Do It Yourself (DIY) orthodontics: pros and cons of a business model designed to improve access to care

Orthodontic treatment is expensive and is considered an esthetic treatment option by some, while studies show that orthodontic treatment can significantly improve quality of life in a large segment of population. Do it yourself (DIY) orthodontics became possible after introduction of aligner therapy. The DIY companies have grown very rapidly in recent years with the mission to provide affordable orthodontic care to a large segment of population who would have not been able to afford it otherwise. In this presentation, we will explain how United States pays for orthodontic treatment needs of the population and we will introduce some recent advances in the orthodontic world including Inbrace and BRIUS® that can make orthodontics more affordable and accessible for the public. We will evaluate the effectiveness of DIY Orthodontics in accomplishing their mission of improving access of care and some ethical challenges regarding the matter.