The danger of do-it-yourself braces

More people are trying homemade teeth straightening methods which can cause irreparable damage, according to the American Association of Orthodontists.

In most cases, do-it-yourself braces are small rubber bands wrapped around teeth to close gaps and spaces- but the damage they can deliver to your teeth and wallet can be devastating.

Just ask David Campbell. He tried to close a gap in his teeth with rubber bands when he was about eight years old.

“I would wake up in the morning and the rubber band would have disappeared- and did this over several weeks- and the rubber band kept disappearing,” said Campbell, “come to find out that the rubber bands- due to the shape of my teeth- were actually going up into my gums and wrapped around the root of my teeth.”

Nearly 13 percent of American Association of Orthodontist members report seeing patients who have tried DIY braces and over a third need corrective treatments, according to the AAO.

“There’s devastating results. Those results can be actually losing your teeth which means they come out of the bone,” said Dr. DeWyane McCamish AAO president, “or putting your teeth in such a position that when you bite down you do damage to the bone and gums.”

David said his teeth eventually died. Over the course of decades, he said he’s had over $40,000 dollars in dental work to fix his smile. He now has veneers and a bridge.

Dozens of ‘tweens to adults have created YouTube videos touting the effects of DIY braces.

David has a message for them: “absolutely do not do it.”

Rachel Murray is a WHIO-TV consumer reporter. You can watch her reports on News Center 7, follow her on Twitter @RMurrayWHIO, and like her fan page on Facebook.