Orthodontic brackets can cause uneven surfaces, preventing the strips from adhering to the tooth surfaces properly and leading to uneven or patchy whitening. Therefore, it is recommended that you wait until the brackets are removed or talk to your dentist to determine which whitening treatments work best with braces. Orthodontic brackets can cause uneven surfaces, preventing the strips from adhering to the tooth surfaces properly and leading to uneven or patchy whitening. Therefore, it is recommended that you wait until the brackets are removed or talk to your dentist to determine which whitening treatments work best with braces.