments, so I don’t lose my teeth in the process. Despite what everyone online says, yes, a retainer CAN move your teeth. I’m thinking about tracking my process via blog, but I’d be happy to check back into this forum and tell you how it goes in a year or two! If you have money and a debit/credit card look into Neobrite. I’ve considered EVERY at home option, but this seems like the more reliable and safe option.
I used my phone cable. tied it from my upper teeth to the back of my neck. every morning and evening for as long as i can. i saw a difference in two days. #crazy things u do when ur desperate#
lol
I really doubt your teeth will FALL OUT if you attempt to straighten them yourself. Sheesh! I had an orthodontist put braces on me & then I moved. Well, I just bought the stuff on ebay to change my own wires & elastics for a while. Then I got the special removal tools & took them off. They look great! I didn’t use a retainer & a couple lower teeth are a tad crooked but you can barely tell. It’s been about 10 years since I took them off. I write them for under 2 years. No regrets. The only thing I didn’t do was glue on the brackets. Seems pretty easy if you bought the self-etching one-step adhesive (self curing…not light cure)…and do lots of research. I’d do it! You could either spend about $100-$150 buying all the right stuff off Ebay to do it yourself or you could spend up to $5,000 & have aton of appointments to go to. I’ve never heard of anyone’s teeth falling out from doing their own braces.
I have a friend who wants braces & I’m buying the stuff off Ebay. After her teeth are straight, we just plan to go to Amazon.com or Ebay & pay for a retainer to be made for her. A couple hundred bucks & she’ll be all fixed up! I’ve had braces & I’ve changed my own wires & bands & I’ve done tons of research online so I’m pretty confident I know how it all works. My top front teeth were reused out away from each other with a gap between. One of them was sitting kinda sideways and in front of the tooth beside it. The bottom teeth were crooked & I had a crossbite. Doesn’t seem that difficult to straighten them if you’re careful. I’m a bit of a perfectionist so that helps. If you have any questions, you can email me. Don’t email me any negative things tho. I’m not saying this is for everyone & I don’t need a lecture… tabethajean AT yahoo.com
I have my two front teeth crooked and would like to straighten them out. Can you please tell me what I need to buy and step by step to make them straight. Thank you!
It sound a bit dangerous , Mot sure I would take that kind of a risk with my teeth. Perhaps I am wrong, where can i found some more detailed info about this procedure ?
I have the over bite now theirs something with a paper clip glue beads and string never attempted it but will try the this.
i want a solution for my front teeth 3 tooth are front and i can’t afford the braces any home made idea for my front 3 teeth
Before anyone tries some of these “methods” be sure you have a good MRI of your head so you know exactly where your facial bones are setting along with a panarex x-ray of your teeth. Also heat up some wax so one can make a good “bite” mold to see how the teeth relate to one another. What I am failing to read here is anyone even realizing that if by moving a tooth in the wrong position there is any thought to what the outcome will be to the rest of your face/head which will directly affect your spine, hearing and ability to chew properly at the least. What happens if by doing this one thing causes the TM joint to be put in the incorrect placement? I’ll tell you what happens, years of agony and then thousands of dollars for surgeries, orthodontia and physical therapy. Trust me when I tell you before you want to move your own teeth, leave it to the experts. One may not care for “crooked” teeth, but if that is the only reason to get them put straight and there are no finances available then smile and go on with life. There are worst things that can happen. I know!
It’s better to seek advice from experts than depending home made remedies. I am a victim of an unhealthy homemade remedy. I had crooked teeth and I tried to straighten my own teeth by using dental floss and got infected! This is a really complicated and risky method. Later I seek the help of Pearl Dental, a cosmetic dental service in Burlington. They used porcelain veneers to cover my crooked teeth. Now my teeth is smooth, even and properly aligned. I am super happy with their service.
It’s better to seek advice from experts than depending home made remedies. I am a victim of an unhealthy homemade remedy. I had crooked teeth and I tried to straighten my own teeth by using dental floss and got infected! This is a really complicated and risky method. Later I seek the help of Pearl Dental, a cosmetic dental service in Burlington. They used porcelain veneers to cover my crooked teeth. Now my teeth is smooth, even and properly aligned. I am super happy with their service.
I can’t believe there are other people who are sharing the same problem as me and I’m so glad I stumbled on this forum. My top teeth are perfectly straight but my lower set aren’t. I’ve always had slightly crooked teeth but since my wisdom teeth came through they impacted my bottom set making them look over crowded. I am so self conscious of them now and want a perfect smile. I’m in my 30,s now and obviously all teeth start to shift as we get older but I want to fix mine so I am embarking on my own journey of straightening them myself. I work full time but still can’t afford 600 pound braces as I have two children and bills to pay so for anyone who says I should pay for braces then feel free to foot my bill or be quiet. I have just purchased orabands from a reputable seller on eBay and they are the orange packet that has the most tension to start with. I know they are specifically made for closing gaps but I am going to try and use them to even out my bottom set which I think is 100% do able. I will post pics to show my progress to help others, and if anyone’s got any tips then please let me know.
Another thing, how do I upload a before picture on here? Any tips please
Email me your image at xeno@xenomail.us and I’ll upload it. Or you can upload it to a site that allows linking and then post a link to it.
I have these braces on my teeth for 2 & half year’s . I feel tat it didn’t work bcoz I have more gaps than bfore . can you just help me out by suggesting idea or any exercises to straighten my teeth at home plssssssss……….
i’ve crooked teeth on my upper and lower jaw and i was wondering how long will it take for my teeth to be straight
I have been to the dentist in my younger days once and that was to have 2 fillings done without numbing. I did not go back until I was 28. I have lived with my crocked under bite all my life and it has not affected me yet. Once I spent a $1000 on a mouth piece for my daughter that she only used once. What every mouth problems you have, find out first if it necessary.
I found an $8 product that actually works to fix my two crooked teeth. The Azdent alignment trainer, on Amazon. It’s basically a silicone mouth guard, but one side has this slope that only straight teeth fit into. So it stretches to apply pressure to crooked ones. I found this after I lost my bottom retainer, and my bottom two teeth got really crooked. It works to move them back slowly, but it’s uncomfortable for the tongue, and I drooled a bit at night since it’s against the lips.
After a few more months of wearing it, I’m going to get the $90 Essix clear retainer on Amazon, so I can keep my teeth straight during the day.