Risky Restorations: Can You Create Your Own Tooth Replacements?

In recent years, more people have struggled to afford dental care because of changes in their life circumstances after the pandemic. As a result, there’s been a rise in attempts at do-it-yourself dental resolutions to save on expenses. One popular trend has been to rebuild your smile by creating your own customized tooth replacements. While you may be tempted to try this at home, there are risks to your oral health if you do. Keep reading to learn why it’s important to see your dentist for a professionally placed restoration!

How Are People Making Replacement Teeth?

There’s been a rise in the availability of certain materials that are being used to make at-home replacement teeth. They include:

• Melted polymers. This consists of materials that come in bead form and need to be melted until they are soft enough to mold into a tooth shape. They sometimes include coloring agents so you can attempt to match the shade of your natural teeth.
• Moldable Paste or Wax. You can also mold this into the correct shape, but it doesn’t need to be heated first. It can also be used to mask chips and cracks.
• Orthodontic Wax. This product is intended to cover the edges of metal braces or wires that rub against the soft tissues in your mouth. Some people have adapted it to fill in the gap left by a missing tooth.

Is It Safe to Make Replacement Teeth at Home?

There are some definite risks if you try to rebuild your grin with commercially available products like the ones listed above, such as:

• Unnatural appearance. Unless you’re an artist, it can be quite challenging to mold these materials into a lifelike restoration.
• Unhealthy ingredients. Just because the products are for sale doesn’t mean they’re safe. They may contain components that are not FDA-approved or are not intended for internal use.
• Dietary restrictions. Some of these solutions do not allow you to eat or drink anything while they’re in place.
• Dental issues. Because the substances used are not necessarily hygienic, food and bacteria are more likely to stick around and cause problems like tooth decay or gum disease.

Furthermore, these products are generally intended for temporary use only, which means they’re simply not a reliable long-term solution.

If you’re looking to fill in the holes in your smile, you should start with your dentist. They have the professional training, experience, and instruments to provide long-term, lifelike replacements. Plus, many dentists provide in-house savings plans and flexible financing in addition to accepting dental insurance, so that budget doesn’t keep you from achieving your dental goals.

By consulting with your dentist, you’ll have started your journey to a healthier, happier grin!

About the Practice

At Whitinsville Family Dentistry, patients of all ages benefit from a team of compassionate dentists with decades of combined experience. They provide a full array of oral health services to meet all your dental needs, including restorative and cosmetic solutions, conveniently under one roof. If you have a missing tooth that you’d like to replace, you’re welcome to request an appointment on the website or by calling (508) 234-8107.