Ceramic Braces, should i whiten my teeth prior?

[Joshy2006a]

Hi all,

Im getting ceramic braces installed on my top teeth in a few weeks. Mainly, of course, so you dont see them as much.

I have heard from many people on here, and external sources, that the ceramic braces make your teeth look slightly yellow, if you dont have perfectly white teeth already. Which truth be told, i dont (gasp)

I know after the braces come off, they will most likely clean and whiten my teeth in order to get rid of bracket marks etc.

BUT... Should i consider the option to slightly whiten my teeth prior to getting the brackets installed so my teeth dont look yellow compared to the brackets.

Anyone experienced this.... any advice appreciated.

[mikeg]

my advice on the ceramics is to brush them just as you good as you do your actual teeth as they quickly turn yellow if you slack. I don't think this is the case with the ice braces bracket, but the ceramics get a yellowish tint....

I wouldn't worry about whitening before, but whitening after is always good...

[Sunny]

Joshy I recommend you have your teeth cleaned by your dentist or hygienist before you start your ortho treatment, then take extra good care of them during your treatment with six monthly visits to your dentist and/or hygienist.

I recommend you don't whiten your teeth. Plus you should not need to have your teeth cleaned to remove bracket marks when your treatment is over, as there shouldn't be any marks. It's your responsibility to keep your oral hygiene A1. Also the marks that some people have after poor oral hygiene during ortho work, are marks that can't be removed from the teeth ... and you don'[t want them.

Many of the different types of ceramic brackets have different finishes. A few are almost totally clear, which means they fit in with all shades of teeth, others have a variety of opaque range, up to a solid colour. Some have a more white finish, and others a less white finish, which means they fit with a range of other shades.

The brackets don't stain, but they can reflect the shades from the inside of your mouth, which can also affect how they look. I've never seen a ceramic bracket that makes teeth look a yellow shade, but I've seen a combination of skin colour/tooth colour and bracket colours that make the teeth look less white. If the inside of your mouth is a more warm colouring, it's more likey to be a yellow shade, whereas a cooler colouring, is more likely to be a white shade.

Remember this is only a short period of your time, plus most people will not be interesting enough to look in your mouth, so be happy that you're able to afford to have ortho treatment! Good luck!

[primeswish]

Hi Guys,
I currently am wearing braces and have been for over a year.. I'm 31 so it takes my teeth alot longer to move...

I also visit the hygienist every three months to keep them clean...

As for when to whiten teeth, I have been advised to wait until my braces are taken off...

I come from Ireland so maybe the school of thought is different over here...

Hope this helps,
All the best,
Mark

[ajs2294]

my advice on the ceramics is to brush them just as you good as you do your actual teeth as they quickly turn yellow if you slack. I don't think this is the case with the ice braces bracket, but the ceramics get a yellowish tint....

I wouldn't worry about whitening before, but whitening after is always good...

Actually Mike, the Ceramic brackets themselves never stain, Its the ligatures that can stain if you do not brush correctly, But you get new ones of those every 4-6 weeks and your braces look brand new again. There are also stain resistant ligatures that will only stain if you drink coffee or red wine, other wise your good to go!
As, for whitening my orthodontist said whitening before braces is a bad idea depending on how close you schedule it as it can have varied effects with the bonding.
I have Ceramics and I love them!

[mikeg]

thanks for clearing that up....

[mikeg]

Hi Guys,
I currently am wearing braces and have been for over a year.. I'm 31 so it takes my teeth alot longer to move...

I don't think it takes much longer than it would a teen... I had them on in my late 20's and I couldn't picture things going much faster.. but could be wrong...

Good luck with your treatment.

[Sunny]

There's no sustainable evidence that teeth move more slowly as we get older, in fact there are figures that support movement towards the front of the mouth happening more easily as we get older ... a reason why some form of retainer wear is for life.

An issue that is harder to deal with as we get older ... and it's been a long time since I've seen 31 ... is that my teeth have more issues to deal with as they move, than many of the young patients I see each day. This mostly includes wear and tear ... and the affect that has on the shape of my teeth. Gums need care at all ages, but mine need extra care due to having had a mild case of gum disease. This can affect the speed at which my ortho moves my teeth, as we have to be aware of the impact on the gums that were damaged as a result of the disease.

My treatment has been long ... but this has nothing to do with my age and everything to do with an impacted canine that wouldn't budge and a dental class III. If I'd been able to have surgery, my treatment would most likely have been completed within three years, if not less.

[Denise]

I have ceramic brackets, top and bottom, and I didn't whiten before I got mine. Sometimes they do make your top teeth look a little yellow...if you're staring at them from a foot away in direct light. Most people won't even notice that you have braces unless you give a beautiful big-toothed smile. Talking normally, no one at my work even knew I had them for over a month. Just brush regularly and I'm sure you'll be fine. BTW my ortho told me I'd definitely want to get a professional cleaning and whitening right after getting them off to get rid of the bracket marks and even though I'm over a year away still, I'm very excited for it!

[SKossy]

I have ceramic brackets on both top and bottom of my teeth, and they are literially not noticable unless you are up close and personal. I didn't whiten my teeth before i got them put on, and they look perfectly fine. It's up to you on though on if you want to whiten them now or not, but i think it would be more realistic to get them whitened afterwards.

[Sunny]

Wise advice SKossy!