Some people end up with white spots on their teeth after completing their orthodontic treatment and removing the braces. The spots represent areas of the enamel that have lost their minerals either through friction or bacterial attack. Here are some ways of getting rid of these white spots:

Remineralize Your Teeth

One of the best ways of getting rid of the white spots is to remineralize the teeth. As probably mentioned, the white spots represent areas that have lost the minerals that make up the outermost layer of the teeth—the enamel. Remineralization is the process of growing minerals to replace the lost ones. It is a natural process that can be accelerated by the use of minerals such as fluoride and calcium. Talk to your dentist for advice on a remineralization product that can help.

Get Microabrasion

Instead of building up the lost minerals, you can also get rid of the white spots by bringing the surrounding enamel to the same shade of color. This is done through the process of microabrasion, where the dentist sands away the surrounding enamel to remove some of the enamel, and with it the white spots. That way, the color underneath this outermost layer is revealed and your teeth assume a uniform color. Microabrasion should be handled by a professional; otherwise, your teeth may be weakened, made hypersensitive, or made susceptible to bacteria attack if too much enamel is removed.

Whiten Your Teeth

In some cases, your teeth may appear spotted not because the spots left by the braces are too white, but because the rest of your teeth surfaces are discolored. This may be the case if the rest of your teeth got stained during your orthodontic treatment, but the areas that were covered by the orthodontic materials remained intact. In such a case, you can get rid of the white spots by whitening your teeth so that they attain a uniform color. This may not get rid of the white spots completely, but they will be less noticeable.

Opt for Composite Restoration

In some cases, the erosion of minerals from your teeth is so extensive that they leave actual indentations on your enamel. If that is the case with your teeth, then you also need to get rid of the pits in addition to the white spots. Composite restoration is a good dental technique that you can use to handle both issues simultaneously. In this case, the dentist uses a composite resin to fill the indentations, and the resin is colored to match the rest of your teeth.

For more information, contact local professionals like those found at Carpenter Dental.