Crisis of confidence: metal or ceramic?

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#1 Post by **Saki** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 6:10 am

Hi, I am a 25 year old woman and after a lifetime of covering my mouth when I smile and feeling very self-conscious about my teeth, I have had my first orthodontic consult. I am in the UK and I can get free NHS orthodontic treatment in my local hospital. The orthodontist has said that my teeth could be straightened with braces in about 6 months for the upper teeth and 6-12 months for the lower. However, as it is NHS treatment, I have only been offered the metal 'train tracks'. As a very shy and self-conscious person anyway I am worried that having train tracks might make me even more self-conscious. Is it unusual for adults to have the full metal braces? Also, I have quite small teeth and am worried that the metal braces will look enormous on them. If there are any people from the UK out there who have had ceramic braces privately, how much did they cost (if that's not too impertinent a question!) and how readily available were they?

Thinking about it now, my orthodontist told me very little about what to expect, or what my options are, and as there are no private orthodontists in my area (the joy of rural Scotland!) I am not sure where to go to find out more...

Sorry if I sound a bit moany - I am really nervous about this but I have decided that whatever happens I am going to change my crooked smile somehow - and it has been incredibly uplifting to see how supportive everyone is here. There seems to be so little info available about this in the UK and I don't know any adults who have braces at all - it's all a bit scary!

Thanks!

#2 Post by **Tfiestyone4u** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:05 am

Hi Saki!

I'm 29 yrs old and I'm just going in on Monday to get braced. I am getting the metal because my ortho advised me too. His advice to me was that he can do better things with metal braces than the ceramics and the treatment time is usually shorter. So I said okay put on metal! I want out of them as fast as I can!

I don't know any adults who have braces at all - it's all a bit scary!

Hope this helps you feel not quite so alone! I am not from the UK so I don't know anything about pricing there but figured I'd offer some moral support!

Good luck and I'm sure you'll be happy you did it!

#3 Post by **juf_84** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:09 am

Hi Saki!

I'm 22 and in full metals- I didn't get a choice, they are all my ortho offers. I love them though, couldn't be happier.

Don't worry too much if you end up with the 'train tracks'- the people around you will take their cue from you, so smile big and wide and everyone will love your confidence!!

Best of luck!

#4 Post by **Delag** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:20 am

Hey Tfiestyone4u! I am getting braced on Monday as well. Saki - here is my two cents on the matter....I am also going metal - my choice. I figure that I will show them off with colored ligs as well. I would rather people just say ' oh look braces'. People are so self absorbed that if *they even notice* it will only be for a moment or two. If they are interested it is because they are thinking about braces themselves. Be proud that you are doing something so positive for yourself and embrace the railroad

#5 Post by **Natalie** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:52 am

hey! i am from the uk and 23 years old. i was gonna get ceramics but changed my mind within the last week. i got metal with baby pink ligs on friday and i went straight to my friend's bar and grinned at everyone so they could see. i weighed up the pros and cons of metal and ceramics and decided that metal would be best for me. i figure you can see braces anyway whether they're metal or ceramic, i thought...do i want people looking at my teeth for like half an hr trying to figure out what's wrong with them? (ceramic) or would i rather just have metal and then people can be like...oh she has braces...and then that's it! i think with ceramics it looks like you're trying to hide them and so people might be more curious, also there's the staining to worry about. i figure when i get used to being braced then i don't wanna have to think about it at all and with the ceramics i would always be worrying about staining (i'm just a worrier!). i looked at pics of each and liked both but am glad i went for metal. they're also cheaper, cost Â£2800 for ceramic and Â£2400 for metal. i've had conflicting advice as to whether they work quicker but here's hoping!

i think with braces it's all about confidence as to whether you can pull them off or not (my dental practice manager assured me i have the looks and personality to pull of metal!) and with our ages i don't think it looks that strange to have metal. maybe if i'd have been older i would have had ceramic but i have decided instead to just embrace the whole school girl look and even got myself a tartan kilt type skirt the other day! ha ha. if you wanna chat to me on msn messenger then my email is drusilla1982@hotmail.com - feel free to add me. also my boyfriend is living in scotland at the moment, in aberdeen, where about are you? i live in england, in staffordshire. anyway i think i've rambled far too much now so will leave it there! bye for now...

#6 Post by **Drama Queen** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:57 am

Hi Saki,

I am also a 25 year old woman from the UK and have been in braces for nearly 3 months now. I have ceramic braces on the top and bottom.

When I went to my orthodontist he gave me 3 options. Metal brackets, ceramic brackets or lingual (braces on the back of the teeth). As a very shy and self-conscious person myself I instantly disregarded the metal brackets as I wanted my treatment to be as less noticable as possible. Ideally I would have preferred to have the lingual braces but as these would have cost Â£6,000 there is no way I could have afforded them. Plus as I have an upper tonugue thrust I was worried that I would have a lot of trouble speaking when I my tongue would be hitting the brackets on my top teeth.

