Metal Mouth Message Board

What made most of you decide to get clear on top and metal on bottom? Or have all metal? Was it because of your job? Was one recommanded more than the other one?

i have all metal/i chose metal because i was too cheap to pay an additional 200 for clear

I got clear on top social teeth for aesthetics.
Metal on bottom, aesthetics didn't matter much because you don't notice my bottom's so much.

By choice, I'd have had ceramic top and bottom because they are less noticeable (I teach and give presentations etc). However, I could only have ceramics on the uppers as apparently, my bottom teeth were too small
Now my braces are on, I can see that my bottom teeth would not have accommodated the bigger ceramic brackets well. I think the smaller metal brackets are more comfortable too.

Oh, forgot to mention that after having the braces fitted, I read a review article in an orthodontic journal describing how difficult removing ceramic brackets were, relative to metal brackets...kinda made me think that maybe metal all round not such a bad idea!

I have all metal on top, and will eventually have all metal on the bottom as well. I would have preferred to have the ceramic brackets on top, as a graduate student I do a lot of public speaking at conferences and giving lectures for undergrad courses. However, due to a severe allergy to latex my ortho and I decided that the metal self-ligating brackets would be best. While I'm disappointed to be stuck in all metal, the one upshot is that the brackets I have are much smaller than both the ceramic and traditional metal brackets.

I decided on all metal mainly because of cost. But I teach elementary school and knew I would get colored ligs, so there was no reason to get clear. There are four other teachers at my small school in braces, so it is not a big deal I am in braces.

I chose all metal because it's smaller and heard works the best. The clears and metals were the same price however. I kind of wish I got clear on top but a coworker told me that she had ceramics on top and they broke all the time and had to change to metal later. Braces feel bulky as it is I can't imagine how uncomfortable I would be in ceramics. Still everytime I see my face, I think metal mouth! But oh wells at least they are doing their job.

I have all metal and I am happy with this choice. I used to think that I would only ever wear the clear brackets, but my ortho strongly suggested that I go all metal - my teeth are smaller in the back and he didn't think that the larger brackets would be the best for those small teeth. He also doesn't like how hard they are to remove, and also he thought that my case would go much smoother with the metal brackets (they're stronger and can generally get the job done a little faster). All of those reasons were enough to convince me (begrudgingly at the time). I'm used to the metal look now and don't mind it. I am glad that the brackets are not larger, I don't think I would like larger brackets. I also didn't want to worry about staining the clear ligs - I'm a coffee and tea drinker, and I love tomato based foods and eat with the works like mustard. It's so nice to not worry at all about staining the ligs.

Lowers only - ceramic, my ortho is convinced metal offers no advantages, to modern ceramic brackets. From stuff on the board, it seems like individual ortho preference, so I guess find someone who prefers the kind of brackets you want, whatever kind that is.

I have Inspire Ice on my upper social six. Ice brackets are made of sapphire not ceramic and I really like them because they are totally clear. I have had several removed and repositioned with no problems whatsoever. I got the clear for aesthetic reasons.

Mine are metal for cost and effectiveness and toughness.

i thought "chicken out and go semi-stealth or go crazy and go metal"
i had a lot of time to think about it but as i _am_ crazy i choosed metal

was a good choice to me as with my big mouth, it doesnt show much when you speak in fact
anyway ceramic or metal, people (will) know you are wearing braces (at least this is my belief) so the choice is up to you and the advantages you see with ceram and metal

I have Radiance clear on top and metal on the bottom. I didn't pay more for the clear on top, but didn't want to pay extra for clear on the bottom- geez I'm paying enough already!!! They aren't very noticable- I have wire ties so no problems with staining. The clear do feel a bit bulky on the top, but who knows, maybe the metal would feel bulky also- but then I have a very small mouth.

I work in HR so I got clear all around. I wouldn't consider it "chickening out" as someone has coined it. The decision was a matter of work environment and aesthetics of having clear. Everyone has there reasons but you better be sure that's what you want.