After my daughter’s braces were removed there were white spots on her teeth. I asked if there was a way to even her teeth out and our dentist suggested Zoom Whitening which is supposed to be stronger than other types of whitening. She even gave us a referral to another dentist who had the machine to do it. We went forward with the treatment but it didn’t really help. Is there something else we can try?
MaryLee
Dear MaryLee,
I almost feel like I have to apologize. Somehow you managed to end up with two bad dentists. One because she doesn’t understand basic teeth whitening. The other because they either don’t understand teeth whitening or are dishonest about its use.
When you whiten your teeth, whether with Zoom Whitening/ or take home, it will whiten the teeth evenly. This does no good for dealing with white spots. Generally, when someone ends up with white spots after braces, it is from decalcification spots on their teeth.
It is not easy brushing well when there are metal wires and brackets on your teeth. That is one of the reasons orthodontists and dentists who provide braces stress the importance of brushing carefully and often with braces. When you don’t, food and other bacteria gets trapped there and start eating away at the decay. This is where the decalcification comes in.
One thing you want to do is make sure she is brushing carefully right now. You’ll also want to see if your dentist can provide her with some extra fluoride for a while. The cosmetic fix, however, is dental bonding. To do this, your dentist will need to carefully remove the decalcified spots and then cover the tooth with composite dental bonding.
However, this isn’t something you want your current dentist doing. She doesn’t have an understanding of the most basic cosmetic procedures. Dental bonding is much more advanced.
This blog is brought to you by Libertyville Dentist Dr. David Potts.