Metal Mouth Message Board

I have ceramic uppers on and have managed to keep the ligs fairly unstained.

Because of this, the brace isn't that noticeable.

The problem is that I do get a bit of speaking difficulty sometimes - not much, but it's more of a struggle than before, and can't eat certain things (like biting into an apple).

The problem is that when I meet new people or old friends, the brace is so subtle that they genuinely don't notice! It's only when I actually point it out that they realise why I'm sounding a bit odd etc. (And no it's not them being polite and "pretending" not to notice - they genuinely don't seem to notice it!)

So because the ceramic is so beautifully invisible, I'm having to make the effort to point it out and explain things all the time!

I know that this probably does not make much sense to most of you , but yes, I wish my braces showed more. Most people that I work with and meet do not seem to notice. I don't want them to stick out like a wart on the tip of my nose but I would love to have more people comment on them or ask why at 47 would I get braces. Maybe I should give a toothy smile a little more.

Borrowing from Pres. Clinton....as far as I'm concerned, it's the speech, stupid! So yes, at least if they show, people won't think you've suddenly developed a mouth full of marbles.

My boyfriend's name is Simon, and S is the worst for me. I have Damon 3s upper and lower, so they show enough. But even so, one of my best friends--a dental hygienist!--who knew I had just gotten braces told me she didn't notice them after we had spent 20 minutes together at coffee hour at church. Unreal. On the other hand, I think young men (and I admit to mid-50s) seem to hit on me all of a sudden because of the braces. Totally weird. There's a young man in the health food store who can't seem to stop helping me! (I actually want to introduce him to my ortho's assistant, who is lovely and needs a new boyfriend--a nice one--badly.)

But back to the speech thing....my boyfriend notices, my best friend says she can't tell. It's more noticeable in person than over the phone, since the phone messes up some ranges of sound anyway. I think, if there is one thing that will get to me over the next one year, eleven months and 1.5 weeks--in addition to the eating deal, which I find truly horrific--it will be the speech. The pain is minimal in comparison. Indeed, I wouldn't even bother to mention the pain; so slight, I've not even reached for an aspirin.

My friend told me the other day that he won't be able to look at me when I get my braces off, he's gotten so used to them being there. I've known him for a few years but we just got a lot closer about 2 weeks before I got my braces on.

I happy that they are noticable to an extent. I seem to try to show them a little more if I notice I'm talking to someone else with braces. Bonding thing, I think.

I fully agree with you, that's one of the reasons why I have metal braces and why I recommend them to others. While on some people ceramics could look good, I've seen many others where they're not that noticeable but just enough so that you're scrutinizing them at every chance they open they're mouth trying to figure out if they've got braces or if their mouth is just really unclean and they can't seem to talk right for some reason or another.

I'm not saying this is everyone, in fact I've seen many many people who have ceramics and they look awesome, but I definatley do see your point. If you have metal braces, people see right away that you do and htat's it, end of story. But with ceramic, people can't really figure out what's going on with your mouth and it just seems to take longer for the realization to hit, 'oh she/he has braces!' and end of story, move on.

Just my take on things.

yeah I think Luci has clear braces on her top row, she most likely does. but i see moore of her bottom row of traditional, shinily polished braces on her bottom row that's why all the 9-1s myself included notice she has the braces, I bet if she had ceramics on both rows no one would know what was on her teeth, or notice they were braces as quickly as they did.

I have ceramics on top and metal on bottom. If I had to do over again, or the ortho would offer, I'd be all-metal. There's times I have difficulty talking and I eat REALLY slow and I just wish it was more apparent the reason. Yeah appearance wise they are hard to notice until I talk. With the bite plate I hear a lisp although others tell me its not that bad.

I think the metal is also smaller but I think they have a few more rough edges.

Mike

I talk on the phone all day at work, so I can understand what you mean about wanting your braces to be more noticable. I am sure the people that I talk to wonder why I sound so funny, considering they can't see me or my mouth. I do have all metal, however, so people in person can notice my braces. I look young also so the braces make me look like I am in high school, so sometimes I wish they weren't noticeable. I don't mind too much though. I always seem to get carded now

I've had ceramic uppers since Nov 1 and no one has said anything to me about them. I'm not sure that I necessarily want people to notice them but I'm just surprised that no one has. I know I sure notice them!

I am considering switching from ceramic to metal, for two reasons. One, I think the metal brackets are smaller and will be more comfortable. Two, it will be obvious that I have braces and not some hideous, mysterious contraption in my mouth that makes me talk funny and eat funny and have to apply lip gloss constantly.

I may try ligatures instead of clips at my December adjustment. That might result in a smidge less bulk, so the brackets would be more comfortable, and I can get a bright color -- I'm thinking lilac or baby blue or pink -- so my ceramics look more brace-like.

It's certainly an interesting trip.

Elle

Do you know what brand of ceramics you have? Also, it sounds like you're not planning on bailing out after adjtment number 2. Good, I can use the company.

Mike

i have metal top and bottom and believe me people don't even notice those a lot of the time! i had baby pink ligs which i think lightened things up a bit, now i have purple (1st adjustment yesterday) which i think make them a little darker...we'll see if people notice now! i was trying to eat a sandwich at work the other day and ripping it into pieces and this bloke was there who i work with...i said something like 'sandwiches are the worst things for me to eat' and it was like about 10 mins later he was like 'oh yes because of your braces of course' haha. it's like people have cmpletely forgotten about them who see me all the time, i feel like they've become a part of me now. my boyfriend has been living in scotland and i live in england and he's not seen my braces yet because i haven't seen him for a while and even though i don't mind them at all now i am nervous about him seeing them for the first time, strange! ooh aftermy adjustment yesterday i went for a drink with a friend and the waitress had braces and i got all excited! somehow managed to stop myself launching into a massive conversation about them though

The only visible part of my treatment is lower ceramics and elastics. That's quite enough for me, thanks. And I have no problem explaining to the few people who notice and/or inquire about what they see.

I have ceramic ICE brackets on the top and bottom. If I were to do it again I would go with metal. I agree they look a little weird. People never comment about them but I do feel as if people try to figure out what is on my teeth.

Now, in my opinion, they really looked horribly obvious with powerchains! I was trying to go discret but also wanted something that didn't stain. I got the pearl colored powerchains several times. I never really liked that color so last time I switched to light silver instead. Light silver is great, really blends in. So since I won't switch to all metal braces at this point, I'm trying to remain less visible and the light silver does that.

I was thinking about getting silver ligs on my ceramics. Hoping for a "braces look." Guess that won't work, so I may as well go with electric or metallic something or other. Suggestions are welcomed.

Elle