Metal Mouth Message Board

I was wondering if any of you had noticed that with metal braces your teeth seem to look more yellow It's quite embarrasing actually...

I find that the half of the tooth that is close to the gum is yellow but the chewing and biting ends are whiter. I wonder if it's because the ends of our teeth are still used for chewing and the abrasiveness of the food keeps them whiter??

My teeth were a lovely bright white before I had the braces, but now I think they look a bit yellow/grey. I'm not happy about it, but realise that at the moment there's not a lot I can do about it. I intend to whiten them when I get debraced. I thought that maybe the etchant fluid they use when the braces go on might have dulled the surface a bit which makes them look less bright.

I have noticed this as well but like others have said I think it is an illusion, or so that's what I am telling myself!

Thanks for the reply guys, I really wondered about that, but since there's nothing I can do about it now, I'll just wait it out.

Megan11 wrote:I have noticed this as well but like others have said I think it is an illusion, or so that's what I am telling myself!

I can attest to this I think. Had a bracket taken off one of my central incisors yesterday (those two actually have veneers on) and the tooth/veneer looks significantly whiter and brighter than the bracketed one next to it.

I have the same problem. My teeth were white before braces and i've even heard that from people but now after braces they're a whole lot more yellow. My Orthodontist friend told me it's natural since it's harder to clean but I don't see how they can become this yellow; my brushing habits and techniques haven't changed and my teeth are now this much more yellow than they were before.

Yesterday marked 2 weeks for me since being braced, and I logged in tonite *specifically* to see if any one else thought their teeth were getting yellow!

Crazy, isn't it? I've been brushing 5 to 6 times a day, water-piking 3 to 4 times a day -- and my teeth look *yellower?*

I guess it's just an illusion, as some previous responses indicate.

I don't get debraced for two more years, and I was afraid that at this rate -- by then -- my teeth will be the shade of mustard!

i have had the same problem, and today i went to the orthos office and he told me i could get a cleaning on my next appt. WHAT A RELIEF! FEWW!

why dont u ask your ortho if thres a chance he could clean up ur teeth in the next couple of days...

braced 1 year
ceramic braces.

It's definitely an illusion. The brackets can stop the light from shining through the translucent teeth.
I was debraced yesterday, and once the hardware came off I was shocked to see how white my teeth were. I was expecting manky yellow teeth, but was pleasantly surprised.

I have definitely noticed my teeth look more yellow and am so relieved that other people are going through the same thing. I do feel that an electric toothbrush has helped make my teeth look whiter... but maybe this is an illusion, too, and it's all in my head