Should I do top and bottom?

[krooner]

Thank you to those who responded to my previous post about crownwork. I'm sorry for all the questions, but, I'm almost 40 and I'm excited and scared about getting braces!

Another question:
My top 2 front teeth are very crooked. I finally decided to get braces. I had my heart set on ceramic on top only. But now the ortho says I should do top and bottom because the bottom front teeth are a bit crowded and he says if I don't get them fixed it will get worse and I may end up having to have one of them pulled. To me, they don't look that bad at all. He'd like me to have ceramic on top and metal on the bottom. I'm not thrilled about that prospect because of the looks of it but I also feel that maybe I should just do it right if I'm going to do this.

I know it's personal preference but I'm just wondering what anyone out there thinks they would do in this situation? I work in an office and I'm gonna feel pretty silly with braces on and I've considered ortho-clear too but I keep reading negative things about the ortho/invis products. The ortho said I'd be a good candidate for this because my bite is fine.

Anyone have any thoughts? I can try and post a pic of my teeth later but now is not a good time (I have a one year old!) Thanks in advance for any opinions....

Gracie

[bckydgardnr]

Getting ceramic or clear braces does not mean that you can't see them, because you can! I too am almost 40 (Oh that feels awful when I say that!) and am in a very public position. I have clear on top and metal on the bottom. Even when I smile, talk, laugh etc. you can hardly see the metal on the bottom.

I also find the metal more comfortable. Mine are self ligating.

Have you read the many posts about yellowing power chains and ligatures? At my last adjustment, I went with silver power chains instead of the clear, and have been much happier with the look. My brackets are no longer clear (only for the first week after an adjustment were they ever clear) or yellowish so the whole theory that no one can see them is out.

I have read on here about some people have Damon 2 or 3s I think... They are metal on the bottom and clear on the top. Just a thought.

Good luck!

Gardnr

[fitchick]

Hi Gracie,

Visible braces was one of my reasons for not having this done years ago. I'm now almost at the 4-0 too! Before I had the lower metal brace on, I enquired about Invisalign and the kind that fit behind the teeth, I think they're called Lingual. Neither would be suitable for me. I delayed this whole thing because of the braces being visible. Now I have the metal on the lower teeth, I keep thinking how tiny they are and that they aren't at all that noticeable. As a compromise my ortho is doing ceramic on the top.

I considered leaving my bottom teeth as it was my 13mm overjet that really bothered me. If we're going to have nice teeth, why not have them all looking nice? I hope this helps and Good Luck.

Julie

[krooner]

Thank you everyone. I'm excited but scared! It's nice to have a place to come and discuss this! One more question: Does the bottom brace have a wire through it?

[Betty Bat]

Howdy,
I'm 53 and have had braces since October, 2005 - sapphire (clear) uppers and metal lowers. I have them because I was missing lower teeth - baby teeth that didn't get replaced by permanent teeth. The baby tooth on the right side was pulled when I was 12, so I had a space there for 40 years! The baby tooth on the left side was pulled in July, 2005.

Because of the space on the right side, my teeth started shifting around and eventually, my two upper front teeth started to cross each other. I don't know if it was visible to others, but it was certainly visible to me! I have my upper braces to straighten out my front teeth and it has worked wonderfully. They looked so much better after just a few months. The braces on the lowers are to make room for dental implants to replace the missing permanent teeth. My experience has been pretty positive so far. I don't have much pain and don't get many comments about my braces except for supportive ones. I do miss eating big, juicy hamburgers, but that's about all.

Bottom line, if your ortho suggests both upper and lower braces, then you may as well consider them. Your teeth can and do shift around in ways that you aren't even anticipating right now.

I think the saying is "In for a penny, in for a pound".

[krooner]

Thank you all again. It's encouraging to read your stories. I don't know anything about ligatures and brackets. My ortho said I wouldn't be needing the elastic things (sorry I know I don't know the correct terms!) and would only anchor my braces to the front 6 teeth. Does that mean I'll have that other stuff? Thanks again!

