The real deal with Damon?

[twinklehunkydory]

Hey guys, I'm newbie here, but I've been reading looooads of posts here over the past few days, getting up to speed. I'm sorry if the content of this post is a reptition of anything that's gone before, I did spend quite a lot of time going thru old posts, and didn't see this exactly. So again, I apologise...


Okay, so what I'd like to know is, what is the real deal with Damon braces? I read the dentist who said they were becoming the dentistry equivalent of the 7 minute abs machine, but wasn't actually that quick. An actual wearer soon counteracted that.

My question is more in regards to how the damon braces move the teeth. I'm obv aware the damon website is a promotional tool, it's all a business, so I'm not taking it all face value. In the video though on the site, it shows an animation of the conventional 2 teeth extraction route, then the damon way.

Do the damon braces really widen your palate and reduce an overbight or crooked teeth?

In fact, I'm almost worried they would make my palate too wide and I'd end up with a h-u-u-u-ge smile!

I'm looking at all my options at the moment, and I so don't want to make a mistake!

If you've reached here, well done! that was quite a lengthy post. Ta

[missingu]

Congrats on doing your homework. How I wish I had.

You are very right about Damons and marketing, but my ortho is really "sold" on them, for a number of reasons. If you want to read an interesting article on self-ligating brackets, which is what Damon sells itself on, go to

Journal of Orthodontics (on-line), Sept. 2003, Vol. 30, pp. 262-273
"Self-ligating brackets: where are we now?"
NWT Harradine, Bristol, UK

It gives a good, non-salesy discussion of self-ligating brackets and it is rather enlightening. A little biased to self-ligating, but most informative of anything I'd seen to help me understand the differences.

And I realize this is rarely done, but tomorrow I am calling my ortho asking to have the Damons removed (have had a little over 2 months). No kidding. Removed completely, and I will forfeit money if I have to, as I am that frustrated with the wire problems and constant irritation issues that seem to never be resolved and chronic "emergency" visits. If the ortho won't reband with a traditional bracket I will switch orthos, at a price to me which will stink but is how I feel after much thought

OK, so probably not what you expected in a response. Generally people are really happy, but for whatever reason they aren't working for me. Little movement, too. Clearly talk to your ortho, which I didn't do enough of, but check things out on your own, too, like here. Good luck. I hope you get lots of positive feedback to because apparently (according to Damon) they are more comfortable and faster.

[Leslie022]

In fact, I'm almost worried they would make my palate too wide and I'd end up with a h-u-u-u-ge smile!

The orthodontist is the artist and the brackets are his paintbrushes. Brackets don't make your teeth perfect; however, the skill of the orthodontist has a lot to do with it. No matter what good things are said about damons, ceramics, etc., if you don't have a good orthodontist you're not going to get great results.

Personally, I wear Damon's and I love them.

[adollface]

Well I am one person who loves Damons. I have Damon 2's and was bracketed on Dec. 16th 2004. My 8 1/2 year old daughter just got Damon 3's put on last week and is not having any problems. I was told that my estimated treatment time would be 20-24 months but now we are looking at 16-17 months. I had one tooth that was rotated 90% and within 5 months it was completely rotated back to normal. Gaps were closed in 2 months. I believe that they do work fast. I am happy that my ortho used them for me. Good luck with your research.

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12-16-04

[missingu]

I know lots of people are happy. In fact my ortho said my case was "abnormal" for Damons, so I figured most people would be happy. I figured I could post my response, too, even if it wasn't positive, or is that not OK? I didn't mean to make anyone angry. I'm sorry if I did.

[adollface]

Missingu- your post did not anger me, sorry if I came across that way. I think it's a good idea for people who are doing research to hear both sides of experience with Damon's. I know other people in the past have had a problem with the doors on Damon 3's not opening and I was concerned for my daughter. I discussed it with our ortho and he said he has not had that problem. What Leslie022 wrote was right. Every experience is different and outcome does depend on the ortho and their experience with different types of braces. Sorry if I came across as being upset with what your wrote. I was just expressing how happy I am with my Damon's

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12-16-04

[missingu]

Actually, your post helped me understand how things work around here, so it was helpful - and I never knew orthos put Damons on children. Thanks.

