Does tooth whitening affect orthodontic treatment?

Whitening teeth has become a very popular practice in the United States and around the world. Patients have a variety of choices when it comes to whitening products. The most commonly prescribed whitening regimens are custom bleaching trays and in-office whitening. Both systems produce good results, but vary in time and cost.
Many orthodontic patients are anxious to whiten their teeth, but orthodontists usually recommend a patient delay whitening until orthodontics is complete. But, what about whitening before orthodontic treatment? Is that a good idea? This question was recently tested in an article published in The Angle Orthodontist. Patients who had in-office whitening 24 hours prior to bracket placement experienced a much higher rate of bracket failure (braces falling off) versus people who waited 3 weeks to have their brackets placed. It seems that something in the whitening process interferes with bonding of brackets. So, if you really want to have whitening before orthodontics, you can do it! You just need to make sure there is a month between whitening and bracket placement. For more information on orthodontics and teeth whitening, please contact your Phoenix orthodontist or Litchfield Park orthodontist at Dunn Orthodontics. Dr. Matthew Dunn and Dr. Courtney Dunn would be glad to answer your questions.