Gracie

[fitchick]

Like Lucy said, I'd imagine you'd have to have the wire to pull the teeth into place. My wire is 'stick-thin' and anchored to 3 bottom teeth on one side (due to gaps) and 5 on the otherside. I have also at this stage got a TPA (crooked wire thing on the roof of my mouth) and a plastic plate on the roof of my mouth too. Everyone is different though so you may not need to have the same thing. I'd ask your ortho to explain it next time you see him/her.

Don't be scared, I'm the biggest scaredy cat going and if I can do it, you can too!

Your questions and the answers that follow are so helpful to everyone else.

Good Luck.

Julie

[ingyandbert]

I'm 45 and not only do I work in an office, but it's a law firm. I've got Damon metal braces top and bottom. No one has said anything to me that was less than positive. Quit worrying, and just do it (top and bottom both). You'll be glad you did.

[missing_tooth]

I would definately go with top and bottom. I could have gone with just the top, however when I'm spending this much money on my teeth, I might as well get them all done right. Addtionally if I didn't get my lower teeth done, it would have caused tooth loss and other problems down the road.

IMO, just do it right the first time. Because the "cheeper" route can often end up costing more.

- Missing Tooth -

[ssfw]

My orthodontist said if he may be able to get my bite corrected with just the upper braces but will know for sure after about 4 months with my upper braces. I told him that it was no problem should I need the lower braces. The way I feel about it is I already have the upper braces and expander and want my teeth to look the best they can so adding the lower braces won't be a big deal to me. I have clear braces on top and not sure if my orthodontist will give me an option of type of brackets should I need lower braces but I'll be fine with the metal if I don't have a choice.

I think you will be very happy with following your ortho's advice.

Good luck and keep us posted.

ssfw

[princesspenelope]

I have clear ceramic on both top and bottom. Actually a lot of the times, I'm not sure if it's worth the extra money (as oppose to getting metal), especially when I feel like trying out the different color ligs, but I think it would seem like waste of money if now I'm trying to make the braces more visible. People definitely can see the clear ceramic brackets, when they stand within about five feet of me. I'm still not sure if I should've gotten the cheaper metal ones or not, because sometimes I think having braces makes me look younger, especially I'm getting ready to hit the big 3-0 in a couple years. About the only time I think the clear ceramic ones are definitely worth the extra money is when taking photographs. I always have a big smile in the photos, and I can't see the braces at all in them.

[missing_tooth]

Then there are those of us that chose metal and get the colored ligs. I've only had one negative comment. I figure if your going to have braces go with it.

Like say green


or hot pink


Might as well have some fun with it.

- Missing Tooth -[/quote]

[BracesAt42]

I was in the exact same situation as you when I went for my consultation; my reason for getting braces (at age 42 no less) was to straighten out my top arch to create the right environment to have a crown replaced.

I did have crooked bottom teeth, but really my motivation was driven by my top arch.

At my consultation my ortho asked me if I wanted to do both, and I decided right then, why not? I am going through the process, why not get both arches straightened. I did have two very croocked front bottom teeth that bothered me and thought, why not eliminate this at the same time.

I am VERY happy to have done both arches; the overall symmetry of my smile is so much better now, and those two front teeth on the bottom arch are perfect now!

And, having both arches braced allowed for the use of elastics to elminate my overbite. I noticed that the elastics were from top to bottom arch, so if you don't do the bottom arch, I am not aware of how the ortho would anchor them on the bottom? Maybe with just molar bands?

Well, my advice is to do both arches; I did not want to get to the end of treatment and regret not having done the bottom ones.

Best Wishes on your treatment!

[krooner]

Thank you everyone. I am pretty sure I'll do both. I don't have a problem with my bite so I don't think I'll need the "elastics" (that's what the ortho said). He said he would anchor the top and bottom to my molars. Thanks again!

Gracie