Genius 24-Year-Old 3D Prints His Own Braces for Only $60 – And They Actually Work

March 18, 2016

Amos Dudley, 24, is a digital design student whose story has amazed the internet after he created his own braces using a 3D printer and just $60.

According to CNNMoney, he printed himself 12 teeth correction trays and is currently wearing his last one.

Dudley previously had braces in junior high, but his teeth shifted when he didn’t wear his retainer as much as recommended, causing him to be more self-conscious and smile less.

Braces can typically cost upwards of $8,000 with name-brand companies like Invisalign, Damon and Clearcorrect.

In total, Dudley only spent $60 in materials to make the models of his teeth and a retainer. Despite having built his own 3D printer, Dudley opted to use the more high-end model at the New Jersey Institute of Technology where he goes to school.

According to Dudley, researching the materials he’d need to use and learning how teeth move were the most difficult part of creating his own braces.

Dudley calculate how far his teeth needed to shift and divided it by the maximum recommended distance a tooth should travel to design his set of alignment trays, a process used by orthodontists.

Dudley stresses on his blog that others should not attempt to modify their bodies as he did, but results don’t lie — he’s the first DIY orthodontist.

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