cleaning teeth with aligners

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#1 Post by **jean lynn** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:02 pm

My teeth are really starting to look yellowish. Asked the ortho about cleaning and didn't really get any help. He said it is where the attachment are that more discolored. Has anyone tried whitening their teeth while wearing the aligners and with attahments? Would it make the attachments seem even more yellow? Does it mess up chance of having them whitened when all the attachments are off? Should I just wait till I'm done before I whiten? I would love some advive or your personal stories. Thanks ( a couple days away from starting tray 4 )

#2 Post by **PaulInc** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:13 pm

I have heard people use the aligners as whitening trays and even some who do it with attachments, but i wouldnt want to risk it with attachments.

I'm going to wait while i am done, I dont see any point whitening my crooked teeth.

#3 Post by **John37** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:36 pm

I did some whitening before I had attachments during my first set of trays. I also did a little after I got the attachments. I don't have any attachments on the incisors, but I have 3 on the canines. It didn't seem to be a problem, but like I said, it was only a few times.

PaulInc wrote:I'm going to wait while i am done, I dont see any point whitening my crooked teeth.

I disagree. Having them white, but crooked will still look better than yellow and crooked. But I know how you feel. You want to have everything done one day and have an unveiling of the final result for the world to see.

#4 Post by **PaulInc** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 6:23 am

@John

I definitely see your point. I guess it depends how "yellow" they are. Mine are a little off white, my K9 a little darker (harder to clean?), but they're not that bad to be honest. Like you said tho, i'd rather wait till they're done and unveil them, lol.

There's a joke told by a comedian Alan Carr. When asked why he doesnt whiten his teeth he replies, "whitening these would be like framing a hemorrhoid" (he has crooked teeth). I found it rather funny, hope it's not too crude or offensive.