Zoom Whitening for Uneven Teeth?
Posted by Annmarie SanSevero
My daughter had braces. When she got them off there were white spots on her teeth that made her smile look quite uneven. I spoke to our dentist about it and he suggested we try zoom whitening. He doesn’t do it but had a colleague he recommended so we went there. It made her unevenness look even worse. Did the second dentist do something wrong?
Amanda
Dear Amanda,
It is not that the dentist did anything wrong with the Zoom Whitening as much as it was the wrong treatment. I’m sorry that you ended up with two dentists who did not understand your daughter’s problem or how teeth whitening works. Whether you use take home whitening or Zoom, it will whiten the teeth evenly. That means that the white spots will get whiter along with the rest of the tooth, making them even more obvious.
White spots after braces are typically caused by decalcification as a result of the wearer having trouble getting the area around the braces clean enough. There are a few potential solutions for this.
Tooth mousse is a product specifically designed for this situation. It is made to help remineralize the spots. It doesn’t always work, but is definitely worth a try. Another option is microabrasion. With this procedure, the dentist rubs a slurry of pumice and acid on the tooth. On some spots it does a fantastic job. However, it can make the teeth look creamy instead of white.
If the spots are small, then I would recommend dental bonding. However, I strongly suggest you see an expert cosmetic dentist. Neither of the dentists you went to would be qualified. Teeth whitening is the most basic of cosmetic procedures and they didn’t understand how that works. I would look for someone who is AACD accredited. these are the best cosmetic dentists in the country. Even better if you can find one who works with children as well.
This blog is brought to you by Franklin, TN Dentist Dr. Christopher Weber.
