Preventing And Fixing White Stains Left By Braces

By Town Center Dental . 22 March, 2018 .
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Braces set you up for a lifetime of straighter, healthier teeth, but without the right care they can leave lasting damage as well. Most visible of these are white stains, a common side-effect of braces that is often only discovered after their removal. These stains can be permanent if untreated, but there are ways to minimize the damage to your smile.

PREVENTING TOOTH DAMAGE WHILE WEARING BRACES

You might initially assume that white spots occur when teeth yellow around the braces. Teeth may darken over time, but white spots are actually an early sign of tooth decay. The minerals that form the protective layer around your teeth, or enamel, have a slightly yellow hue. When that enamel is stripped away, the sensitive white tissue beneath is exposed.

Braces make it more difficult to clean your teeth thoroughly, trapping food debris and allowing plaque to build. Regular brushing and flossing, along with healthy dietary choices, will go a long way toward keeping your braces clean. If you are the parent of a child with braces, supervise brushing and flossing to ensure your child is caring for his or her teeth properly.

Home dental care is essential, but it’s no substitute for regular dental exams. You should always follow a recommended cleaning and checkup schedule, particularly while you or your child wear braces. A dentist knows how to spot problems early and reverse the harm before it has a chance to become permanent.

ASSESSING YOUR TEETH AFTER BRACES

So long as you follow basic hygiene practices and visit your dentist regularly, you probably won’t need to worry about permanent staining from braces. It is, however, still possible despite everyone’s best efforts. If removing your braces does reveal white spots, there’s no need to panic. Your dentist will want to first assess the damage before coming up with a treatment plan.

HALTING FURTHER DAMAGE

Once tooth decay starts, bacteria will continue to grow until there’s no soft tissue left. Halting that decay may mean the difference between saving your tooth and losing it to infection. Because of this, your first priority should not be aesthetics but the overall health of each affected tooth. You may need fillings or root canals to stop the progress of tooth decay.

RESTORING LOST ENAMEL MINERALS

Superficial damage to the enamel, when only its outer layers are eroded away, may be fixable. Although your enamel cannot repair itself, dentists are able to apply minerals like calcium phosphate or fluoride to the surface of the tooth, mimicking natural enamel. As the enamel on the tooth returns to a healthy thickness, the white stains will fade as well.

FILLING DEPRESSIONS LEFT BY BRACES

If tooth decay beneath braces advances too far, it can leave behind actual holes in your teeth. These cavities may expose the sensitive pulp at the center of your teeth and be much more unsightly than staining. A dental resin, crafted to match the overall shade of your teeth, may be injected into and bonded to the hole to seal it and create the appearance of a whole tooth.

MASKING WHITE SPOTS WITH VENEERS

If none of these solutions solve staining left behind by braces, you still have options. Your orthodontics should leave you with strong, healthy teeth. In these cases, veneers are a non-invasive and relatively inexpensive way to mask the surface blemishes. Veneers are a thin porcelain cover designed to slip over your teeth, hiding visible defects.

Whether you are worried before your braces come off or hoping to fix old damage, you don’t need to live with staining forever. Call us at Town Center Family Dental to schedule an appointment and discuss your options. With the right treatment, you can enjoy the straight, healthy, and consistent smile you deserve.


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