The cost of my ceramic braces is Â£3,500 which i pay in installments - a lot of people think i am mad for going through with all this as my teeth don't look bad at all from an outside perspective. I was in braces when I was 14 to bring down a tooth that was growing inthe wrong direction and to correct an open bite - but as I was never told to wear my retainer for life all my teeth shifted back to their original position, which has now left me with slight crowding on the upper and lower arch, an open bite and a slight protusion of the upper jaw, and if left i was told that it would probably get worse as the years went on and it would cause me problems later on in life. My ortho never mentioned that it would take longer in ceramics than metal, he never said anything to sway my decision in the type of braces to get, he told me that it was my decision and I know that as I am the one that has to live with them for the next 18 months.

It is not unusual for adults to have metal braces, since I have started this journey I have a tendencay to look at people's teeth more and have noticed a few adults with metal braces. If you do have the metal it will get to the point when people won't even notice that you have them, it is just part of you. I had metal when I was 14 and people noticed more when they were taken off then when they were put on!

It took a lot of thought and tears for me to go ahead with this all, all I could think about was what others would think of me, that all they would see when they spoke to me is the braces. But it isn't as bad as I thought, I tend to tell people about them before they say anything and other people don't even notice, some of my work colleagues are totally surprised when I talk about going to appointments or the pain as they never knew that I had them. Everybody has been fully supportive and have said that they admire my decision (which I find weird as it is not like I am going through anything life threatening). The hardest thing is not being able to eat certain things because my clear ligs will stain and the fact that I am skint all the time! but hopefully in 15 months time when this is all over, I will be glad that I went ahead with it, and I will have a perfect smile (i am sure it is only a matter of time before vogue will call me up to be on their cover!!!!)

I hope this helps

Lau xx

#7 Post by **sjsarre** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:07 am

I'm from Guernsey and the total cost of my treatment is around Â£3500 wiht Ceramics.

One of the reasons that I didn't choose metal was because I wanted them to be as discreet as possible.

The downside is that my elastics stain easily, and there is no point in me having colour elastics with ceramic as that defeats the object of trying to remain discreet.

My son is having metal and he was really hoping that he could have coloured elastics but the Ortho doesn't use elastics with the metal brace that he uses.

I don't think the treatment time would be any different for me if I was wearing metal. Its been excellent so far, don't think I could have wished for any better!

#8 Post by **charlotte T** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 9:33 am

Hi, I'm from the uk (midlands) and paying privately for front upper ceramics has cost Â£3000.

They are discreet but you can still see that I have a brace

#9 Post by **florencegal** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:16 am

Hi and welcome from another 25 yr old UK girl - seems there are a few of us twenty-something Brit chicks here, great stuff!

I'm going to be getting ceramics on top and traditional metal on the bottom, cost Â£3100 down here in Gloucestershire (I think full metal was Â£2800 if I remember correctly). I didn't even look into NHS treatment, I guess I just automatically presumed there was no chance of getting it done for free seeing as my teeth don't particularly give me any "medical" issues (eg teeth-grinding, headaches, real bite problems) and I had just enough money saved up to cover the treatment anyway. I'm hoping going private might mean more flexibility re:appointments etc but who knows?

If you've got the thumbs up for NHS treatment then that's quite a bonus, especially if private treatment isn't readily available where you are, but you need to feel totally comfortable with your choice. Is there perhaps some way of paying a "supplement" to cover the cost difference between metal and ceramics? Like some of the others have said though, I think the most important thing is the way you approach all this and even with full metal if you hold your head high and are proud of your choice then you'll find all the people worth knowing in this world will have nothing but positive things to say. I had my heart set on Invisalign but my crowding is too severe and I need extractions - at first I was devastated but hey presto I've come to terms with working the visible braces look and I actually can't wait, bring on the coloured ligs!

I think adults in braces aren't as common here in the UK as they seem to be getting in the US and perhaps elsewhere, although since I've made the choice to go ahead with braces I have noticed more than I used to, probably because I'm so much more tooth-aware now. Having said that though, I think British society in general is getting so much more accepting than it used to be of people doing things to better themselves and less judgemental of other people's "quirks". I truly believe that you will get nothing but support from those close to you and positive comments from whoever you may come across in these next 12 months of your life.

And we'll always be here for you in the Archwired world! Keep us posted on what you decide

Bestest wishes

x

#10 Post by **Sylver Ice** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 12:34 pm

Hi Saki!

I'm a 26 year old female with metal braces. I initially went to the Ortho to get Ceramics, but since my main objective was to get my teeth straightened out in as fast as possible, my Ortho recommended metal.

I have to admit, I like the metal on the top but not too 'excited' about the lower ones as I do have smaller teeth (crowded) which does make my bottom teeth look very 'metalish.' Although, it's been 4 days since I got my lower ones put, I think I'm getting used to it now.

All the best!

#11 Post by **iBorg** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 2:39 pm

I'm a late 40's male in the U.S. I have ceramic tops and will get metal bottoms. If I had to do over I'd go full metal. That way they're more apparent for when I screw up speaking people would think "Oh yeah problems with braces" instead of thinking I'm a fool who can't speak well. The metals may also be stronger and slightly smaller. The size may be something your cheeks appreciate.