[twinklehunkydory]

Thanks for replying. It's really useful to hear all sides of the stories, so 'missingu', I'm glad you told your experience!

My dentist runs a small practice, it's just him! I think I'd have to get referred to an ortho, or maybe find a private clinic myself. I am fairly daunted by this as I trust my dentist, I have been going to see him for almost 10 years now, and others in my family have been going to him since he first graduated!

I'll just have to pluck up the courage and phone and ask if he has used any kind of the more 'breakthrough' braces around.

My only worry is that I don't think damons are really in widespread use where I am, I honestly don't know if there are many orthos who are up to speed on it. Guess I'll have to do some phoning around!

[ingyandbert]

I have Damons and I love them. They are really comfortable, which is one reason my ortho prefers them. I have no wire problems or irritation issues whatsoever and my teeth are moving fast even though I'm 45 years old. In just 2 months my results are dramatic. Missingu, with all due respect, I'm wondering if your problems stem from your ortho and not the Damons. Before you have them removed, I'd get a second opinion from another ortho.

[Leslie022]

Missingu, with all due respect, I'm wondering if your problems stem from your ortho and not the Damons. Before you have them removed, I'd get a second opinion from another ortho.

That's good advice ingy!

[butterfly]

it shows an animation of the conventional 2 teeth extraction route, then the damon way.

Do the damon braces really widen your palate and reduce an overbight or crooked teeth?

I didn't get Damons but my teeth are still being treated to non-extraction way. My upper arch has expanded a lot without expanders. My ortho says that there is not such a huge difference like everyone says. It is a marketing strategy.

[twinklehunkydory]

I didn't get Damons but my teeth are still being treated to non-extraction way. My upper arch has expanded a lot without expanders. My ortho says that there is not such a huge difference like everyone says. It is a marketing strategy.

See, that's interesting. My dentist never mentionned any option other than two teeth out, regular braces. I didn't know you could have your arch expanded without the actual equipment so to speak.

And in regards to my earlier post, turns out I'm unfortunately right, not one ortho in my city offers Damon, half of them hadn't even heard of it! Well, at least the receptionists hadn't... pity I can't talk to the orthos direct.

Thing is, I don't think I want to be the guinea pig for damon in my area, I'd rather have an ortho who had experience of it!

[missingu]

If the receptionists do the billing, they'd know who they were ordering from, let alone having marketing reps in from, so they can give you a feel for what the office uses as a reflection of the orthos wishes. Couldn't you still get to talk to the ortho if you did a 15-minute paid consult or something...

[twinklehunkydory]

If the receptionists do the billing, they'd know who they were ordering from, let alone having marketing reps in from, so they can give you a feel for what the office uses as a reflection of the orthos wishes. Couldn't you still get to talk to the ortho if you did a 15-minute paid consult or something...

to be honest id rather not pay just to find out they don't offer what im after... true they might have something else that would suit me... hmm. I'll phone around some more, then maybe I'll have to do that.

[JoeMama]

This may be irrelevant if you can't find someone who uses Damons, but I have crowding issuses and need to have my palate widened. I didn't want surgury or tooth removal so my ortho suggested Damon 3s as an alternative. I've never had braces before, and I've only had them on for 7 weeks, so I can't compare them, but they've been fine. I get all the normal braces issues, soreness, headaches, etc, but otherwise they're fine.

A couple of notes:
• One nice thing is that you don't have to get them "adjusted" so unless your ortho changes the wire, they just keep doing their thing.
• I don't really think they're any quicker. I could be wrong, but I got the same 18-24 month expection I think most people get.
• They can solve (or are supposed to slove) some problems that would otherwise require surgury (like mine).
• They don't offer clear, so having metal braces (or half metal) is something you have to be ok with. I would have done clear if it weren't for the surgury thing.

Good luck with your decision!