Damon braces really require little or no teeth extraction???

[davidchubs]

Hi,


I'm new here and I have a few questions regarding the Damon braces.

I read from the Damon website that with Damon braces, little or no extraction of teeth is needed. I've been using Damon for almost 18 months. Initially, my orthodontist told me I needed 3 more extractions. However, I told her to use the braces without the extraction first as I felt my teeth were not severely overcrowded. She agreed.

Now, I don't seem to like the results. My teeth are still not properly aligned. I'm thinking of going ahead with the extractions.

My questions are:

Is it really true that with Damon braces, dentists can do away with most extractions common with the other conventional braces? If so, does it apply to my case? I've included 3 images of my present teeth. The 'x' marks the teeth that my orthodontist said would be extracted.

Must an orthodontist be well-trained in order to fully utilize the Damon braces? I've asked for additional opinions and it seems that I do need to have my teeth extracted. However, one particular orthodontist, who told me he was specially trained in Damon braces, disagreed and said my teeth could be corrected without any extraction!

I'm very confused now. I would certainly appreciate it if anyone here could kindly advise me.

Thank you!!

[cowlypso]

Looking at the pictures, it appears that you are missing one upper premolar already. So I suppose it makes sense that your ortho would then want to take out the corresponding tooth on the other side, so you don't end up off-center. And sometimes, if they take out two on the top, then to get everything to line up correctly, they need to take two out of the bottom too. That's probably the reasoning behind the extractions.

[davidchubs]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

cowlypso: Yes, you are right. The way you explained it is just what my orthodontist had told me. I had a missing premolar cos I had it extracted more than 2 years ago (b4 I considered braces). It was jutting out of position.

Karen: From the Damon website, it sounds so wonderful: Less pain, less time and fewer extractions. http://www.ormco.com/index/ormco
I have been to 3 other orthodontists for various opinions and 2 of them told me I need extractions, just like what my present ortho had advised me. Only 1 particular orthodontist told me there is no need for extraction. He claimed to be very experienced with Damons and has been giving talks around the region. When I asked him why other dentists told me extractions are needed, he replied that they are not properly trained in the Damon system. So I thought it was really the Damon that made it so special. From the way you've described regarding your ortho, it seems this view may not be totally true??

I'm in a tricky position now 'cos the Damon brackets are stuck to my upper and lower teeth. It's not going to be easy to simply change orthodontist without incurring heavy costs.

Moreover, for my case, my teeth are not exactly in a serious state of overcrowding. But after having paid thousands of $, naturally I want to have nice perfect looking teeth. And that comes with the price of extraction!

So now it looks like I'm pretty much left with 2 choices: Accept my imperfect teeth configuration, or brace (pun unintended!) myself for the 3 extractions. Tough choice!

Sometimes I wish I had worse teeth to begin with...

[simplywired]

Hi - I have Damons also and have only been in braces almost 3 months. I don't know how long you've had braces but if they haven't been on long I suggest you wait a while before making any major decisions.

My ortho uses the Damons along with several other types depending on the patient's particularly needs. I'm paying him (quite well) for his expertise so I "put myself in his hands" after much research.

I realize the archwires are the workhorses but the Damon brackets have archwires that fit a bit further from the bracket for some reason - further than other self-ligating systems. I would ask my ortho about this if I were you and ask specifically why they work differently from other systems.

I don't buy all the hype from the website but I do feel the system takes a different approach from some of the more traditional ones.

By the way, I'm very happy with my treatment so far and am shocked at the speed my teeth are moving. I had one extraction on the lower arch to correspond with a bicuspid that was pulled previously but no extractions on my upper arch. Every case is different. Best of luck to you.

[VS26]

About extractions----i have 1 missing premolar on the upper jaw,and 1 premolar on the lower jaw----you DONT have to extract teeth on the other side to make it proportional!!!Looking at my teeth you would never guess that i am missing those teeth!!All the teeth are proportional and my midline in correct.Looking at your pictures it doesnot look that you need extractions unless you have a severe overbite,then it would explain the situation,and your teeth doesnot look crowded at all.
About damon braces---i had them for 4 months right now ,and let me tell you---it is so much better then traditional---and i know for a fact cause this is my second treatment (i had traditional when i was 13 years old).With damon braces it is so much easier to clean your teeth,appointments are usually 3 months apart,and they are faster,because nothing is holding the bracket (i mean ligatures---they act like a brakes ,that slow down the movement,and other fact is that ligatures stretch very fast and loose their effectiveness,thats why appointments with traditional are usually closer in between).
i wish you good luck!!!!Excuse my english -it is my second language...

