Metal Mouth Message Board

I'm sooooooo excited!!!! Found out today that I will be getting my Damon braces on in exactly one week!!!!!

I had Damon 3s put on my bottoms this past tuesday - march 27th. I LOVE THEM!!! However. the only thing I have to compare them with is the huge bulky molar bands and one braket in the back to keep my pendulum in place. So, in comparrison, i don't think they are bulky at all! They are also real cute! I have the clears, and they really do look fantastic.

I don't buy into the fact that they are necessarily faster though. That really seems kind of silly. It didn't take long - about 30 minutes for the bottom arch. I haven't had to use any wax so far, but I have stayed very hydrated.

By the way - i avoided extractions by using a pendulum device to make 6MM of space in the back of my mouth. The results are amazing. (though I don't necessarily love this appliance!)

Hi, I had Damon braces put on a year ago next week. After having braces as a teen (I'm now 26) I love this type of brace. I had some weird type as a teen that instead of binding a bracket to your tooth, they tied an arch wire to each tooth with wire and tightened the wires each visit. I have no idea of the type and have never seen them outside of that Orthodontists office.

I spoke to 3 different Orthodontists and decided to use this type for various reasons. When I went in for my first visit, what I thought would be a pre-fitting, they put the braces on. It took at most 30 minutes, top and bottom. Each visit thereafter, every 6-8 weeks, they changed out the arch wire until I reached the last wire. They started using elastics about midway through.

I'm due to get them off in 1 weeks time. There was never any real pain, never a stuck door, in fact the worst was when they open the doors and I brush my teeth. The doors are sharp when opened. Like little razors.

Compared to my earlier braces which took at least 2 hours to put on, and required bi-weekly visits for 2.5 years.

KK wrote:
One concern ... I'd never have let an ortho start treating my teeth without first taking the time to analyse my x-rays, photos, mould and 'real' examination ... and then discussing the treatment plan with me. Fortunately you've had no problem, but when you consider how important the placement of brackets is to treatment ... wow ... starting that way is scary ...

First thing. Sorry I wasn't clear. I went in about six months before and they x-rayed me, talked over everything, etc. Then I went in again about 2 weeks before my first real appointment and made sure nothing had changed. What caught me off guard was that as a teen, my first real appointment was to take impressions and some other stuff. Which for some reason I thought would be the same, but they instead had the brackets there ready to put on.

Now,

Meryaten wrote: You don't say how old you are, Tony.

I'm 26, was 15 my first time around.

Let's see if I can remember how they worked...

Around my molars was a metal band with slots for an arch wire. The arch wire slotted into those slots, and that the only place that was actually "attached" to my teeth. Around each tooth after that would have been a thin wire, quite like twist wire, that wrapped around my tooth, and then was tied to the arch wire and 'twisted' until nice and tight. Every two weeks or so I'd go in and he'd tighten them up or replace the little twist wire.

I went to school with one other person that went to him, but have never seen them on anyone else. When I explained them to the three Orthodontists I consulted with only two had ever heard of them, and none of their staff had. From what I remember they said it was a system that was phased out around 50 years ago. I'll have to ask my Orthodontist what they were next visit.

KK wrote:and maybe a system that your then ortho had found worked for him!

They worked OK, but, according to some Orthodontist (can't remember if it's my current guy or one I talked to at another time), that method can't effectively move a tooth in all directions. ie. in and out. Which seems to make sense, since the reason I went back in was due to my front top two teeth not reaching my bottom front teeth, no matter how I tried. Making it impossible to eat a sandwich or pizza. I got tired of having to use a fork for everything.

They do now, but every time I bite a little piece of pepper I wish they didn't again.

Back to the topic, but I just remembered wearing head gear, and not needing to with the Damon system. Is that common, or just part of being a re-do that doesn't need that much movement?

Edit. I guess instead of impressions at the beginning, I remember them taking all kinds of digital photos. Ah, technology.

