When you're told that you need to wear braces so that you can straighten out your teeth, you know that you'll need to endure several months of inconvenience as those devices work their magic. You may certainly feel self-conscious about your appearance during this time, but you know that it'll be worth it in the end. Sooner than you may realise, you can go back to the dentist to get him or her to remove these appliances so that you can enjoy your smile and get on with your life. However, you may notice a certain amount of discolouration now that you can see your teeth clearly and will want to do something about that, as well. How can you proceed?
Hard to Clean
Whenever you undergo orthodontic treatment like this, you may expect to find some discolouration around the edge of the braces themselves, where they were attached to your teeth. It may have been difficult to clean in these areas very effectively or to maneuver the toothbrush as much as you'd like, so this result could be anticipated. Nevertheless, you want to show those teeth to all your friends as soon as possible, so you need to finish the job by whitening them if possible.
Why You Should Be Patient
As you may know, various cosmetic options on the market can help you to achieve this, but in your case, you should be careful how to proceed in the immediate aftermath of your treatment. When your teeth are covered by braces, they may be a little weaker than they were before, as they may not receive the usual amount of mineral reinforcement. Consequently, the fluoride level may not be as consistent as it would have been otherwise, and this is why you need to be careful before jumping right into it any whitening treatment.
Your dentist may advise you to hold off for a short while to give the gums and teeth some space to settle down. Any inflammation left over from the treatment will disappear, and your teeth will be better able to deal with further cosmetic work.
Working With What You've Got
You should always talk with your dentist first to see how effective teeth whitening would be in your case. Sometimes, an existing filling or crown may be present towards the front of your mouth, and the dentist will have to make sure that they take this into consideration. After all, the whitening agent will only work on a natural tooth and will be unable to alter the colour of a crown. Consequently, you have to match the shade very carefully to create a uniform and acceptable look.
For more information, contact your local cosmetic dentist.
Share26 July 2018
Hi! My name is Sarah, and as a busy professional, I understand the importance of making the most of my time. That includes everything from having productive working lunches to making the most of my dental checkups. I have created this blog to help you maximise your dental checkups. In these posts, you can learn how to prepare for your checkup, which questions to ask during your checkup and more. I am also going to have posts explaining why checkups are critical to your dental health as well as the health of your entire body. Happy reading, and thanks for visiting my blog!
