Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi all! I know there are alot of people with damon braces. I've read previous thread on damon braces but there are really quite a lot of put off of the system and very little personal comments on the type of brackets that I'll like to know about. As I have just had damon braces, I would like some personal opinions about this type of braces.

Kindly provide your personal opinions on the questions below:

1) Had anyone been told that they can avoid extractions by putting damons and had also successfully done so?

2) As damons have a higher profile (stick out more than the trad kind of brackets) does this pose any problems for u?

3) Do most of us encounter the "Sticky door" problem? Is it very painful/serious as the years go by? (I have yet to encounter this but there are 2 years to go!)

4) In general, do you regret choosing this or not requesting for another kind of brackets before treatment?

(You can also pose other personal comments on your experience with damons! )

I do know that brackets do not do wonders. Its just that I would like to know more about the type of brackets I'm using. Please note that these are PERSONAL opinions. People who are choosing types of brackets, do read up on other types of brackets and the counter-arguments of the advertisement hype of damons.

Hello Braced, congrats on your new set of Braces. I have Damon brackets and here are my personal experiences and opinions.

1) Yes I was told I would not need extractions with Damon's... however there are other dentists out there who use other types of brackets without needing to do extractions either.

2) When I was younger I had traditional style braces and I definitely can recall them being a little more shallow. The Damon's do stick out a little farther. At first it felt VERY strange but I have gotten used to them and I don't feel they are an interference.

3) As I am still waiting for my first adjustment I do not know, but as soon as they open my doors Ill let you know.

4) No I do not regret the bracket system my ortho chose for me for two reasons.
1. I trust my Ortho fully, if he feels this bracket system is the right one for me then I too feel the same.
2. I was not charged anymore for my Damon system then any other metal bracket system he uses. So I don't feel like I was put in Damon's due to higher pay for my Ortho.

A this point I have no regrets and am very happy with my treatment so far. Congrats on your Damon's and I hope your treatment goes smoothly with a fantastic result.

Oh and if I may ask you a question? How long did it take to have yours installed?

Mine took 20 minutes and I have been curious as to the install time for other Damon wearers. I know when I had my first set of braces installed when I was younger it took 2 hours, which is what I was expecting when I went in.

I have had my damons for just over three months now, and I'm due for my second adjustment in two weeks.

1. No need for extractions, so doesn't apply to me.

2. I've never had any other type of braces, but the size of the bracket doesn't bother me. It felt weird stretching my upper lip over the braces at first, but I think that was due more to the position of my teeth than anything else. Now I barely feel that they are there.

3. No problems so far with the doors, but I've only had one adjustment.

4. I have no regrets about my braces. I didn't care whether I had metal or ceramic, and my ortho never asked me my preference - he told me that these were the type he liked best for my type of problems. His other patients seem to have all different types of braces and there was no price difference for me for damons vs any other type, so I trust my ortho and his experience to know what is best.

Best of luck to you with your treatment,
Lisa

1) I still had 4 extractions with damons, so that wasn't the case for me. I didn't look around different orthos because I had little choice, being a minor, so I went straight with my dentist's recommendation. Maybe sometimes extractions can't be avoided.

2) I haven't found any problems with the profile, they feel pretty comfortable once you've had them a while.

3) I've had no problems like that in almost 18 months, so here's hoping it stays that way!

4) I don't regret, because like I said, I had little say in the matter, my ortho uses them so that's what I went with, and they've gotten me good results up until now. I don't know if I believe in the speed improvement people talk about, I'm already over the initial estimate duration.

I've got plenty of photos on my www link if you want to see.

Good luck,
Sim

1) Had anyone been told that they can avoid extractions by putting damons and had also successfully done so? Yes, first ortho I consulted with said extract all 4 first pre molars. My ortho said no extractions. please note this is my personal experience and not an advertisement!

2) As damons have a higher profile (stick out more than the trad kind of brackets) does this pose any problems for u? I know they do stick out a bit more than my daughter's brackets, but you get used to it very quickly.

3) Do most of us encounter the "Sticky door" problem? Is it very painful/serious as the years go by? (I have yet to encounter this but there are 2 years to go!) NEVER had a door stick.

4) In general, do you regret choosing this or not requesting for another kind of brackets before treatment? I don't regret it at all. THese were the right bracket for me...no colored ligs and quick (10 minute) wire changes.

It took about an hour to have everything put in. This took longer because my upper fronts were a different type (Opals) and they popped right back off and had to be direct bonded one at a time. The indirect bonding of the Damons was fairly quick.

