I have had my damon3's for about 6 months now. I try not to count. Anyway, I like them. They do seem to stick out a little more. It took me about 3 months to get to a point where I can eat anything I want and talk all night long and not have a sore mouth. I am older though (uh, mid-late 40's) so I may take longer to heal than younger folks. Sad, but true. They are smaller but still show quite a bit when I smile.
There is very little pain with adjustments. I just take a couple of motrin that night before bed and chew softly for a few days.
My doctor says I am doing great and right on schedule. Pretty good for an old girl. I will be in braces for 18-24 months. I hope when he says I am on schedule he means for the 18 months.
But I don't ask, cuz I'm not counting....
My ortho ONLY does damon3. He has been in business for a long time and switched over completely. That says alot about these brackets, I think. Otherwise, why would he do it? Most likely he makes more money via less treatment time and less visits than with regular braces. The only other financial gain I can think of would be the brackets themselves. But how could that be since the damon3 seem more high tech than regular brackets? I am rambling.
My treatment was a bit more expensive than my daughter who is going to a different ortho. My Ortho told me that he has 50% adult patients. This may be because he is exclusively damon3 and the kids really want the colored ligs, like my daughter. She just got pink powerchains for her 8th grade grad pictures. So cute!
Anyway if anyone wants a good referral in the South Bay Area, California, let me know. These guys are great! There are three orthos in the office so there is always someone there to help you. The receptionist is sweet and all of the assistants have been very nice. I never have to wait more than 30 seconds for an appointment. (seriously). And I was able to MOVE my appointment easily recently. They were very accomodating.
I have had no brackets breaking, no wires breaking so far and no trouble getting the little doors open. And I didn't have bands put on my molars because they couldn't put the spacers in. So here I am with brackets glued right to my second molars. No problem.
Good luck to you. When I decided to get braces the wait would have been excruciating for me so I schedule the first spacer visit like that week. I needed the initial unknowns to be overwith right away!
I'm 26 y/o and FINALLY getting braces
