Metal Mouth Message Board

I decided that if I am going to have braces, I'd prefer metal simply because of less worries about staining and everyone knowing right away that they are braces rather than wondering what's in my mouth. Unfortunately all the metal braces I seem to see have the colored elastics to hold the wire. I don't really like the idea of those on me at my age. Now the braces of the past, 80's and early 90's, don't seem to have had colors but they are brackets, not bands so what did they use then and can it still be used? Are there metal colored elastics that can blend into braces? I figure you could get clear like on the ceramic braces but then the bands would get stained too, right? Did any of you grown ups have metal braces but without colors?

If you choose self ligating brackets there is no colored ligature to hold in the wire, a small metal "door" does that job, so there are no staining issues at all. I have Damon brackets with eight clear ceramics on the upper front teeth and metal everywhere else. There are several brands of self ligating brackets available, Damon being only one of them. Ask your orthodontist what they have available.

Your ortho should show you examples of what you can get and what it will look like. You can have a lot of fun with the colored elastics - the guy next to me this morning got yellow and black - but if you don't want anything self-legating brackets are the way to go. That's what I have now. Not sure how badly the clear elastics stain, if at all. Something to discuss with your ortho. Anyway, welcome to the club.

Mine always suggests the silver ones so they don't show up against the brace....I always have colours though

I'd get the colors if I didn't look 12 without braces already . The colors just make it look even more youthful which is cool if you look your age but sadly I don't.

You should be able to get some brand of self ligating braces in your area, there are a lot of different brands (perhaps the most well known and widely available being Damon braces); but don't buy into one brand being way ahead of others as the differences are likely small or none.

I have a full set of metal Damon Braces and i feel like people that are 5 feet away would probably have a hard time telling i have braces.

Focus on the skill of the Orthodontist, above all else.

McHobbit wrote:I'd get the colors if I didn't look 12 without braces already . The colors just make it look even more youthful which is cool if you look your age but sadly I don't.

I look young for my age too but I've always gotten colours. I'm going to enjoy being ID'ed for everything while it lasts!

But to answer your original post, lots of adults just get the silver ligs. My sister had braces right before me and she wasn't interested in colours. In fact, my ortho just gives adults silver unless you say otherwise, so it must be pretty common.

Yeh my adverage age is guessed at 16-17 lol! Even when I do demos for work I get told "you're only about 14!!!" I don't think it's because of the brace, I think I just look young and I'm quietly spoken so people assume I'm younger than I am. If you fancy colours just go for it. I never saw the point in going for silver bands, people will notice the brace no matter what so you may as well just enjoy it as much as possible. Obviously if you're more comfortable with silver then do that, but looking younger than your years shouldn't put you off. Many of us do too x

I've had metal braces for over 2 years (same logic as you) and the orthodontist has never even mentioned the idea of coloured ligatures, he simply uses silver ones.

I just got my braces last monday and chose the clear ones as I am now 30 I thought I didn't want colored ones. But now I should've opted for colored as the clear ones already have stains!!! they look yellowish now and it's only been a week and a few days!! And it doesn't stop! the rubber has turned more yellow by the day!!

Couldn't you request wire ties instead? I would check this out http://www.archwired.com/FAQ-Living_wit ... Braces.htm

"Clear or white ligatures show yellow stains the worst. The best colors, according to ArchWired readers (and my own personal experience) are: smoke, pearlescent, glow-in-the-dark, and any dark vibrant colors. I have also worn light blue, which turn a pleasant teal color when stained by curry (i.e., blue ligatures plus yellow curry make greenish blue ligatures)."

jaime wrote:
I look young for my age too but I've always gotten colours. I'm going to enjoy being ID'ed for everything while it lasts!

I totally got carded at the liquor store last week! Score

I just got braces and I never got to choose what kind! I wanted colors but I got all silver ones so I guess they are a thing. I have really messed up teeth though so that might be a reason. I asked my mom and she said that there is a different kind for every problem so I guess I got metal ones bc of that problem.

Lina32400 wrote:I just got braces and I never got to choose what kind! I wanted colors but I got all silver ones so I guess they are a thing. I have really messed up teeth though so that might be a reason. I asked my mom and she said that there is a different kind for every problem so I guess I got metal ones bc of that problem.

There are 2 main types of braces; Traditional, and Self Ligating (theres also lingual and Invisalign as an alternative to braces; but lets not get anybody confused); Traditional has elastics (also known as rubber bands; the "colored part") on each bracket; Self Ligating does not.

Both can be used to fix a number of different issues with neither being better than the other at fixing certain things.

The important thing is the skill of the Orthodontist and they usually ask you which you want if they offer both types; furthermore patients may be able to choose metal brackets or ceramic/clear.