I remember a woman on here about 6 months ago who posted her pictures in the Braces Story section who had regular brackets on most of her teeth, but there were a few (as I recall) that had wires wrapped around them and twisted to the archwire.

I will see if I can find it.

Many of us posted that we were interrested to watch her progress, but she never posted again. I stick a link into a reply if/when I find that.

Good to hear you're almost done with your second treatment!

I also liked my Damons and never had a bit of trouble with them

I can't believe I found it!!

Some of her pictures (the second on the top) looks like the wire is really high up on that tooth and causing her gum to swell, OUCH!

Is this similar to what you had, CitizenTony? Only on all of your teeth?

DARN! I hate it when I act so BLOND! (I am a blond, so I'm aloud to say that)

Here it is:

viewtopic.php?p=143982&highlight=#143982

Top right pictures is really a good example.....

I had sort of forgotten about her, too, until Citizen Tony posted.

Since I found that old link, I did check up on her current situation. Looks like she's got REAL brackets on all of her teeth now!

Her arch is nice!

Thanks for posting that link, Karen, I didn't even think to do that...oh heck, I wasn't even reliable in posting the first one!

That's sort of close, but at the same time, not. The bands around the back teeth are similar, but the arch wire was closer to the gum line. Like in the top right photo, the upper teeth next to the two front teeth (Upper laterals?). The arch wire would have been right where the tooth begins and the gum ends. The small wire tied to them is similar, but imagine that on every tooth. Except the wire was also right at the gum line.

1. Not me. (didn't need extractions)

2. Only thing is they get caught on my inside lip sometimes, but only if my lips are really dry. If I use chap stick throughout the day (on hot or cold days) then I'm totally fine.

3. No stuck doors yet. But I inquired about this and he told me the older designed series of Damons had stuck doors but that the new kind do not as they have been re-engineered.

4. I like 'em. NO PAIN after the first few days. I litterally cannot even feel them anymore. They are frictionless as the wire just sits in the little tunnels through each bracket instead of being clamped on, and I can eat nearly anything I want within reason.

-Michael-

Its really encouraging to hear everyone had great results and are happy with the Damons.

I get my Damon 3s on in 3 days!!!! I'm really, really excited for Thursday, and seeing people happy about them calms my nerves a bit. I'll be sure to post pics!!

I have been very happy with my damons. When I went in my 5 month adjustment, my ortho said that the progress I made in that time would have taken 1 year in traditional braces. (Many on the forum have said it is not necessarily the brackets as the talent of the ortho. I personally believe it is both.)

I have never regretted getting damons. Actually, my ortho chose them, based on my individual needs. I trusted her and am glad I chose to get braced.

Hi everyone, this is my first post on ArchWired! I'm so glad I found this site, and also glad I found this thread!

I'm 23 years old and I'm getting Damon braces on June 7th. I've wanted braces for a long time (I had retainers for years as a kid, but when it came time to get braces, apparently I refused, and my parents didnt force me to get them. I wish they had!), but couldnt afford to pay for them.

Well, I got engaged on St Patty's Day, and my parents surprised me wiht an early wedding present by offering to pay cash if I wanted to get my teeth straightened, so I said YES!!

I went to a highly recommended and well known orthodontist - a father/son team with over 35 years experience. So, to make a long story short, I'm getting all 4 of my wisdom teeth out (they are all impacted, and one even has a cyst around it), and I have an old baby tooth that needs to come out, plus another one on the opposite side...I guess to even it out? I'll have my Damons in for 20-24 months, then a retainer on 24/7 for a few months, and a bridge (I think thats what its called) behind my lower teeth for life. My orthodonist assured me that the braces would be off before my wedding (July 25 2009), and I can pop the retainers out during the ceremony and reception.

I'm VERY NERVOUS about the extractions and how my teeth will look with gaps in them. I'm also concerned about this "sunken face" condition I've read about. Are these legitimate concerns or am I just being a worry-wart?

I'm looking forward to participating on these boards when I have my braces!