New guy on the block

[JavaMan]

Hi all,
Well, here I am, 36 years young and I will be braced on Aug. 20 with Damon clears on upper and lower to correct my deep bite.
Projected time is about 24 month, but that can go longer depending how quick or slow my last impacted adult tooth decides to erupt.
Still have the baby tooth on top of the impacted adult tooth, which will be pulled on some point during treatment and a bracket with chain will be attached to the tooth below to pull it up.

The record taking appointment was 10 days ago, and in a week I meet the Ortho again to go over the treatment plan, and I bet that is when I also will get the spacers.

Can any of you give me some pointers of what to look out for, what needs to be included in the treatment plan/contract?? I have read all sorts of stories of people run into snags when they moved, too many knocked off brackets, treatment going too long and Ortho wanting more money...... Any input is appreciated so I can go to my appointment prepared.

Happy Weekend,
JavaMan

[Toasty79]

Hi Javaman! I don't have any answers for you, but I'm new here too and wanted to say hi :)
I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along to reply to you soon.

[klobird]

Just make sure you read the contract!! And be prepared--things happen...and be careful with your braces...

My ortho charges $50 when I cause the problem that requires fixing. It was in the contract, and I read it so I'm aware. But I haven't had any problems yet. Make sure you discuss ANY questions you have with your ortho before bonding.

Hopefully, you will be able to trust the ortho you have chosen enough that you don't have to worry about these kinds of things.

Some things are just par for any braces treatment, though, like being in braces longer than the estimated time....

[JavaMan]

Hi there,
Toasty79, thanks for your welcome!

Klobird, thanks for your input, trying to find as much info
as I can, and probably will make a list before I go in to see my ortho
to go over the treatment plan.

Cheers,
JavaMan

[jessieg]

Sorry this isn't going to answer your question but I have one for you. Where are you from? I am in Canada, and I got Damon clear on top but was told you can't get them on the bottom because of the size of them and the size of the teeth down there. So I had to get silver on the bottom. They knew I was sour about this, and said they'd never heard of the Damon clear on the bottom. If you have them, clearly it is!!! Gggrrrr. I thought maybe in other countries it's allowed but not here for some reason? I don't get it.

[JavaMan]

Jessieg, you actually know more than I do. I am located in WA State, USA.
My Ortho showed me the metal Damons and the clear Damons and she asked me which one I want?
So I asked how much more the Clear Damons are, and she said that normally it is like 500 bucks or so extra to be in all clears, but she will give
them to me at no extra charge. So I assume they are all clear. She has not mentioned anything about the lower jaw being metal.
I will ask my Ortho when I see her in a week from today and let you know :)
How do you like your Damon clear vs. the metal ones??

[jessieg]

As far as having braces goes, I love the clear ones. I am 36, and was traumatized when I was about to get them, but all I keep hearing from people who see me is you can't even tell I have them. The silver ones are on the bottom and my lip doesn't tend to go below then much so I have made out okay. I have been in a bunch of pictures and stuff and people don't even seem to notice! That being said, I rreaally wish they were all clear. I am going to be SO jealous if yours all are. And I'll be asking questions when I go back in Sept!! Let me know!

[JavaMan]

Jessieg, I am happy to hear that you like your clear Damons.
Honestly, I didn't even care of what bracket they wanted to give me, I just knew that I didn't want to pay the upcharge for the clear ones.
But then when she offered me the clears at no additional cost, heck yeah! Bring it on :)
I will keep you posted what I find out at my next appointment on Monday.
cheers,
JavaMan

[jamsession]

I am having Damon Clears placed on my uppers and lower tomorrow. My ortho said he would be able to do both arches at the same time with no spacers needed. He said that the clears for the lowers are brand new and he has only placed them on a few patients so far. I am really excited to finally get this done!

[fulldiastemahead]

Hi JavaMan,

Hello neighbor! I get braced just a few days before you do in the same great state. We have the same sentence too. Maybe we can have a celebratory coffee when we get unbraced in 2014.

-K

[JavaMan]

jamsession: Happy to hear someone else out there is getting upper and lower in Damon clears.

fulldiastemahead: Uhhh, a celebratory coffee sounds fantastic upon getting unbraced. What is your exact day you are getting braced?
Greetings from Poulsbo :)

[fulldiastemahead]

fulldiastemahead: Uhhh, a celebratory coffee sounds fantastic upon getting unbraced. What is your exact day you are getting braced?
Greetings from Poulsbo

August 14th. I really can't even believe it. I'll have Empower brackets (American Orthodontics' version of Damon brackets). The top six teeth you can see will be clear brackets, but the rest will be metal. I'm told that my bite keeps me from having clear on the bottom. Because the clear brackets are a bit thicker and somewhat more fragile, there's a change I could either damage my top teeth or bite off a bottom bracket.

Hello from downtown. Isn't it a lovely shade of grey out?

[unspec]

Well I've just had my braces (uppers at least) put on - I also can't have ceramic lowers as I'll just damage my incisors.

I wonder if we'll finish around the same time?

[jamsession]

I am a week into my treatment now. I am getting used to them. The pain is not that bad but I am still not eating a lot of solid food. I read through the whole contract and it was very straight forward. Make sure your retainers are included in the price.

[JavaMan]

Well, my Orthodontic Journey has officially begun yesterday. Spcaers went in, 8 of them. Some of the teeth are/were really tight and the Ortho alomst didn't get the rubber spacers in. Had some discomfort later in the evening, but nothing a couple of Ibuprofen could take care off. I anticipated to wake up this morning with horrid pain, but that was not the case. Yes it is very tender when I bite on it, but other than a slight discomfort, not too bad.

At Jessieg: My ortho had to backpedal in regards to the brackets. Yes, she promised me all clears at my previous appt. but now she said because of my overbite and she didn't want me to accidentally chip a tooth, I will end up with Damon metal on lower and the Damon clear on all uppers. Honestly, this does not bother me, she even could put all metal on and I still would not care.

Because my case is somewhat complex, it looks like I will be also ending up with 2 TADs.

My banding appointment is on the 20th, all brackets will go on, but only the top wire will be placed for the moment, there after I will have to go see and Oral surgeon to get that last baby tooth out, and un-earth the adult tooth with attaching a chain on it.

Happy Tuesday