Ceramic or Metal Brackets?

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#1 Post by **Bekah** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:21 am

Hello everyone! I am extremely new here. I have posted a couple of times in the "Parents" forum about my daughter who just got braces last month.

My question is this, I have gone to my daughter's orthodontist to get a quote for fixing some crowding on my bottom teeth. The quote that I recieved was for ceramic brackets and ended up at around $5,000, the other was for invisalign for the bottoms only at just over $3000.

I am scared to only do one arch, so I have decided to get the full braces. However I was told that there is no price difference at all between ceramic and metal brackets for adults. Which type is easiest to keep clean? I like the idea of ceramic but have been told that they are are larger than the metal brackets.

Can anyone offer me some advice?

#2 Post by **MsVarlene** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:45 am

The profile of a ceramic bracket is a little more bulky than a metal bracket. Also, the clear ligatures used do tend to get stained, depending on what you eat and drink. Plus, since they are not very noticeable, many people tend to stare at your teeth trying to figure out what's in your mouth. With metal brackets, people know that you are wearing braces and just leave it at that.

#3 Post by **Bekah** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:49 am

MsVarlene wrote:The profile of a ceramic bracket is a little more bulky than a metal bracket. Also, the clear ligatures used do tend to get stained, depending on what you eat and drink. Plus, since they are not very noticeable, many people tend to stare at your teeth trying to figure out what's in your mouth. With metal brackets, people know that you are wearing braces and just leave it at that.

Thank you for responding! That is what I was thinking. I guess I was worried that people would be talking to me thinking "Does she have something on her teeth?" the whole time!

I have looked at my daughters braces and just don't know if I could get used to anything bulkier than that in my mouth! I am still in the research phase and haven't committed yet. I just want to know my options.

#4 Post by **iBorg** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:55 am

I've had both metals and ceramics. The ceramics were replaced due to a bonding issue with my enamel. I'm told I'm very unusual in that regard. I have found the metals to be much more comfortable than ceramics. I also like the fact that people know I'm braced rather than people trying to figure out if I do or don't have braces.

Mike

#5 Post by **mary.** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:47 am

I have ceramics on top and love them. They just look really good, they don't stand out and I've found them to be comfortable enough and they were just fine to get used to. I've not noticed any staining and I drink lots of coffee. I have metal on the bottom - for the reasons that are so well described above my ortho doesn't put ceramics on the bottom.

#6 Post by **Spanner** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:50 am

I've got ceramic on the top and will be getting metal on the bottom for the reason that Meryaten explained.

Not all my top brackets are ceramic though, the four back ones are metal and I have to say they are smoother and smaller than the ceramic ones.

People do stare at my mouth and I do sometimes wonder that if I had chosen all metal they would have worked out what I had in my mouth quicker and not prolonged the stare. But, from a distance they are hardly noticeable at all and I'm happy with my choice.

#7 Post by **Bekah** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 1:31 pm

Thank you for the pics Meryaten!!! My ortho wants me to get the ceramic tops and metal bottoms. I was just debating on whether or not to get all metal because there is absolutely no price difference with my ortho!

I thought that was weird but maybe they are just charging me a fortune in the first place!

#8 Post by **TigerLily** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:56 pm

I chose ceramics top and bottom. I paid extra for both. To me appearance was important and felt it was worth it. My ortho at the time was at the end of her own ortho treatment and she also had them on top and bottom. I have only got my bottoms so far and only a few people have noticed them unless I bring it up. And they all saw the glint from a metal one at the back which shows due to my crowding but will move over time.

I noticed immediately the lower only metal ones a girl in a shop had on recently.. But then I might notice more as I have braces myself.

I dont know what brand my braces are but I do not think they have a bigger footprint than the metals I have on my back teeth. If I rub my cheek against all my braces, if anything my metal ones hurt more.

#9 Post by **platinum** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:56 pm

However I was told that there is no price difference at all between ceramic and metal brackets for adults. Which type is easiest to keep clean? I like the idea of ceramic but have been told that they are are larger than the metal brackets.

I got ceramics with the same price as metallic would have been. I went for ceramic top and metal bottom. If I could choose again I would like to have ceramics on bottom teeth, too.

Ceramic brackets are bigger but the surface is smoother.

There are many people in this forum who had to pay extra for ceramics, so go for it!!!!

#10 Post by **acd** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:57 pm

I did ceramics on top and metal on the bottom but if I had it to do again I'd go full metal. They are smaller and take up less space in your mouth and after you get over the initial shock of having braces you don't really care if anyone knows you have braces.

#11 Post by **adayinthelife** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 11:03 pm

I have ceramic on top and bottom (I was really worried about the appearance) and i've had no problems. The only reason I wish I would've gotten metal on the bottom is because of money. Knowing what I know now, it would've been fine. The tops are the most visible.

I've had no staining or problems with the brackets at all though.

#12 Post by **dugsmom** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:09 pm

I don't know much about ceramics except what the ortho's assistant told me today. She told me that treatment time is greatly increased because they can't move the teeth as much with ceramics. She and the ortho don't recommend ceramics because of that. So if you don't want to be wearing braces for an extra 6 months or so, then go with the metals.

#13 Post by **Bekah** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:18 pm

Well my oldest had an adjustment today, so I asked the ortho at that appointment and he told me that as a rule they always do ceramic on adults. He also said that it was up to me and that he had a tech that opted for metal.

I am doing a lot of research online and I can see positives to both kinds. Hubby is gone right now, so now all I have to do is break it to him that I want to spend $5300 on my teeth!!

My mother keeps telling me I am too old to worry about straightening my teeth now. I am now second guessing myself. I love this board. I will be calling in the morning to make a records appointment and going to set everything up!

I need to go in and look at the different sets of teeth to make my final decision. I worry that I will have problems with staining the ligs and should just avoid the whole "do you have something on your teeth" situation and get traditional brackets.

Oh well I will update later and eventually start a "braces story"

#14 Post by **browneyedgrl** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:54 pm

Hi Bekah,

I'm a second timer and I'm sporting ceramics on top and metals on the bottom(my ortho doesn't offer ceramics on the bottom). I had a choice and my ortho didn't charge more for the ceramics. Some people will tell you that ceramics stain, they don't it's the elastic ties that do. I've had wire ties from day one and they've been great!

Good luck with your decision!!!

Keep us posted!

B

#15 Post by **Buffy** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:19 pm

Hi,

I've got a combo of clear brackets on top and metal on bottom (link to my story with pics is in my sig). I feel it's made me a lot more comfortable with the braces - everyone has said to me that, aside from the archwire, my top braces aren't very visible unless you're looking closely. I think this has helped me avoid the confidence knock (which was important to me, as I was already feeling a bit low just having them at first).

The clear-metal combo has worked quite well for me. The clear brackets are definitely bigger than the metals, but I honestly haven't noticed that much of a difference in terms of comfort (or anything else for that matter).

To give you an idea of context - I work in a very person-oriented job, I train 3 different martial arts, and have a long-term boyfriend with whom I've tested the rigours of my orthodontic work to much success, so I haven't been babying my mouth or anything like that

And in all that, I haven't felt a huge difference between either set.

Just go with whatever you think will make you happiest, because it's a long-term decision - if cost is an issue, then maybe metal is the way to go. If you feel you'll be nervous or unhappy about having an obviously metal mouth, then ceramics/clears are for you.

Hope that helps a little.

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Ceramic or Metal Brackets?

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