What's the difference between wearing shoes and wearing dental braces? You can put on your shoes by yourself, but try wearing braces on your own and you risk losing your teeth.

A do-it-yourself attitude is often a good thing, but when it extends from installing a sink in the kitchen to straightening your teeth, then it's an overreach that can affect your health and appearance.

Alarmingly, the trend for fixing gaps in teeth or correcting bite issues without going to an orthodontist is gaining steam. Youngsters taken in by amateur videos on YouTube think all they need is a pair of rubber bands to align their teeth and save themselves expensive visits to the dentist.

Societal norms on beauty that place a premium on perfect teeth and a bright smile often pressurize young adults into taking matters in their own hands. However, there is no research to support the claims made by online tutorials that entice their audience to buy "gap bands" for correcting and realigning teeth.

Taking note of the situation, The American Association of Orthodontists issued a consumer alert that warns of the hazards of using rubber bands to close gaps in teeth. An allergy to latex is also something that enthusiastic but poorly informed people tend to overlook.

The pressure from the rubber bands can cut off blood supply to the teeth, and the teeth can change color. The gums, too, suffer from poor blood supply leading to a change of shape, loss of grip, swelling and infection. Bone loss and root damage follow.

Rubber bands tend to slide to under the gum tissue, cause infection and loosen teeth. Ultimately, you lose teeth. Ironically, the cost of veneers and accompanying repair usually exceeds the cost of getting braces placed by an orthodontist.

Orthodontia is best left to the experts who know how much pressure to exert on the teeth and how to gently align the teeth over time. Dentists are aware of the importance of maintaining balance of the stomatognathic system so that the patient's bite can be corrected without affecting foundational stability. Dentists use X-rays to consider the bone and dental profile before deciding how braces are to be worn by the subject.

DIY tooth repair will only worsen an already bad situation. Rubber bands are not an alternative to a visit to the dentist. If dental insurance does not cover braces or you don't have dental insurance and funds are an issue, then maybe you could check out dental schools. There, supervised in-training dentists will work on your teeth, and it will work out cheaper. Some dental offices may offer you interest-free finance plans.

Research. You get only one set of teeth, treat them well.