Can't Choose?

Message

#1 Post by **tammy26** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:56 am

I'm 27 and just got my date for spacers 17th March and braces put in a week later, question is i was opting for just metal braces but feel like im being persuaded to get the clear ones on top. Wasn't really bothered as i think you can still see them anyway!

Any advice on choosing between the two would be greatly appreciated
Thanks x

#2 Post by **Steph in Sac** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:49 am

Being persuaded by whom? Your ortho? I say, go with your gut. If you want metal, get metal. I had metal as a teenager and now I have clear ICE brackets on the bottom (nothing on top). I opted for clear because I didn't want them to show. Because they are on the bottom, they don't really stand out. The truth, though, is that the brackets are bigger than the metal. (I have four metal brackets on my molars so it's easy to see the size difference.) Also, I started out with clear ligatures and despite my being careful, they stained a light yellow in the first three days. So, next time I am going to get the pearl colored ligatures. My point is, you are right, they are not invisible, so if you don't mind the metal, go for it. Personally, despite the flaws I noted above, clear is for me. To each his own.

#3 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:21 am

I also chose clear for the discreteness factor and if I had it to do over I'd choose them again. Yes you can still see them, but they really are less noticeable IMHO especially in photos. Lots of people will tell you that clear are not at all discrete, so it's really just a matter of opinion. If you were all set to go with metal then don't let anyone persuade you.

#4 Post by **Vieve25** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:55 am

I am getting braces within the next few weeks and I myself keep wondering if my choice is right. I am going to get cermaics on uppers and metal on lowers. IMO, cermaics on the top look a lot more pleasing to the eye. The secretary at my ortho has metal on top and bottom and to me it makes her mouth look very dark and heavy/metallic-ey. Thats just my opinion. I think I will be happier with clear uppers. I have never seen anything on my teeth before in my life and I think jumping right into full metal would be a lot for me.... plus I wear gold jewelery - hahahaha! would i clash with myself? hehe definately go with your gut! You know what you think you will look best with and are comfortable with! good luck and Keep us posted!

#5 Post by **appygirl82** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:13 am

I have the In-Ovation C on top, they are not as clear as the ICE brackets however they are self litigating so they do not have ligs to stain....so no worries there. I have the standard metal on the bottom.

I like the ceramic on top because it makes my mouth look not quite so full of metal. But, the ceramic brackets are a bit bigger, not really enough to make a huge difference but they are a lil bit bigger.

I am happy with my choice, but everyone is different. My ortho offered the ceramic on top with no extra charge....so I went for it!

#6 Post by **tsmurfenator** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:26 pm

Vieve25 wrote:The secretary at my ortho has metal on top and bottom and to me it makes her mouth look very dark and heavy/metallic-ey. Thats just my opinion. I think I will be happier with clear uppers.

What color are her ligatures? I think ligature colors makes a huge difference. I have seen people with black ligatures/powerchains(esp.), and their mouths looks very dark. I don't like that look personally.

I have the opposite problem, I currently have fuchisa and baby blue ligatures (see avatar) and think they look too light and downplay my braces too much - seriously in most photos and when I look in the mirror the braces don't show nearly as much as I think they should. I am going to change for a medium color as soon as I can, possibly blue and/or orange.

I have never seen anything on my teeth before in my life and I think jumping right into full metal would be a lot for me.... plus I wear gold jewelery - hahahaha! would i clash with myself?

Haha.

I only wear silver (watch, buttons, jean rivets, belt buckle etc.) and made a particular point of sticking to this up to the point I was getting braces so everything matches well.

My ortho offers gold braces but she told me hardly anybody gets them. One of the reasons I didn't was because everything I have is silver.

#7 Post by **iBorg** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:23 pm

Either way people will notice. I remember being at one business meeting and having two or three associates staring at my mouth trying to figure out if I had something caught in my teeth or not. That was with clear brackets. When I had to switch to metal, its more obvious so people don't tend to stare trying to figure out what's going on in my mouth. Funny thing is I've had people ask me two years after having braces if I'd just got them.

Mike

#8 Post by **Vieve25** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:03 pm

What color are her ligatures? I think ligature colors makes a huge difference. I have seen people with black ligatures/powerchains(esp.), and their mouths looks very dark. I don't like that look personally.

