Even though it may take a while for your braces to straighten out your teeth, you'll already be looking forward to having a new smile. If you also have plans to whiten your teeth to add the cherry to your dental cake, then you may be pondering where to factor a whitening treatment into your schedule.
You may be considering having your teeth whitened before you have your braces fitted. That way, you'll have a dazzling smile as well as a straighter one as soon as the braces are removed. Is this a good idea or should you wait until after your orthodontic treatment?
Think About How Your Teeth Will Change
While you can get your teeth whitened before your braces go on, you may not see the results you expected when the braces come off. Your teeth may look whiter before they are braced; however, their colour may be uneven afterward.
A pre-brace whitening treatment works on the immediately accessible parts of your teeth. Before your braces are fitted, there may be areas that are hidden. For example, if some of your teeth overlap, then the covered areas won't change colour because the whitening treatment can't access them.
However, once your braces straighten these areas out, they become visible. Problem is, they may well be a noticeably different colour to your whitened teeth.
Think About Timescales
If you're good to go on the braces front, then adding teeth whitening to the mix may delay your fitting. It can take a few weeks to get a really good whitening treatment sorted, and your orthodontist isn't likely to want to fit your braces during this time.
Plus, you may have to wait a little bit after your whitening treatment before your orthodontist will start work. Sometimes, bleaching treatments make your teeth and gums sensitive. Your orthodontist needs your teeth to be stable and in a good condition before they fit braces. So, you may also have to wait for your teeth to settle down before your orthodontist will start straightening your teeth.
Leaving teeth whitening until after your orthodontic treatment may make more sense. You'll then be able to whiten all your teeth evenly, and you won't have to wait longer to get straight teeth. After all, you don't need a dazzling smile while your braces are covering your teeth. To find out more, and to discuss suitable post-brace whitening options, talk to your orthodontist or dentist.
For more information, contact a company like Straightsmiles.
