Are traditional Metal brackets ugly?

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#16 Post by **jxds** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:15 am

I've got full metal at 29, and no regrets at all. I also wanted ceramics but got damon (which are metal) bc I could avoid extractions. I don't think they look that bad!

#17 Post by **magster** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:48 am

Im 22 and have metal.. both top and bottom....

do I think they are ugly? I thought I LOOKED stupid when I first got them on but now I got used to having them...

as far as people noticing.. well I could care less

nobody has really said anything only a couple people but at the same time I am yet to run into another adult with braces! but ever since I got braced I look at peoples teeth more and think to myself "ya they could use braces" if I think they could - which I also belive most people nowadays need braces at some point.. unless you got really lucky and have awesome genes and lost your baby teeth accordingly and all your teeth came in properly

#18 Post by **kilikena311** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:26 pm

I'm also all metal top and bottom and I'm not really worried about how they look, just glad to be getting these teeth straightened out. Nobody has said a word to me about them. I don't think people really notice that much unless you are like us and obsessed with our teeth. LOL

#19 Post by **Lola** » Tue May 12, 2009 3:01 pm

I got ceramics because I was so paranoid about getting braces. 15 months later I couldnt care less. Braces are braces, you can still see mine and the clear ligs and powerchains stain, but they are only braces. I think everyone feels that their own are really noticable but if you think about it, when did you ever see anyone with braces and think "ugh they're ugly"?? The ceramics benefit you for the first little while until you stop caring

#20 Post by **kilikena311** » Tue May 12, 2009 3:31 pm

I mentioned above that I have all metal braces, and its been a month and the only people that have noticed were people that knew I was getting braces. Plus, another adult I've met that has braces is my dentist! LOL

#21 Post by **newsboysgrl777** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:50 pm

magster wrote:but ever since I got braced I look at peoples teeth more and think to myself "ya they could use braces" if I think they could - which I also belive most people nowadays need braces at some point..

LOL!!! I do and think the SAME THING!!! I believe EVERYBODY could use braces, however, the trauma I've experienced with my lowers is enough for me to decide that not everyone's 'problems' should warrant such horrendous discomfort! (Seriously. You'd think in this day and age, we could do something MORE comfortable and LESS time-consuming than braces...Like maybe tooth-reconstruction? LOL. I don't know...)

#22 Post by **newsboysgrl777** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:57 pm

Well, I've posted twice on this topic, but never actually replied to the initial post..so here goes.

I have ceramic on top and metal on the bottom. I have to admit that I hated the metal when I first got it. I had had my ceramic on for 8 months prior to getting the bottoms, so the bottoms looked SO dark and SO 'foreign' compared to the ceramic. However, I'm sure the same could be said no matter WHEN you get them. I also remember thinking how HUGE the ceramic brackets seemed on my teeth when I first got them.

So, I'll agree with everyone else by saying that braces are braces and no matter what we do, they're still braces (ie: noticeable, uncomfortable, etc.). However, that being said, if I had it to do all over again, I would do the same combo I have now. Ceramic top/metal bottom. Why? I just like the LOOK of the ceramic better. I don't know why. Granted, the metal is smaller and so the lig changes are much easier, but I like the way the ceramic looks with colors AND with clear better than the metal.

So far, I've had lavender on both arches and didn't like the lavender on the metal. Then I got clear upper ligs and smoke bottom ligs, and I'm going to stay with smoke on the bottom from now on. I just don't like how they look with colors...whereas I do with the ceramics. Maybe I'm weird??

Now...here's the last thing I'll say. My ceramics were no more than my metal. My ortho gave me a 'discount' by saying she'd give me ceramics at the same price as the metal, so there was no difference in price for me.

Soooo...if you could have ceramic at the same price that you'd have metal, which would YOU choose?? Because many times, cost is the main factor to consider...but what if it wasn't? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

(PS I'm having my upper 6 removed for my wedding, then put back on after my wedding. I had considered putting metal in its place after I'd had the ceramics for a while and realized they were still highly visible, but quickly dismissed it once I got my metal bottoms because I just don't like how they look)

#23 Post by **beth1966** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:20 am

I've gone back and forth between ceramic on top or metal top and bottom. Some orthos charge more for ceramic and others do not.

No doubt certain brands of the metal bracket are significantly smaller. Infact one ortho I saw offers a mini-metal bracket that he places on the front, top 'social 6' teeth - they are so small as compared to ANY of the ceramic brackets on the market (that includes traditional brackets with ligatures as well as the self ligating ceramics that have a bit of metal on them).

I have to admit - I was really leaning towards ceramic for a while, but after seeing how tiny the metal self ligating brackets are (by Speed System) - and how much easier they will be to clean, I will probably go with all metal.

#24 Post by **beth1966** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:25 am

I forgot to mention - they had models in the office of the Inovation-C ceramics and the tiny metal self ligating brackets - The ceramics were HUGE and bulky in comparision - I just feel as tho they will look like I have some weird film on my teeth vs. just having a smaller metal bracket.

As many say - braces are braces, you will look like there is something on your teeth no matter what. The only reason I can justify ceramics if if in a photo taken far away - you can't see you have them on. But up close in photos, either way - it will appear as tho something is on your teeth.

I also have reasonably small teeth, small lips and small mouth - so size of bracket is a huge consideration for me. I also would not want to worry about staining of ligs as I've seen people that have had that issue and it is a real burden for them. So self ligating is the way to go for me.

#25 Post by **danish** » Thu May 14, 2009 2:40 pm

in my opinion braces don't improve anybody's looks regardless of metal or ceramics. However, ceramics are less noticeable which might make the process more bearable for some people who have problems with being self-conscious due to the braces.
I'm in metals but if I could choose again and money wouldn't be a problem I would go for lingual braces which is the least noticeable solution.

Danish