Help !! Metal or clear ???

Message

#16 Post by **Betty Bat** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:55 pm

Kittysopretty,
Thanks for the reminder that a lot of this IS opinion and feelings. How you feel is how you feel, and you have the right to have your feelings and to express them.

I feel that my opinions have been dismissed by some board participants also. So once again, thanks for the reminder.

#17 Post by **Kittysopretty** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:00 pm

Aww, thanks Betty!

I think that what makes a message board so wonderful is all the DIFFERENT experiences being shared. For everyone it's different and it's nice to kind of take everything into consideration. It's not a debate forum, lol!

#18 Post by **NotBob1** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:33 pm

Me, well, I would (and did) do the metal. They are faster, so I am told. less bulky too, though I had clear as a young adult almost 20 years ago and these feel bigger! You must keep in mind that I am only on day 4 AND (the big and) I was left with no archwire until next Wednesday! So I suppose the claim on them feeling bigger doesn't count.....

My main reason for doing the metal was: If you are going to be something, just be it! The clear brackets are not noticeable from a distance, but up close, you know that someone has braces. So I feel just be it in the first place and you'll have fewer people staring at your mouth trying to figure out what that line is. They'll know you have braces and move on to the next subject at hand. In the end, no one really cares about the braces but the one wearing them! I am finding this to be more true each day.

Most of the posts I have read on this subject has those in clear/ceramic stating that they would have done the metal from the beginning.

Flip a coin! I don't think it matters, really.

#19 Post by **weird_wired** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 5:38 am

I thought KK's commentary on kitty's post was interesting, useful and fair.

I actually get a little tired of hearing this endless: "but ceramics stain!" "clear ligs are such high maintenance" all the time.

You don't have to wear clear ligs with ceramic braces.

I feel that people coming to this forum are being wrongly put off ceramic ligs because of the (false) notion that the metal-vs-ceramic choice is a metal-vs-yellow teeth choice. It simply isn't.

Coloured ligs also look incredibly pretty against ceramic, more so than metal. There's nothing wrong with metal ligs, they look fine, but ceramic are definitely more subtle, and they at least give you the choice of invisibility.

Tip: if you get ceramics and are nervous about trying coloured ligs, keep to clear on your top, and experiment with colours on the bottom teeth which don't (usually) show so much. You might find a combination you like so much that you choose it for your top teeth too!

#20 Post by **StacyJo** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:18 am

Thank you all for your input. As I expected, opinions vary depending on individual likes and dislikes. I've read all your posts and have taken everything you all said into consideration and still haven't been able to decide.
I love the look of colored ligs on the clear brackets but ...if I remember correctly...I was told by the patient coordinator at the ortho's office that they won't put colored ligs on clear brackets. Not sure why.....but I will definately ask. Maybe I misunderstood what she was saying.
I'll let you all know what I decide.....next week at this time I'lll be braced !!

#21 Post by **NotBob1** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 12:34 pm

So one of these days I will learn to drag a quote properly, but in the mean time:
Meryaten said (approximately) that it is doubtful that the metal brackets do anything faster, possibly it is due only to the self ligating brackets.

This is likely true. It is mostly up to the skill level of the person doing the ortho work. I would equate it with the experienced driver in a 355 VS. the unexpreienced in a new 430. (355 is a '94-'99 Spam and the 430 is a 2005). The experienced driver in the 150 less H.P. vehicle will likely win. Ofcourse, the unexperienced driver probably put his into a wall, so maybe the analogy is not that great......

As to noticing ceramics, I don't know, but I almost always do notice and did even before I started looking into doing braces again. On the other hand, I have already been through orthodontia so possibly my awareness is greater than those who are doing ortho for the first time.

My other issue with ceramics is the staining of the -clear- ligs. Sure, you can use other colors, but the point is to have them less noticeable. I did see the pics of the silver ligs on the clear, and, it did look pretty good! I might have reconsidered my decision of metal had I seen that first...

Kiwi & Kitty: I can see what both of you are saying. Unfortunately, in email, things don't always come across as they were meant. I'll bet that if both of you were in the same room and talking, noticing body language and voice tones, you would both understand each other better. By reading your posts you both seem genuine and mean no harm. Just my two cents.....

