Perceptions of General Dental Practitioners Regarding Do-It-Yourself Aligners: A Cross-Sectional Survey in East Bangalore

Objectives To assess the perception of general dental practitioners in East Bangalore regarding the concept of do-it-yourself (DIY) aligners. Materials and methods A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 114 general dental practitioners practicing in East Bangalore. A validated electronic questionnaire comprising 19 questions was distributed online. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses, and comparisons between practitioners familiar and unfamiliar with DIY aligners were performed using the Chi-square test. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results Among the 114 participants, 59 (51.8%) were familiar with the concept of DIY aligners, while 55 (48.2%) were unfamiliar. Regarding the primary purpose of DIY aligners, 66.1% of familiar practitioners and 41.8% of unfamiliar practitioners identified correction of minor tooth movements such as spacing and mild crowding as the main indication. Significant differences were observed between the two groups in their perception of the primary purpose of DIY aligners (p=0.02). Practitioners familiar with DIY aligners were more likely to report having encountered patients who used DIY aligners without professional guidance (42.4% vs. 14.5%; p=0.001) and to have observed complications arising from unsupervised use (37.3% vs. 16.4%; p=0.02). Significant differences were also found regarding the frequency of patient inquiries about DIY aligners (p<0.001) and perceived cost-effectiveness (p=0.04). Conclusion General dental practitioners demonstrated varying levels of familiarity with DIY aligners. Practitioners familiar with the concept were more likely to encounter patients using DIY aligners and to report complications associated with their unsupervised use. Overall, concerns regarding potential risks highlight the importance of professional supervision in orthodontic treatment.