Mike

#12 Post by **Saki** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 2:54 pm

Thanks everyone! It's so nice to have so much friendly support!

florencegal:

I didn't even look into NHS treatment, I guess I just automatically presumed there was no chance of getting it done for free seeing as my teeth don't particularly give me any "medical" issues (eg teeth-grinding, headaches, real bite problems) and I had just enough money saved up to cover the treatment anyway.

Yeah, I was surprised to get NHS treatment, as I only really want my teeth straightening for cosmetic reasons (although the fact that it will be easier to clean my crowded lower teeth will also be a bonus!) but apparently because I am a student and because I am getting the treatment in my local NHS hospital instead of a clinic or practice I am able to go for free. According to my ortho, "if you are treated in a hospital department you will not be charged", which I didn't know. I'm quite surprised by what you're all saying about the cost of the metal treatment privately so I am now feeling quite grateful that I've basically been offered over two grand's worth of treatment free.

florencegal:

I'm hoping going private might mean more flexibility re:appointments etc but who knows?

You are probably right there - I have been told that I have plenty of time to make up my mind as they have only just put me on the waiting list - I'm thinking I will probably not hear anything for a few months (hopefully I'm being pessimistic there, but this is the NHS we're talking about...!). Being an impatient type though, once I decide what I want to do I'll want to do it immediately, so the wait will be excrutiating! Maybe this whole thing will teach me confidence and patience! Here's hoping...!

I think I might go down south (I have family in the midlands) to get a second opinion from a private orthodontist, just so I can be sure that if I do go for the metals on the NHS I know that it really is the best option for me.

Natalie:

maybe if i'd have been older i would have had ceramic but i have decided instead to just embrace the whole school girl look and even got myself a tartan kilt type skirt the other day! ha ha.

Yeah, I think I have a tartan mini skirt somewhere in the back of the wardrobe - maybe I should pull it out and just go for the whole schoolgirl thing (I know my boyfriend would like it

)!

Thanks everyone - I can't tell you how much it helps to hear your stories. I'm sure everyone else will be more accepting than I am imagining - I think the biggest hurdle will be getting me to accept it!

I'll let you know what I decide...

#13 Post by **erik** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:56 pm

Well, I have first hand experience with both and I can tell you that my ceramics are way larger than both my daughters and sons metal brackets. My daughters are very small, smaller than my sons (they started with different orthos). I don't think the thickness is too much different though. As for comfort, we all seem to have the same issues so it probably does not matter.

As for being discreet, well, you can make out my kids tin grins a mile away! However, after about ten feet you can't see mine. Being 40, I really don't want the attention, so the ceramics were for me. I did pay a couple hundred dollars more for them and have them top and bottom. I was not worried about the bottom, but they did ceramic anyway...

I have noticed that there are quite a few adults with braces these days (at least near me), so it really is much less of a big deal. And if no one around you has them, well you are a trend setter! Other people still thinking it over might be inspired to make the decision after seeing yours.

Erik

#14 Post by **Daveyboy** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:16 am

Hi Fellow UK peeps!

I'm a 25 yr old male, and got my upper linguals 3 days ago and all is going ok. Speaking is almost fine, but my tongue is swollen and taking a battering.... however i'm confident this will subside as it toughens up over the next couple of weeks.

I too struggled with the choice of brackets etc, so much so that its almost 12 months since my first consultation, which was originally for Invisalign!

I've gone for upper linguals, and now i've got 3 weeks to decide on lower linguals or lower ceramics. I think i'm going to go with the ceramics as i just cant imagine being comfortable with the lower linguals ( i have a small lower jaw that's going to be fixed with surgery in 12 months ish)

I think whatever you choose, make sure you are happy with it. I've met plenty of people in the past couple of years including one girl at uni with full metals..... and I have to be honest, it was probably more "attractive" that she was totally confident with what she was doing, rather than appearing "embarrased" into getting ceramics.
However it is each to their own, hence i've gone for linguals. I'm going to be happier with them, she was happier with metal.

I wasn't offered NHS treatment, although i'm sure I could have got it as i've got surgery as part of my plan. This is currently covered on insurance, but the OS i've chosen does NHS treatment, so i can get covered if there is any issue with the insurance.

Good luck to everyone in the UK, and also everyone else on this board. This site definately helped persuade me to take the plunge, and even though my tongue would currently disagree.... I dont regret it for a moment!

See ya
Dave

#15 Post by **BeeBee** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:29 am

I'm another twenty-something British girl. I have upper and lower ceramics and have been wearing them for about 4 months. It's definately been worth it as my top teeth have really straigtened out. It going to cost about Â£2500 in total - a lot of money!

I like having ceramics as they are definatey less noticeable, but people still realise that I am weaing braces. Weaing any sort of braces can be hard at times. You will get fed up and self conscious with ceramic just like with metal braces durnig your treatment.

I'd say that you should make your decision based on finances. You are extremely lucky to be offered NHS treatment. If money is tight, take avantage of this. If you have more money then ceramics may be a little easier to get used to.

Whatever you decide good luck!