Clear first 6 teeth top metal bottom - look odd?

[Jamie83]

Hey i was wondering if anyone else has just their first 6 teeth in clear brackets and the rest metal??

I get braced in 4 weeks so i can still opt for all metal. The orthodontist is being nice and said he will give me 6 clear ones and I don't have to pay for them (i'm getting a brace on the NHS so it would have cost me for clear brackets). He offered me this option because of my job which is very kind of him.

Except i think it might look odd??? i'm having four extractions - the first premolars top and bottom - so the top six teeth will then have a gap before the metal brackets go down the side of my mouth anyway.

Is this common? will it look strange?

also what colour bands have people had around clear brackets that look less obvious but don't stain straight away?

any advice would be greatly appreciated

[Kipepeo]

Hindsight is 20/20, and everybody's experience is different. I have clear on my top 10, metal the rest. I was about 2 weeks in when I wished I'd just gone all metal. My reasons:

• Clear brackets are a bit larger

• clear makes your teeth look odd

• trapped food is much more noticeable

• while the brackets don't stain, any ligs or power chains do. Colored food is very apparent.

• they were a bit more expensive

• they feel more rough/sharp

• they're not shiny (I kind of like the glint of sparkle from metal braces in the light!)

[jem]

Well I think from your pictures that your clear brackets look really good, Kipepeo!

I have clear brackets (same type as Kipepeo) and am very happy with them. So this shows that it is a matter of opinion- some people on his board prefer clear, some prefer metal.

But it is very common for people to have a mixture of clear and metal brackets in the same configuration you are proposing.
The manufacturer of the brackets I have, used to only make clear brackets for the upper front 6 teeth and they have only extended the availability of clear to upper premolars and bottom front 6 in the relatively recent past.

Good luck with your decision and your treatment!

Jem

[Duncan5]

Hi Jamie,

That's pretty much my configuration, although it's the top 8, so have a look at my Dunc's Dental Dialog thread for pics. I went for it as the self-lig brackets don't need elastics so staining is not such an issue. Not sure what powerchains will look like, I'll worry about it when/if it happens.

The crystal brackets are bigger and more prickly (so far the only mouth ulcer was from one of them, on my bottom lip of all places), and the archwire plus any other gubbins will show up anyway. I know a couple of others with full clears and white archwires (about £500 on top of my configuration) and they can still be seen up close.

I found that it's my bottom brackets that tend to show when I'm talking, so people notice them anyway. But if you have the kind of smile where your front teeth are out and smiling to the world, and they're no extra cost, then clears might be the way to go. Either way, it's not a big deal - the occasional comment or second glance and then people carry on as normal (including kids as I help out at school and do tutoring).

And on the bright side, when folks wonder why you're talking all wierd, it's fairly obvious with a full metal jacket.

D.

[Tobilei]

I have full clear and have not had anyone tell me my teeth look weird. I have had a number of people I've mentioned them to tell me they didn't notice I even had braces at close range and are surprised when I tell them.

I have had a couple of thoughts that maybe I should have gone all metal just for the fact that for me they feel quite large in my mouth, but I spoke to one of the assistants at my ortho's practice and she had clear top metal bottom (and I didn't notice hers until she told me she had them either) and she said her clears were much more comfortable than her metals, so I think it's different for everyone.

As for ligs, the top one's might be self ligating, but if not, I've found that smoke coloured ligs look clear but don't stain (they might with curry, I haven't tried it, but tomato based stuff, carrot juice etc have all been fine).

Good luck with your decision

[Ciara]

A lot of people have this - I've heard it called "the social 6". I have all ceramic and am very happy with them. They are really not that noticeable and are not bulky.

[slb1982]

I've got clear on top and metal on bottom and I think they look pretty good together. I prefer the clear (less noticeable).

[starfish88]

I have this! I normally only show my top 6 teeth when I smile anyway so I don't show off the metals...unless I'm a bit tipsy doing a full on cheesy grin - they you see metals, elastics the works! (Those are the photos that get de-tagged immediatly!) I really hated ceramics at first they are quite bulky and they make my teeth look really wonky but now my teeth are straight they are less visible. Also if you get SL braces you dont have to worry about stained ligs around clear brackets though you might still get powerchains (right now I have a powechain and I'm counting down to April 2nd (night before my ortho changes it) to have a massive curry-fest). Ceramics are really a personal choice, I guess you don't know how you'll feel about the braces until you've got them though!

[curranc]

No, I haven't

[CoryDaniels]

I was lucky, my ortho opted for me to be able to have all clear brackets on top except for my last bracket (which noone would see anyways) and then all metal on the bottom....I wouldn't have it any other way...having the clear brackets really helped me out in the begginning with my confidence...and today with being 1.5 years in, I can still smile with confidence because I honestly see more teeth than brackets with the clear damons....I would reccomend them to ANYONE who has any concerns on appearence.