Do Your Children Need Braces? Apparently You Can Make One With A 3D Printer

Not everyone is gifted with a great set of teeth, but luckily, dental braces can help make your kid's smile a lot better. In fact, a college student named Amos Dudley decided to use his skills and create his own set of the orthodontic device.

A digital design major at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Dudley already got braces back in junior high. But because he barely wore his retainers, he ended up being unhappy with the way his teeth reverted.

The 24-year-old college student then decided to save money and make it a DIY project, knowing that he had the proper knowledge and skill set to execute the idea. Braces can cost up to thousands of dollars, but Dudley only spent $60 dollars on his.

According to Mother Nature Network, Dudley started by making use of some alginate powder and a 3D printed tray to create a mold of his teeth. Instead of using his self-made 3D printer, Amos Dudley decided to take advantage of the opportunity and use his school's state-of-the-art equipment for more precise printing.

Although it's not what you'd expect, Dudley says that the research he had to do beforehand was the most difficult part of the project. Not only did Amos have to find out what kind of materials to use, but he also had to understand how the teeth would move.

In fact, Dudley even shared his research - as well as his orthodontic excursion - on his blog. The post, entitled "Orthorprint, or How I Open-Sourced My Face," details the technique he decided to go with for his 16-week process with the use of aligning trays.

"Dudley determined out how far he needed to move his teeth to correct the misalignment problems," CNN Money shared. "Then divided it by the maximum recommended distance a tooth should travel to determine the design for each alignment tray. Orthodontists use a similar process."

Although some have praised Dudley for his incredible work, Tara C. Smith of the Washington Post begs to differ. The writer cited claims from experts that "the DIY braces movement is a terrible idea."

According to board-certified orthodontist Dr. Stephen Belli, DIY braces are perilous, even though some claim that it is safe for others to do and use. "I'd like to see an X-ray, because he's probably caused some irreparable harm," said Belli, citing that injury could have been done on Dudley's bones and gums without his own knowing.