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I am getting my upper braces on Monday and I just can’t decide if I should go with ceramic or metal. My Ortho said that he would do either and wouldn’t recommend one over the other so I’m still indecisive. My Ortho brought out one of each of brackets and the ceramic look so much bigger, but I like the look of them. I noticed that many of you have ceramic on the upper and metal on the bottom, any advice on which you would prefer? Are the larger brackets worth it? Do they bother your lip/ cheek more?
On a positive note, I had a conversation with a co-worker today about how I’m getting used to my palate expander and that it has forced me to think about portion control. I used to eat and eat until I was uncomfortably full, but now I only eat till I get too tired to continue and give up (or when I feel bad that everyone else at the table is finished and I’m only a third of the way into my meal so I give up again). I was starving at first but now I dare say that it’s nice to realize I don’t need all that food. I had no idea this process would actually teach me a lesson. Go figure.
Like kk says the choice is really up to you. I have ceramic on upper and lower arch and I chose this as I wanted them to be as less noticable as possible. I had metal braces when I was 14 (I am now 26) and I prefer the ceramic ones this time around. I don't feel like they are really big in my mouth or cause me more pain than the metal ones did. The fact is that whatever braces you have there will be discomfort. You just have to choose the ones that think you would feel more comfortable with.
Good Luck
Lau xx
Braced on 25 July 2006 Ceramic upper and lowers
Braces off on 3 April 2008
The metal vs ceramic decision is a lot bigger before you actually get them than after. I was in the same boat as you and ended up going with ceramic on top and will be getting metal on the bottom once my bite opens up. Two weeks into treatment after having the ceramic bracket come off my upper lateral twice it was replaced by a metal band. At first you could hardly see it because that tooth was so far behind the others. Now almost three months later enough space has opened up for it and is almost in line with the rest of my uppers and shines in all of its metal glory. I'm so happy with my progress at this point that if I had to have a metal band around every tooth I'd do it. However you end up going the important thing is that you're actually going through with it. I'm a 39 year old father of two who should have done this 25+ years ago. Good luck with whatever you decide. It will be worth it.
I am one who has had a hard time with the bulkiness of the ceramics. If I had to do it again, I'd go with all metal. As is, I'm having some of my lower ceramics changed to metal.
But everyone is different, so it is a personal decision. I didn't know the ceramics were bulkier until after they were glued on. I wish I had had the choice then. Comfort rules over vanity for me.
Good luck with the decision,
Elle
Spacers, Nov. 1; Braced Nov. 8, 2006; Braces off March 26, 2008, just short of 17 months. Glad it's over but the jury is still out on whether the game was worth the candle.
I went for all metal, even though my ortho was pushing me to have ceramics on the top because he thinks it's more "appropriate" for adults to have less visible braces.
But that was purely personal choice. I wasn't bothered about visibility and the ceramic brackets looked bulkier.
i have all metal and i would recommend metal, hey they have been around forever give those clear ones some time to get the kinks out of them like constantly popping off and let them invent a way to put a teflon coating on them so staining wont be a issue. but if you go through all the trouble of getting braces just get what has been around and that is tried and tested. besides these are making for great conversation everywhere I go. If you are vain just pull out all of your teeth and get dentures which will give you the hollywood smile without going through the braces. otherwise just go all metal what is so bad about having all metal. I was in the vanity club but realized that if you want them fixed DIRTFT which stands for doing it right the first time. I just probably stirred the hornets nest with this relpy.
I just got my braces put on 2 days ago so far, so good, some soreness, mosly when eating....but I opted for the ceramic uppers, I work as a receptionist and see loads of people throughout the day and I wanted them as inconspicious as possible.....I'm not sure I realized that the ceramics were much larger, oh well.....I'll be getting metal on the bottom down the road and can compare then. Good luck with your decision!!!
I had my brackets put on last week, ceramics upper and metal lower. The wires and metal bands came on today. The naked ceramic brackets were pretty hard to deal with for me since they are bulkier and I felt like they stuck out so much more than the metal. I kept thinking that I should have gone all metal. However, when they put the wires in today, I was VERY happy. It looks and feels so much better. I don't think that I will regret my initial decision.
My boyfriend finds that ceramic brackets look bulky, another person thinks that when you have ceramic braces it looks like you have cavities on your teeth from a distance. Well, metal looks bad, too.
I have not made my decision ready. I don't know when I will get that far.
It was written that I will get uppers after 6-9 months.
Just got my braces on today! I have all metal uppers and lowers and picked out a baby blue color for my ligs. I was supposed to get ceramic uppers, but got to change my mind at the last second. Since I like the colored bands, I'm not even sure why I thought I wanted ceramic? I guess if I paired them with clear ligs then I would get the full benefit, but the metal brackets are much smaller.
Last edited by SnowSara on Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hi there, I too agonized over ceramic or metal. My husband voted for metal to "keep it real" as he says. I was pretty set on ceramic though, in order to mask them as much as possible. But in the end I chose metal for comfort (I like the lower profile) and I'm just fine with them. No discomfort on the insides of my mouth. But I've had braces before, so maybe my mouth was used to them?
Anyway, I don't mind the metal and it sort of gets the guessing game out of the way. You know, when you see someone you haven't seen in a while and they are looking at you and trying to figure out what's different... When that happens I just flash a big smile, point to my mouth, and say "I got braces". I'm very proud of myself for finally doing this.
i have ceramic on the top...i was always complaining about my "face looking different", well my orthodontist showed me with a mirror how much of a difference ceramic bulkiness is vs. metal bulkiness...and let me tell you ceramic makes your lips look thicker...and different...but both look like braces, so i don't mind the choice i made
akireamil wrote:For me, the ceramic brackets make my TEETH look thicker and bigger, like a cartoon character!!! On my first adjustment, my ortho gave me TIE WIRES, which I really liked since I'm not into color ligs and the white ones do discolor over time, especially if you have long periods between adjustments like I have had so far (8 weeks until I had my first, and 8 weeks until my next one). They are barely visible, less so than the metal arch, and the result is clear, bright brackets, no stains!
LOL - I know what you mean about the cartoon character!!! I feel like bugs bunny with my 2 front teeth!!! But I wanted the braces to be less noticable, which they are, esp. from afar!!! I'll eventually get metal on the bottoms and will be able to compare....I didn't really think about the size of ceramic vs metal until I read this thread, oh well....too late now!
I have ceramics and they are great. Visibility was an issue for me and they are definitely less obvious than the metals. From a couple of feet away you can't see them at all, whereas the metal ones are pretty visible from any distance. I was a bit concerned about the bulkiness but I got used to it within a day and when my lip got used to relaxing over them I found that I can hardly tell they're on.
You can still see them and from some angles they do look a bit wierd- like I have little teeth with gaps! But I've had so few comments or looks that it's as if they're not there which is what I'd hoped for! I have a white wire and I think that makes a big difference.
And my teeth have noticably moved in one month so they're effective too.
I had metals 10 years ago and they were more uncomfortable, but then there have been a lot of improvements since then.
I have neo-clips instead of ligs so I don't even have to worry about staining.
Your decision but if visibility is an issue then I'd go with ceramics.
so far, so good, some soreness, mosly when eating....but I opted for the ceramic uppers, I work as a receptionist and see loads of people throughout the day and I wanted them as inconspicious as possible.....I'm not sure I realized that the ceramics were much larger, oh well.....I'll be getting metal on the bottom down the road and can compare then. Good luck with your decision!!!
However, when they put the wires in today, I was VERY happy. It looks and feels so much better. 
