Does Pushing Your Teeth Straighten Them?

Did you know that 9 out of 10 people have at least slightly misaligned teeth? Society today obsesses over teeth straightening in order to achieve a perfect smile. Many have resorted to DIY teeth straitening hacks such as mewing or otherwise pushing on teeth to straighten them with time. However, does pushing your teeth straighten them? In this article, you’ll learn all about how mewing and pushing on your teeth can affect your dental structure. We’ll also check out how clear aligners can straighten your teeth in comparison. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to determine what teeth straightening method is right for you. To start off, let’s take a closer look at what mewing is and what it does to your teeth.

What Is Mewing?

Out of all the DIY teeth straightening tips, mewing is quickly becoming one of the most popular. Mewing involves straightening teeth at home by placing the tongue in a specific position within the mouth, usually against the roof of the mouth. By positioning the tongue in this way, with time, you should be able to correct errors in your facial and tooth structure. While mewing has been around since the 1970s (and was invented by the orthodontist John Mew), it has only become popular in more recent years. The concept rests on the fact that most people’s tongues rest at the bottom of their mouths rather than the top. John Mew and his supporters proposed that this position of the tongue might contribute to sleep apnoea, crooked teeth, and an unattractive jawline. Apparently, by pressing the tongue to the top of the mouth and keeping it there, with time, facial and dental abnormalities should lessen. This is because the new position of the tongue would offer more room in the mouth. However, it is important to keep in mind that mewing has no scientific evidence to back it up. If you’ve ever followed a DIY teeth straightening guide that mentioned mewing, you likely already know that the technique doesn’t work. Not only does mewing have no use in the straightening of teeth, but it also has no use in creating a sharper jaw. In fact, recently, John Mew had his dental license because of his controversial mewing technique. So, if mewing doesn’t work, what about other DIY teeth straightening methods such as pushing on your teeth?

Does Pushing Your Teeth Straighten Them?

Many people choose to use DIY teeth straightening hacks because they don’t want to spend money on braces or clear aligners. However, you’ll soon see that DIY methods are never a good alternative to aligners. It’s important to know that everyone’s teeth move with time. This is a natural facet of our teeth. This is why some people’s teeth become crooked and how all teeth can be straightened with the help of braces or aligners. Keep in mind that teeth move not only on their own but especially when they are acted upon by some external force. This is how braces work. Braces and aligners grasp the teeth so they are being pulled in a particular way with the goal being to straighten them. Braces and aligners work so well because the pressure they place on your teeth is nearly constant. If the pull was inconsistent, it would take much longer for crooked teeth to move. This is one of the many reasons DIY teeth straightening techniques don’t work, especially pushing on your teeth. Think about the effort you would need to put in if you were to try pushing on your teeth with your finger or your tongue. You would need to push on the same few teeth for hours at a time, if not the entire day. You would also not be able to straighten all the teeth that need straightening. Furthermore, life would more than likely get in the way of your teeth pushing technique. More likely than not, pushing on your teeth would not produce any results and would waste a lot of your time.

Why Choose Clear Aligners

While DIY teeth straightening tips don’t do much, clear aligner tips are much more helpful. This is because every clear aligner tray is custom-made for every patient’s teeth. This is done by taking a mould of your teeth. Unlike braces that attach to your teeth, clear aligners are removable, offering much more freedom when it comes to your teeth. Clear aligners treat more than crooked teeth alone. They can even treat underbites and overbites as well as gaps between teeth. When you get clear aligners, you will have several different trays that you can switch to every few weeks. This is necessary because, after one to three weeks, your first aligner will have straightened your teeth to a certain extent. Your teeth will then need a differently shaped tray in order for the straightening process to continue as it should. You will continue you switch your trays in this way for three months to a year, depending on the severity of your teeth misalignment. After this point, you will be given a clear retainer tray to wear. This retainer is important as it will ensure that your teeth will not return to their crooked positions again. Retainers can also be worn at night. In fact, it is especially important to wear them at night since your teeth can move as much when you are sleeping as when you are awake.

DIY Teeth Straightening and Clear Aligners

You now know all about DIY teeth straightening techniques such as mewing and how they don’t work. You also know how clear aligners can be a big help to achieving a straight and healthy smile. Ready to straighten your teeth without pushing them on your own?