Clarifications, guidelines and questions about the dental bleaching "associated" with orthodontic treatment

Abstract

With regard to the best moment for carrying out or recommending dental bleaching to orthodontic patients, some explanations and orientations are given in order to answers the following questions: 1) Why orthodontic treatment completion is considered the best opportunity for carrying out the procedure? 2) Why dental bleaching should not be performed immediately before orthodontic treatment? 3) If that would be possible at any special case, what would that be? 4) Why dental bleaching should not be performed during orthodontic treatment? 5) If that would be possible at any special case, what would that be? This article highlights why it is essential to protect both the mucosa and the cervical region, regardless of the moment when dental bleaching is performed, whether associated with orthodontic treatment or not. The "how", "why" and "if" it is or not convenient to perform dental bleaching before orthodontic treatment are still a matter of clinical suggestion, as it is a procedure that is under analysis, empirical knowledge waiting for scientific proof or disproof! Although tooth enamel has adamantine fluid flowing within it, providing a specific metabolism that is peculiar to its own and which could scientifically explain and base the option of carrying out teeth whitening before and during orthodontic treatment, we must still be very careful.