After months or years with your braces on, you expect to take them off and reveal a perfect smile. But while your teeth may be perfectly straight, many patients find that braces have left them with staining that keeps their beautiful new smile from being all they had hoped for.

If you are approaching your braces removal date, it is time to start thinking about teeth whitening. Whether you have taken perfect care of your teeth or know your brushing habits were not perfect while wearing braces, professional teeth whitening is a great follow up treatment to orthodontics that often leave teeth less than pearly white.

Why Your Teeth May Be Stained After Braces

The degree of staining on your teeth will depend on the dental hygiene you maintained while your braces have been on. Twice daily brushing and regular flossing will minimize staining. Yet even regular brushing and flossing may not be enough to prevent staining altogether.

If you currently have braces, you know how difficult it is to brush around the brackets. Many of the foods and beverages you have consumed while wearing braces can become trapped around and underneath the brackets where brushing does not reach. The staining may be worse if you frequently consume:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Juice
• Soda
• Sticky Candies

White spots are another cosmetic issue many people deal with after braces. These are caused when acidic foods eat away at the enamel on your teeth in a process called enamel demineralization. It is also a result of insufficient brushing, but can be fixed with teeth whitening to even out the color of your teeth.

The Pros of Teeth Whitening After Removing Braces

Staining or white spots are a common problem after braces. After the time, expense, and pain you have gone through with your braces, you should not let tooth discoloration detract from your new smile. Professional teeth whitening after orthodontics will give you the best possible smile that is:

• Pain Free – We know braces can be painful at times, but professional tooth whitening is not. At most, patients may experience some tooth sensitivity after treatment.
• Cost-Effective – At-home teeth whitening administered by a dentist is an affordable treatment that helps you get the full value of your orthodontic treatments.
• Fast and Easy – We can often begin teeth whitening in the weeks following removal of your braces after your gums have settled. Once started, teeth whitening requires wearing thin trays for an hour a day for about 10 days.

We offer convenient at-home teeth whitening services at Dental Concepts that is the perfect way to complete your orthodontic treatment. If you are about to have your braces removed or have just recently had them taken off, now is a great time to consider teeth whitening. Learn more about our teeth whitening services in Salinas when you call us.