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When my daughter got her braces off there were white spots on her teeth. Our dentist suggested we have Zoom Whitening done to fix that, but it only seemed to make everything worse. Is it possible that she did the Zoom Whitening Wrong? What do we do now?
Laura
Dear Laura,
It isn’t that your dentist did the whitening wrong. It is more like she doesn’t understand the principles behind teeth whitening or what the white spots mean. Zoom Whitening is a very effective and fast teeth whitening procedure, dramatically whitening your teeth in just one appointment. However, like all teeth whitening, it bleaches the teeth evenly. That means the white spots get whiter with the remainder of her teeth. it will not even out the color.
That being said, the bigger issue is the white spots themselves. They are decalcification spots, which are precursors to decay. These happen quite a bit when teenagers or children have braces. It is challenging for them to brush around all those metal wires and brackets. As a result, things get overlooked and decalcification begins. That is often why we recommend Invisalign for responsible teenagers. Being removable allows them to brush and floss much more effectively during their orthodontic treatment.
You have a couple of options here. The first thing I would do is try a product called Tooth Mousse on her teeth. This may help re-calcify these spots. It is not a guarantee, but it is definitely worth trying. Your second option is to find a dentist who does dental bonding. They can remove the decalcified spots and then fill them in with composite bonding material.
This is not something any dentist can do. It is an advanced cosmetic procedure that has to be done freehand, so please choose the dentist carefully. I certainly would not let your current dentist do it. Without an understanding of teeth whitening, which is the most basic cosmetic procedure, she will not have the skill set for bonding.
This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. John Theriot.