I had braces for three years but unfortunately did not look after them whilst I had them on. My teeth are quite stained in the areas that the braces used to be so I was wondering if getting them whitened would be a good idea? On holiday this year I enquired and was told that it would result in me having uneven shades on my teeth with some dark and some white. However, that was the only opinion that I got and was wondering if I could get my teeth successfully whitened without any patches?
Is Teeth Whitening a Good Idea for Someone with Stains from Braces?
Doctor Answers 4
Unfortunately I see this all too often especially with young adults (kids) that don't take care of their teeth while having braces. Simply whitening the teeth generally does not take away the "staining". Most of the time it s bright white area on the tooth or a decalcified area. I have heard that trying to re calcify those areas with MI paste can sometime help, but I have never seen it actually work. Generally some bonding with composite can help or even veneers will help. Also a good cleaning will remove real staining.
Teeth with stains after braces can be whitened several ways. The question of what is right for you depends on the "stains." You might have areas that started to decay and stained, you could have superficial stains that could be polished off, and you could even just still have cement residue from when the braces were removed. A visit to a trained cosmetic dentist could determine your best choice to make your nice straight teeth an even white color.
Previous doctor is correct. It will depend on your specific staining if they are actually stains or decay/erosions in enamel. But I will add if they are stains teeth whitening would probably be quite effective for you to remove or make them far lighter than they are now. Good luck with treatment.
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The short answer is...it depends! Very commonly, the discoloration after braces are removed are actually areas of early decay from improper care while the braces were on. Teeth whitening won't improve that condition, but sometimes bonding can improve the appearance if the decay (or starting decay) is removed.
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
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