Here, our Vancouver orthodontists explain why you may want to have your teeth whitened after your orthodontic treatment is complete.
After having braces for months or perhaps even years, many of our patients find that their teeth have lighter spots where their brackets were adhered.
These light spots appear because over time, food and drink can cause teeth to become discoloured.
While they've had braces, the small areas covered by the brackets have been protected and sealed off from exposure of all the food and drink that they have consumed. Of course this is not the case for the other parts of their teeth.
As a result, many patients find that their teeth look splotchy and uneven after their orthodontic treatment is complete. This doesn't mean that the exposed areas have become unusually yellow, but rather, that they appear to be so in contrast with the areas that have been protected.
This uneven appearance will diminish over time but some patients prefer not to wait, and choose to undergo teeth whitening.
Teeth whitening will help to remove stains on the surface of the teeth and lighten the actual colour of the teeth as well. Teeth whitening after your orthodontic treatment is complete will result in a more even, brighter smile.