I had braces for a little over two years. Last month, I finally got them off, but since then I’ve been noticing some problems. My teeth are VERY sensitive to heat or cold, and I can feel rough patches where it seems like the enamel is worn away, and there are “dents” in the front. Even though I never drink coffee or cola, my teeth seem to get more discolored every day.
What I am wondering is if my orthodontist damaged my teeth when she removed the brackets, and if so, what can I do about correcting these problems? I didn’t go through two years of braces to watch my teeth get uglier every day.
Katie in Traverse City, MI
Dear Katie,
Likely this is not the result of anything your orthodontist did. The removal of the brackets and cement is a fairly simple procedure.
After traditional braces are removed, some patients have white spots on their teeth that are actually areas of decalcification. This often happens when patients weren’t as careful about brushing their teeth while they were wearing braces. I do not mean to cast aspertions upon your dental hygeine habits, but am just letting you know what generally causes the problems you are describing.
If people with braces do not brush their teeth immediately after eating, the food can sit under those brackets for hours, and the acid-producing bacteria is there, too, busily working away both on the food and on the surface of the tooth. The damage only becomes fully evident when the braces come off.
There may be white spots, which indicate loss of minerals in the teeth, and those white spots are pourous. They attract all manner of stains, and can eventually turn brown. If they are severe enough, they can chip away and cause the pitting you decribe, and some of those spots may be hiding decay. If the teeth are missing enamel, that could explain the sensitivity you describe.
Teeth whitening procedures will not help you, and it may even make the spots look worse. Spot bonding could help to cover the spots and compensate for the damaged enamel, but if the damage is extensive and severe, you may need porcelain veneers.
This is not a happy way to end your experience with braces, and is one of the reasons Invisalign braces are a great alternative to traditional wire and bracket braces.
Don’t delay in seeking help for this, and make sure you seek the services of an expert cosmetic dentist. Good luck.