Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi,

I have been asking around and checking which orthodontists in my area offer self litigating ceramic brackets and had a response from one who does and one who does not because he is yet to find a self litigating ceramic bracket that is as strong as metal and looks as good as regular ceramic. He said that he was at a convention in the states and there might be a product he will use later in the year but he cannot say whether he will be happy to use it yet.

This put a spanner in the works as I was building myself up for SL ceramic brackets Now I'm wondering whether I should plan for ceramics with ligs or even full metal. Lingual seem quite scary an very expensive and I doubt invisalign would be suitable.

I am finding it very hard to see pics of ceramics with clear or coloured ligs. Is there anywhere I can have a look and what looks best?

TIA

ST

I had ceramic self ligating braces. The brand is In-Ovation C. Don't use the brand that the orthodontist uses as the sole basis on where you'll get treatment. The doctors expertise and chair side manor are more important. All brackets for the most part are the same. The wire moves he teeth based on the position of the brackets.

seriousthinker wrote:Hi,

I have been asking around and checking which orthodontists in my area offer self litigating ceramic brackets and had a response from one who does and one who does not because he is yet to find a self litigating ceramic bracket that is as strong as metal and looks as good as regular ceramic. He said that he was at a convention in the states and there might be a product he will use later in the year but he cannot say whether he will be happy to use it yet.

This put a spanner in the works as I was building myself up for SL ceramic brackets Now I'm wondering whether I should plan for ceramics with ligs or even full metal. Lingual seem quite scary an very expensive and I doubt invisalign would be suitable.

I am finding it very hard to see pics of ceramics with clear or coloured ligs. Is there anywhere I can have a look and what looks best?

TIA

ST

Great to see you're doing your research. I have clear sapphire radiance brand brackets on my social 6. I have white Teflon wire ties. These are white wires that don't stain and the white behind the brackets is pretty much invisible. If you don't choose self litigating that might be an option for you. I didn't know about the option until I was in the chair and they were about to install the metal ones so I instantly changed to clear.

Good Luck!

seriousthinker-

I also have the clear radiance brackets with clear ligs and a regular silver archwire, and thought it might be helpful for you to see them on a "normal" person (not a model with perfectly straight teeth! LOL!) I love them SO much more than my metal ones I had previously. Yes, I am one of those overly self-conscious people, and changing to the clear ones has given me more confidence to go through this process for the next year-and-a-half. Here's my pic:



Since my ligs haven't stained yet, I'll hold off asking the ortho if he uses the white teflon wire ties. I seem to be much more gentle on the clear ligs than a lot of people I hear about, so maybe they won't be necessary. I always make sure to brush after eating anything staining, so maybe that's why they don't stain as bad.

Good luck with your decision - keep us posted!
-Cathy

I have clear SL brackets, I think Inovation-C, but I'm not sure. I find they look pretty good, even with the clear power chains I have on them. I think that you have to keep in mind that even if they are less visible, they're still not going to be invisible. Staining or not, people will still see them, and it's really not a big deal. Go with the doctor that gives you the best treatment plan, cost, and who you feel most comfortable with.

Thanks for the replies guys!

I am not bothered about people seeing me with braces. From reading posts on here I quite like the idea of ceramics but staining of clear ligs puts me off. Who knows what or who I'll decide to go with, scary stuff. Readig about the shock people feel when they first see their mouth is in my mind the most.

Catgyrl - Your braces look great! Maybe if I go for ceramic with clear ligs i can have a high stain treat just before an appointment lol. Coffee, curry and tomato sauce!

ST