Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Braces Causing Enamel Damage To My Teeth!

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I am 13 years old and just got my braces off. Right after they were removed I am seeing chalky white spots on my front eight teeth. I had my teeth cleaned four times a year, and my orthodontist never mentioned this possibility for tooth destruction to me. My dentist wants to do porcelain veneers; is this what you would recommend? Also, I am a teeth grinder, if that makes a difference.

-Ashley in Texas

Ashley,

I wouldn’t recommend porcelain veneers for someone your age for your 8 front teeth. The problem with doing veneers at your age is that your teeth could erupt a little further as you get older, which will reveal the margin of the veneers instead of keeping that margin at the gumline. Plus, the fact that your dentist is suggesting that at your age makes me worry that he or she isn’t expert in placing porcelain veneers. There is a more conservative option for you, which would be direct dental bonding, and I would go to an expert cosmetic dentist for that.

The white spots are decalcification. What happens when you have braces is that the braces catch food every time you eat anything. If you don’t brush it off right away, it sits there and bacteria grow in the food debris and put out acid that attacks your teeth. I’m disappointed that your orthodontist didn’t talk to you about that. When you have braces, you need to be very careful about eating, and your orthodontist should tell you how to avoid this problem. One thing is that when you’re wearing braces you should avoid snacking. Just confine yourself mostly to eating at meals with only occasional snacks, and that will greatly reduce the damage. And then, after you eat, you need to brush right away. When I had my braces, I carried a toothbrush with me so I could do that, and after lunch or a snack I would excuse myself to the bathroom and take care of this. If you’re not able to brush, at least swish vigorously with water to get as much of that food debris off your teeth. Not only does it decalcify your teeth, but it smells bad.

Getting your teeth cleaned four times a year is okay, but it’s no substitute for getting the food out from around your brackets right away.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Do Braces Cause Spots on Teeth?

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My mom wants me to get braces. I want to get Invisalign. She says I’d have to give her a good reason to pay the extra for Invisalign. My friend Sydney got braces and when they came off her teeth were spotted white were the braces were and have stayed that way. Is that caused by the braces?

Kaleigh

Dear Kaleigh,

Someone smiling with braces

While those spots wouldn’t have appeared like that without her braces, the braces weren’t the actual cause of the spots. The spots are caused by food being trapped in the braces and not adequately cleaned. After a time the bacteria will start eating away at the enamel on your teeth. When the braces are removed, those spots look whiter or sometimes brown. Often, there is decay underneath the spots which seriously needs to be dealt with.

Benefits for Using Invisalign Orthodontics

Here is what you can tell your mother. Invisalign is superior to braces in the following ways:

  • Invisalign makes it much easier to clean your teeth. You simply remove the aligners, brush, and floss, then put the aligners back in. There is a lot less risk of the problem listed above, which will cost your mother additional money in digging out the decay, then finding a skilled cosmetic dentist to do the cosmetic bonding on top of the spots.
  • She can cook whatever she wants because there are no limitations on what you can eat. Nothing gets stuck in the aligners because you remove them to eat.
  • They’re much more comfortable than braces because there are no metal wires and brackets.
  • They tend to work faster than braces.
  • Students have more confidence wearing them because they truly are like having invisible braces.

What You Need to be Aware of

There are three things you need to be aware of going into this so you’re prepared. First, not everyone is a candidate for Invisalign. It’s always possible your mom could agree to get you Invisalign but when you go to see a dentist or orthodontist, it turns out your case is too advanced for Invisalign and you have to do traditional braces.

Second, it will cost your mother additional money if you misplace your aligners, which has been a problem with teenagers using the procedure.

Third, you must wear the aligners the prescribed time or it won’t work. This is a great treatment, but it’s a treatment which requires patient compliance requiring maturity. Be honest with yourself about your abilities to take this seriously.

Best of luck convincing your mother!
This blog is brought to you by Tulsa dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.