Sir,- I was interested in the letter (BDJ 2003 195: 361) on do-it-yourself dentistry. As we all know lost anterior teeth can be a real aesthetic problems for patients. I recently saw a 36-year-old lady who had lost the UL1 and UL2 (figure 1). Surprisingly she had constructed a removable device made out of foil and cardboard (figure 2) to close the gap for the missing teeth, although this could not be used for mastication.

figure 1

Figure 1

figure 2

Figure 2

She seemed comfortable with this device but was very happy when I offered to provide her with a partial denture to replace the missing teeth. Though self-made devices are rare in the UK as dental care is accessible, there are still a few reported cases. I would be interested in knowing if other clinicians have encountered patients who have carried out bizarre DIY procedures on their teeth.