1. I did not need any extractions with my Damons. I'm not a candidate for invisalign, and my ortho recommended Damons for my treatment, so I don't know for sure whether or not I would have needed extractions with a different treatment plan. My lowers are VERY crowded, though.

2. They do seen to me to be higher profile. You get used to it very quickly.

3. I have not yet had an adjustment, but I have had my wire removed because of a loose bracket. The assistant had a slight problem with one or two of the doors, but I also know that she is fairly inexperienced with Damons, so I'd like to believe that was the reason! I have actually had 2 doors open by themselves. I noticed my wire out in two places....so I popped it back in amd closed the doors.

4. So far, I do not regret my decision at all. Although I do wish I could get colors!

It took almost 2 hours to have everything put on, but I also had my impressions that morning and I had turbos put on.

I've had Damons for just over a year. In answer to your questions:

1. Yes I was told I would be much less likely to need extractions (I had quite significant crowding). I have had no extractions and will not be either, my braces will be coming off early summer.

2. I've never worn any other type of braces so have nothing to compare them to. I don't have any problems with them though, in fact I hardly notice them anymore. Will be very strange when they are removed though!

3. I have had problems with sticking doors, which can be uncomfortable when ortho tries to get them open! It is the only negative thing about them IMO.

4. I don't regret it at all. As long as my teeth are straight at the end of it, thats the main thing anyway.

I had a 45 minute appointment to get the brackets on, so it didn't take too long

1. I didn't need extractions but I did/do need surgury to make my bite perfect. I decided I didn't want to go that route and was told Damons would be the next best thing.

2. Profile hasn't been an issue. They're probably about the same as any other bracket in terms of comfort.

3. Sticking doors has become a big problem. Didn't start until around 9 months but has gotten really bad. Makes adjustments awefully painful for certain teeth.

4. I'm happy with the results (they're actually coming off today!) but would have prefered clear braces if performance* wasn't an issue. For pure vanity reasons. I like how clear brackets look.
* Based on what my ortho told me - not advertising - no freaking out please.

1) I have Damons AND extractions.
2) The braces used to hit my mouth initially, but not now until just yesterday.....
3) Don't know
4) Don't know...just glad I don't have ligs.

Meryaten wrote:Hey Sim - you got Damons on the NHS?

No, I'm a private patient for both the dentist and orthodontist, yet I get free dental treatment because I'm under 18 and in full-time education. My ortho I'm not sure about. I don't get charged although I am not NHS, I wouldn't have qualified for it! I believe my ortho does free treatment for those starting under 16, and this changed a couple of months after I started, so I got away without paying! I may be wrong though...

chevyhuny wrote:Oh and if I may ask you a question? How long did it take to have yours installed?

Mine took 20 minutes and I have been curious as to the install time for other Damon wearers. I know when I had my first set of braces installed when I was younger it took 2 hours, which is what I was expecting when I went in.

Hi! Thanks for your reply to this thread! I did not quite remember how long it takes to put them on. As it was my first time putting on braces, and I was really nervous. It seems to take forever! But I think it did not take more than 30 mins. They seem to work quite fast. My ortho and her asisstant are experienced with Damons (the asisstant is wearing them herself).

Thank you for the replies to this thread. I'm glad to get valuable opinions from you all.

SimInsomniac, may I know how to go to the www link you posted in your reply?

jennielee81, congrats on finishing your treatment with damons! I was also told that I need 4 bicuspid extractions by the first ortho I went to. My ortho said I might not need exractions but I'm not sure how likely it is. I have my fingers crossed! Glad to hear you managed to avoid the extractions!

2. Regarding profile, I bothered me at first because I had protuding front teeth and the higher profile seem to make them even more prominent and its harder to close my lips. I have not actually gotten used to them but is trying to.

3. I never had a sticky door problems but I only had 1 adjustment so far.

4. Not really. Quite happy with the progress so far.

Braced4braces,
I worded my reply badly. Sorry. I meant my www link below my sig. Failing that, find my thread in Our Braces Stories. Hope that helps more than my last attempt.

Sim

I'm not sure if what I have are "damons" or not, but I have the self-litigating ones with the doors...At my initial consults, I had one orthodontist who wanted to do a jaw expander for 6 months, one that wanted extractions, and my ortho now, who didn't go with either...but YES, i've had issues with brackest getting stuck....one of them, the assistant tried so hard to get it open, she pulled the bracket off completely...good thing that tooth wasn't sensitive already, lol. I like mine except for the hooks on them, wouldn't go any other way, cept i would have liked to have had color options