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These systems sound great-no dental visits and are usually extremely cost effective BUT any dental treatment should be overseen by a dental professional- for your safety and peace of mind not to mention the impact a mistake could have on your long term dental health!
We are extremely pleased that the GDC (General Dental Council) have now looked into these systems in more detail and whilst they have not put strict regulations in place yet they have produced guidelines for patients on the use of these remote dental systems.
Given that having any orthodontic treatment will move your teeth they will therefore make fundamental and possibly irreversible changes to your teeth and the bone which holds them in place, the fact that this can currently be done WITHOUT even seeing a dentist is completely baffling to us.
So, the guidelines set out by the GDC are as follows;
- Orthodontic patients need to be fully assessed by a dentist before starting treatment
- Direct dentist to patient interaction is essential to ensure basis for informed consent to treatment
- Patients must know the name and registration number of the dentist responsible for their care
The risks with this type of treatment being done remotely is extremely real and so is the need for action! We are extremely pleased this is now being addressed by the GDC but the dental profession as a whole are all extremely hopeful that these guidelines will soon become regulation.
If you or someone you know are considering DIY clear aligners-please do consider these guidelines and see a dental professional in person for this sort of treatment. We all know someone who has done a DIY haircut…. DIY orthodontics can have much much worse consequences than a few weeks with a dodgy fringe! See a professional!