#22 Post by **guitarwino** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 2:20 pm

I went with ceramic instead of metal. I am getting my braces off Wed. Jan 18th. If I could do it over I would have gone with the metal for sure. The ceramic brackets were much bigger and bulkier than the metal. They were very uncomfortable at first and still are to some degree. Watch out for little hooks on the canine brackets those are a killer. I was miserable for the first two months. I was told it would take 24 months to complete my treatment and I am getting them off at 16 months. So I don't think speed is an issue with the ceramic brackets. Good luck!

#23 Post by **dena** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:41 pm

NotBob1--for the quotes, I just cut and paste lines from other people's posts and then highlight and click the "quote" box when I am writing a post. (Does that make sense?)

For instance, anything can look like a quote because that quote command just adds the html for the box or whatever.

#24 Post by **Kittysopretty** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:22 am

KK,

I sincerely do apologize for reading something into your post that wasn't there.

Someone pointed out, and it is certainly true...that when tone and voice inflection is missing, sometimes you imagine someone using a sarcarstic tone, etc.

The truth is, having clear braces is fabulous, sadly I want my cake and eat it too! *provided the cake does not have lig-staining neon yellow icing

These feel big to me and I am sooooo self conscious....when I smile my teeth get stuck, lol! As for my ligs....I am just OCD about my ligs!

Ya know, I actually think people are STARING at my teeth as I speech to them...weird...I know

I may try colored ligs, yours look soooo cool!!

I asked my husband if he thought I should switch to metal (I was trying to trick him into admitting that I move my lips weird when these get stuck, etc. I told him they were smaller and smoother (whether it was true or not!)) I literally thought he would say "That's a good idea, it does look like those clear braces give you a hard time".

Instead he was like, "Huh? I don't even notice you have braces now and you talk/smile fine. They're so cute" So I felt better!

#25 Post by **kirst1583** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:09 am

dena wrote:NotBob1--for the quotes, I just cut and paste lines from other people's posts and then highlight and click the "quote" box when I am writing a post. (Does that make sense?)

For instance, anything can look like a quote because that quote command just adds the html for the box or whatever.

I've never thought of doing it that way dena.
I just click the quote button on that persons actual post and then delete any irrelevant parts making sure I leave the

bits written at the beginning and end... (hope that made sense)

#26 Post by **weird_wired** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:30 am

kitty - if it's any consolation, it took my upper lip well over a month or more to get used to the "stretching over" the brackets. But it really is 100% used to it now.

Hope this doesn't mean it will be drooping half way down my chin when the braces come off

#27 Post by **dena** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:57 am

kirst1583--that does make sense. I think i tried that once and messed it up, so then i tried the "quote" button (next to "bold" and "underline" if anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about) and that worked out!

#28 Post by **Granola** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 11:17 am

I've noticed again and again here generalizations like "ceramics are larger than metal" or "metals are smaller than ceramic." I have to point out that when it comes to size, with both ceramic and metal, it really depends on the brand of bracket within each of those categories.

With metals, I have looked at GAC Inovation self-ligating brackets versus regular small stainless steel brackets. The GAC ones have a smaller footprint on the tooth, but have a higher profile (meaning they extend out from the tooth more) than stainless. I haven't seen Damons personally but am sure they are unique in size compared to stainless or other metal brackets.

With ceramics, the size and profile differ by brand--and there are many brand names of brackets out there (3M Clarity, ICE, Mystique, etc). Also, some are opaque and some are translucent--that affects how they look.

When it comes to size, I agree that the comfort of a particular bracket, and its perceived size really depends on the size of the teeth (as some have mentioned) and mouth. I think that is why there is such a difference in how well people do with the various brackets.

I think it would be helpful, when these discussions occur (and I read them with great interest, since I am soon to be braced), for people to include what brand of bracket they have (metal or ceramic) and how that bracket works on their teeth. I find specific information like that much more helpful than subjective generalizations. That way, if someone's ortho happens to offer a bracket that someone mentioned, they can read about an individual's experience with them. It doesn't mean anyone should base their decision on another's experience, but it is helpful to read it specific information just the same.

#29 Post by **NotBob1** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:50 pm

I agree with Granola that pointing out the make and model (brand and type) of brackets being referred to is helpful. I put on my sig line, as many others have, my type of bracket. This is the type I was told, but when they went on, the palate that they were stuck to on the little table said "Ormco". Now I am confused. They -look- like the In Ovation-Rs.....

Anyway, I went away from the topic a bit.....I'll bring this up in another thread.

Let us know when you decide on the metal or ceramic AND let us know the make and model!

#30 Post by **Kittysopretty** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 6:52 am

hmmm...I'll find out the brand of brackets I have since I have no clue