[VS26]

KK----I think that time between appointments is not the preference of the ortho,but more likely situatuion with the teeth .Like your situation---you were in the initial archwire for many months and you did not need your wire to be changed,because it was doing its job,but you cannot deny the fact that with traditional braces there are more appointments ,because ortho needs to change ligatures---rubber ligatures,and orthos change it not because they like to change it,or because they like to change colours,but because it looses effectiveness after some time.And yes,it is a fact---at first rubber ligatures act like brakes---because there is tension between ligatures,bracket and teeth,and then it stretches out!
I am 27 right now,and i had my first treatment back in post-soviet times,in russia,and i remember painful tightenings of the mettalic ligatures!!So i am happy right now with my damon braces,but if damon were not available--i would put traditional again with great pleasure,just to have my teeth straightened(i have just very slight crowding,because after first treatment i never wore retainer,and besides i never finished my treatment).
But the best factor is that self ligating are easier to take care of---meaning cleaning,brushing,less food it trapped,and appointments are faster.
Yes,KK--i ABSOLUTELY AGREE that brackets are nothing without archwire,just metal things on your teeth ,and it doesnot matter what type you have,what matters is how effective they are holding the archwire---and thats where is the difference between self ligating and traditional.

[davidchubs]

Karen,

Oh, you think my teeth look ok? Yes, I have to make a decision about whether to go for the extraction or leave things as they are.

Btw, pardon my ignorance, what's IPR?

[davidchubs]

Thanks Meryaten and Karen!

I remember my ortho did use IPR on some of my teeth b4. But I guess there's a limit to how much she could reduce.

I'll take it easy for the next 1-2 weeks before I decide on what to do. Will let you know how it goes!

[Rickysa]

Interesting topic...

Let me start with a disclaimer, that what follows is my personal opinion:

Quoting Meryaten: "There's nothing that a properly trained ortho can do with Damons that he or she could not do with another brand of brackets."

I could not have said it better.

I don't use Damon (or any self-ligating bracket) because I like to see my patients every four weeks...one of the main selling points for SLBs is pushing adjustment appointments futher apart.

We have many patients transfer into our practice when the move into our area, and several have Damons....we will work with them, but often will remove them and place the traditional brackets (an no charge) that we use....just personal preference.

David: If you are unhappy with the current alignment of your teeth, then go with the extractions as prescribed...Personally, I use IPR only rarely, when there is a tooth-size discrepency (referred to as a "Bolton descrepency") between the upper and lower teeth. Often the upper lateral incisors can be too small (proportionately), creating an end-to-end relationship once the teeth are aligned...then you either reproximate the lower anteriors, or build up the small laterals.

Other folks are more agressive with IPR, using it as a means to alleviate crowding....again, just personal preferrence.

[davidchubs]

Thanks Rickysa, for your comments and opinions. It's good to listen from an orthodontist's perspective.

I'm still considering my "tricky" options. Will decide before the weekend.

I suppose orthodontics is really subjective in that it depends on whether one is comfortable with his or her present teeth. Some say my teeth look ok because when I talk or smile, people don't normally stare hard to notice the imperfections. Yet, I think those who are on braces and have paid thousands of $ natually want perfection for themselves.

Tough choice for me as I have said.

[bunnyfluff]

I have those brackets, and as it's been said before...the brackets themselves really have little to do with the progress of your teeth.

And as far as extractions go, I had four teeth pulled about two years ago so whoever said that whole blurb about the little to no extractions...liar!

Good luck to you!

[Bella1994]

Hi David, may I know how your teeth looks like now? Did you go on with the teeth extraction?
I M in a similar situation as you were. I had one template on my upper left side removed for brace a when I was 16 years old. I have never had braces on my lower case and now I have an open bite and difficulties saying some words. My jaw clicks from time to time to. I am thinking of doing braces to correct my bite. Because of the side effects I am facing today. I am not keen to remove any more of my precious teeth