- I am honestly not sure what color her ligs were and honestly til this past week I had no idea there were such things hahahaa!!!! who knew a little band could cause such an effect! however, I can say that I think they were silver because her mouth did look very heavy metalled hahaha!

which is why I think I like the ceramics personally..

#9 Post by **daffodil** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:33 pm

I have the Inspire Ice brackets, and although my clear ligatures stain despite my best efforts, I'm very happy with them. I have tooth-colored wires too, so people can't really see the braces unless they're really close to me.

I like the clear braces because although everyone I work with knows that I have braces and of course people can see them if they are 2-3 feet away, they don't stand out that much and people aren't going to see my braces every time they see me across the room.

I've been trying to keep my rubber bands clean by drinking coffee and cola through a straw, but when I had my rubber bands changed, they were brown, as though they'd been soaking in cola

Still, I couldn't tell they were that dark when they were in my mouth --it seemed like they just added a yellow-ish tinge.

#10 Post by **jjs34748** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:34 pm

Funny thing is I've had people ask me two years after having braces if I'd just got them.

I just had something simalar happen to me, a person that has seen and talked to me everyday for the last two weeks just realized I had braces on.

#11 Post by **wycket** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:23 am

The choice to get ceramic or metal is definitely an individual one, and is something only YOU can decide. What is appealing to one person can be the polar opposite for someone else!

As for myself, I have the Clarity ceramic self-ligating on top, and Damon Q metal lowers, and couldn't be happier. Both were offered by my ortho for the same price, so that wasn't a factor. For me, the ceramic uppers have been the perfect choice because I truly was not bold enough to go all-metal. In addition, with them both being self-ligating, there's no risk for staining. Now that I have both, and despite the ceramic brackets being a little bit larger than the metal, I know that I wouldn't be comfortable with all-metal.

Definitely people can tell that you have braces when you are face to face, regardless of the type you choose. That comes with the territory.

However, in my personal experience I have found that in pictures taken from even a few feet away, the ceramics 'blend' better and are not as noticeable. And after having them for over 6 weeks, I still haven't experienced anyone staring at my ceramics trying to figure them out... again, just my experience.

No matter what you decide, it's all about YOU - since you'll be the one wearing them!! Wishing you the best of luck with whatever you choose!

#12 Post by **beth1966** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:45 am

jjs34748 wrote:Funny thing is I've had people ask me two years after having braces if I'd just got them.

I just had something simalar happen to me, a person that has seen and talked to me everyday for the last two weeks just realized I had braces on.

Just curious - do you have metal or ceramic? With ligatures or self ligating?

#13 Post by **iBorg** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:50 am

I have self litigating, all metal. I guess that means I never had the fun of choosing colors.

Mike

#14 Post by **tammy26** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:34 am

Thanks a lot guys, yous have been a good help

The ortho just said i needed fixed braces up and down, it was mostly the girls that worked there that said i should get the ceramic ones. But i was kinda just set on the metal( didn't even know you could get colours for the metal ones till my appointment last week) What colour would you get if you didn't want the actual colours to be that noticeable?? till i get used to them at least!

xxxx Thanks v much xxxxx

ps, don't think i would ever have gotton my probs fixed till i found this site and now ive got my appmnt for 22nd march to get my braces in!!!! (really nervous though)

#15 Post by **tsmurfenator** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 12:07 pm

tammy26 wrote: The ortho just said i needed fixed braces up and down, it was mostly the girls that worked there that said i should get the ceramic ones. But i was kinda just set on the metal( didn't even know you could get colours for the metal ones till my appointment last week) What colour would you get if you didn't want the actual colours to be that noticeable?? till i get used to them at least!

I started with gray and it worked out great for me because they blend in with the brackets, and also is a natural color. I credit gray as enabling me to accustom myself to having braces before I was ready to do brighter colors. I think pink is also a good/safe color - it blends in with the gums/tongue. The one color which is somewhat non-intuitively much more noticeable than it 'should' be is blue - I think Ugly Betty when I see blue ligs and they stand out so much - that could be good or bad depending on what look you are aiming for.