White spots on teeth after braces

[vps]

Hi guys,

I just got my braces off and there are some white spots on my teeth. I looked it up and it appears to be decalcification of the teeth. It isn't too bad, just a few spots here and there.

When I talked to my dentist, he told me that the only way to correct this was to get veneers to cover them. Seeing how veneers are pretty costly and need to be replaced every 10 years or so, I don't know if I want to go this route.

I was just wondering if anyone has had similar issues and found a solution other than veneers?

Thanks!

[CanmoreOrLess]

Would getting your teeth whitened do the trick? It would for sure make the white marks less noticeable. I would get a second opinion, this dentist looks to be needing your account to stay open. Veneers appear to be a money grab for such a seemingly minor issue.

My dentist has before and after shots of most any procedure he does, look for a dentist who has successfully treated these white spots.

My dental office:

Dorchester Health, 1333 8 Street Southwest Calgary, AB T2R 1M6, Canada
(403) 229-0505

[MalibuStacy]

Decalcification is caused from not being diligent with your hygiene during braces. If you were brushing and flossing twice a day then you shouldn't have had problems.

I had braces a while back and I followed the hygiene schedule and I never got those spots.

Otherwise I am pretty sure there is nothing you can do about them, some people leave them and they just fade a little.

[beecue]

Damn I hope I don't have that. I'm getting mine off in a couple of weeks. I did not keep up with flossing.

[benyl]

Are you sure it isn't just left over bonding agent?

I know I had to get my ortho to grind some stuff off cause he didn't do a good enough job the first time.

[Tomaz]

Mine faded after some time. If your teeth are really bad, I suggest whitening them, then LOOKING AFTER THEM FROM NOW ON. lol :poosie:

[yellowsnow]

I have this problem after my braces were removed. my dentist called it fluorosis. too much fluoride when the braces were on.

the only way you can get rid of it is veneers or whiten your teeth i'm told.

[nismodrifter]

Thinking wayy back to when I was a kid, I had the white spots too, but they disappeared after time, teeth whitening wasn't a "mainstream" treatment option back then so I didn't bother with it.

There are multiple dentists on this forum, I'm sure some will chime in with more detailed information.

[VWEvo]

Originally posted by nismodrifter
Thinking wayy back to when I was a kid, I had the white spots too, but they disappeared after time, teeth whitening wasn't a "mainstream" treatment option back then so I didn't bother with it.

There are multiple dentists on this forum, I'm sure some will chime in with more detailed information.

Unfortunately more information would be needed before I could give you an opinion. If the decalcification is bad enough, often times, ultra thin veneers are indicated, however there can be other options depending on the severity.

[B18C]

I would have to see your teeth before I can make a proper assessment but you have to be careful with whitening white spots. Sometimes they can make the white spots more noticeable.

[vps]

Okay thanks for your replies guys! I think I'm going to get a second opinion before I do anything drastic.

Do you think I should go to a cosmetic dentist or will a general dentist suffice?

[Modelexis]

Originally posted by vps
Okay thanks for your replies guys! I think I'm going to get a second opinion before I do anything drastic.

Do you think I should go to a cosmetic dentist or will a general dentist suffice?

did you discuss this with your orthodontist, or just your dentist?

From yahoo:

I am familiar with these questions as I too have had the same 'dilemma'. Here is what I was told by my dentist and representatives from several (I shopped around) tooth whitening companies:

1) A residual glue that you cannot see nor can dentists/orthodontists remove by simple polishing of the teeth after the braces are removed can remain on the surface of the teeth for up to four weeks after the braces are removed. If whitening is attempted before all of the glue comes off naturally, the potential for 'spots' or streaking on the teeth from uneven whitening increases. Therefore, I would suggest a minimum of three to four weeks before I would use any type of strong whitening outside of toothpaste.

2) Despite all of the RELATIVELY expensive tooth whitening toothpastes on the market, you can use a simple home remedy of baking soda on your toothbrush after regular brushing. This works as good, if not better than a toothpaste, and is cheaper. It does not taste great though. The problem with the 'painted on' whiteners is that they do not last very long, and over the long haul, they will cost A LOT to maintain. The alternatives to bright white from Target or Wal-mart are effective, but do not last nearly as long as those that you can buy from your dentist (Brite White and Zoom). While these are significantly more expensive than store brands, they will last one to two years without outside maintenance, and they are more effective. You could also do an in-office whitening which speeds up the whitening process (1 afternoon vs. 2 to 3 weeks with Bright White), and costs roughly the same.

Toothpastes merely remove surface stains like coffee/smoke/food from chronic build-up over the years, and only work to 'whiten' them close to back to where they were before, but Zoom or BriteWhite will whiten them well beyond what you can get from a toothpaste or naturally.