Braces left my teeth really sensitive

A couple of months ago I had my braces taken off. I’ve had them on for two years, since I was 16. Ever since then I have noticed that my teeth seem so sensitive to everything. Heat, cold, air–it doesn’t seem to matter what it is, my teeth hurt all the time.

I’ve also noticed that there are rough patches on the front of my teeth where my brackets used to be, and they surfaces of my teeth kind of dent inward. On top of all that, my teeth seem to get darker every day. I drink a little coffee, but not enough to be causing this kind of discoloration!

What I am wondering is if my orthodontist screwed up and damaged my teeth when he removed my brackets. What should I do? I didn’t go through two years of braces to start having all these problems.

Theo in Baton Rouge

Dear Theo,

It is extremely unlikely that your orthodontist caused this damage. Removal of brackets is a routine procedure, and an orthodontist would not stay in business long if he was not capable of doing it properly.

I can tell you what I think is going on, but you aren’t going to like the answer. It sounds as if you have areas of decalcification on your teeth where the brackets were. Some of those spots might also be hiding areas of decay, and if the enamel has been damaged that explains the extreme sensitivity and rapid discoloration.

What likely happened is that you might not have been as careful as you should have about brushing and rinsing after eating or drinking. The brackets caught the food and let it sit there for hours, while the acid-producing bacteria in your saliva worked both at the food and at the surface of your tooth. This type of damage is usually not detected until the braces come off. This kind of situation really calls attention to one of the major advantages of Invisalign invisible braces: they can be removed to eat and brush.

That is likely what happened. Now, what you should do about it: consult an experienced, expert cosmetic dentist to assess the situation and give you options. Depending on the degree of damage, he or she may be able to repair the spots with direct dental bonding, but if it is too severe, you may need porcelain veneers. Don’t try simply bleaching your teeth. It will make them look worse.

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How can I get straight teeth in time for graduation?

I am starting my final year of graduate school, and will finish around this time next year. It feels like I’ve been working towards graduation day all my life, and I want everything to be perfect. In some class pictures we took recently (we’re a small, tight-knit group), I noticed how tight and uncomfortable my smile looked next to everyone elses’. It’s because of my awful teeth! They are crowded and crooked, and have embarrassed me all my life.

I want a new smile to go with the new phase in my life. I did some searches on the Internet about braces, but it looks like that will take way too long (up to 3 years!). Is there a faster way? I want to be able to smile my widest on graduation day.

Thanks for your help,

Siobhan from Boston

Dear Siobhan,

Congratulations on your upcoming celebration. You’ve worked hard, and deserve to feel as confident on the outside as you do on the inside.

I would caution you, however, about relying too heavily on the Internet to make decisions about your dental care. You really need to seek the opinion of a skilled cosmetic dentist who can look carefully at your situation and make a recommendation.

Generally speaking, if you want to have straight teeth fast, the quickest route is porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers do not actually straighten the roots of your teeth, but they make the portions of your teeth that can be seen (the crowns) look as if they are perfectly aligned. This could also take care of any issues you have with discoloration or misshaped teeth. If you chose this route, be very, very certain that you chose the right cosmetic dentist. Check their education and credentials! Review their website to see the before and after pictures in their smile gallery.

Another route that is faster than conventional braces is Invisalign invisible braces. Most people who chose Invisalign are generally done with treatment in 6-9 months, and it almost never takes more than a year. Even if your treatment is not completely done at the time of your graduation festivities, you can always remove the aligner for pictures and the ceremony itself.

The best option for you is to go to an expert cosmetic dentist who does Invisalign braces. That way, you can get their informed, honest opinion on which option would work best for your unique situation.

Good luck!

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Will porcelain veneers make my crooked teeth look straight?

Can porcelain veneers be used to make crooked teeth look straighter? My lower teeth are overlapping, and turned slightly, and I really do not want braces because of how much later I’d have them compared to other people.
- Larry in Kentucky

Larry,
Yes, that is a common reason for getting porcelain veneers - to make crooked teeth look straight. Sometimes they’re called “instant braces,” because you don’t have to wait two years for the teeth to get straight.

You do have another option though, and that is Invisalign invisible braces. With Invisalign, you don’t have to wear the uncomfortable and unsightly brackets. They truly are invisible, because it’s just a clear plastic aligner that you snap on to your teeth and it’s so thin that others can’t tell you’re wearing anything. The results aren’t instant, but they straighten your teeth about twice as fast as conventional braces.

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My front two teeth overlap

Okay, so my two front teeth are crooked and overlap each other, and I’m 18 years old. I don’t want braces, because I was recently at the dentist and he told me I’d have to have them on for 3 years. I was thinking of doing Invisalign, but then my friend told me about veneers, but i don’t know if I qualify for veneers. I took some pictures of me teeth so you can see and let me know please if veneers can fix my teeth? Thank you so much.
- Kristen in Florida

Kristen,
From the looks of your photo, either Invisalign or porcelain veneers would work. Invisalign would take about a year. Porcelain veneers would take two appointments.

If you did veneers on the front two teeth, that would take care of the overlapping. But in your photo it looks like the front six teeth really don’t line up well. Your canines are out in front some, and your incisors are set back some. You were a little short of space for all six of those teeth to fit, so they’re kind of scrunched together. Six porcelain veneers would make them all look straight, and I think you’d be happy with the results.

Invisalign would make them actually be straight, so that’s an advantage over the porcelain veneers. It looks like you are old enough for Invisalign. It doesn’t work well for younger teenagers, but once your teeth are fully erupted, which it looks like yours are, it does work. My guess, which is only based on what I can see in the photo, so don’t take it as gospel, is that your Invisalign treatment would take about a year. You’d need a full exam and analysis to determine how long it would take for sure.

Good luck. I’d encourage you to get it done, because having straight teeth helps us feel like we’re just like everyone else, and it improves our self-esteem.

Other links:
Seattle cosmetic dentist

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