I'm new....ceramics question...

[vikingfan]

Forgive me if I'm posting something that's already posted (I did a search, but didn't have time to go through all of the responses)....I'm FINALLY just taking the plunge and getting braces after obsessing about my teeth for so long. I'm 29, almost 30 (yikes) and am absolutely dreading this process, but look forward to having straight teeth. I went to an orthodonist last week and much to my dismay, I don't qualify for Invisalign b/c of a mild overbite (and it doesn't seem as though my ortho. is too fond of them anyway) and he suggested Damon 3's, but said ceramics are an option as well and will only add 2-3 months to the treatment time (which is 18-24 months). SOOO I think I've decided to just do ceramics on top, Damon 3's on the bottom. My QUESTION is this...for those of you who have ceramics (my ortho. suggested Inspire Ice ceramics)...how hard are they to keep from staining, how big are they compared to other brackets, do you all in all "like" them and do you have pictures? I'd love to see some pics of people w/ ceramics. Thanks in advance..I guess as I get closer to thirty, I'm just doing everything I've always wanted and wished to do - including straight teeth, but don't want to regret the bracket decision I make.

[Flora2006]

vikingfan - Congratulations on taking the first step into getting a beautiful smile.

To answer your questions, Ceramic brackets don't stain...it's the ligatures; the rubber bands that do stain depending on what color you choose. So don't worry about that...the bracket itself will not stain.

As for the size, I only have my top brackets on right now, ceramics, and from what I hear, the metal brackets are just a little bit smaller...there isn't too big of a difference. The advantage of having ceramics on top, in my opinion, is that they aren't as obvious as the metal ones. Someone has to be really close to you in order to tell you have braces on...

As for pics...brows the website under My braces Stories...i think. There is a whole thread with pictures of ceramics with colored ligs.

Hope that helps

[flowertowngal]

Let me just say something about ceramic staining - honestly, I think way too much emphasis is put on this "problem". I drink as much as 4 cups of coffee every single day. I eat spaghetti sauce. I drink sodas. Yes, the bands stain but it is really NOT that noticeable!.

I have ortho appts. every six weeks and I will admit that during those last two weeks, my bands are very yellowish. That's when I tend to eat more spaghetti sauce - when I know I'm going to get them changed soon anyway. But honestly, I've asked people and they swear they never would notice. I've asked my co-worker to really look at my teeth right before I go to the ortho and then when I got back, I asked her to look again - I know they are bright and white when I get back but she swears they look exactly the same.

What I'm trying to say is I think people have this vision of brown or black or very dark staining and that is just not the case at all!

I have ceramic on the top, metal on the bottom - the ceramic brackets are a little bigger. The metal are a little scratchier. I don't know if I made the right choice or not and I questioned myself, even after I got the braces put on, as probably a lot of people do. But I just resolved to make peace with my decision and I haven't looked back.

You should be extremely proud of yourself for making this decision - I'm 40 and I know how hard it is after all of this time to actually DO IT. Good luck!!!!!

[missing_tooth]

As for the size, I only have my top brackets on right now, ceramics, and from what I hear, the metal brackets are just a little bit smaller...

Ever seen them side by side on a model? imo the difference is more than a little bit.

Someone has to be really close to you in order to tell you have braces on...

Or someone just has to see your teeth from the side. Don't be fooled, the things are large and they really do stand out when up close, heck, even from a moderate distance of 8 feet.

Don't forget sometimes ceramics need to be taken off and metal put on.

Ceramics hiding braces is really over stated. imo hide nothing.

- Missing tooth -[/quote]

[Flora2006]

missing_tooth - I have to disagree on both things with you.

I have a metal bracket towards the back...its not THAT huge of a difference. Yes there is a difference, but its not huge. Don't forget that there are a lof of bracket sizes.

As for ceramics being noticeable...any kind of braces can be noticed if looked carefuly, the point of ceramics is to make it less obvious and thus make you feel more comfortable. My friends didn't notice I had braces on until I told them. And to be honest, I don't know a lot of people who will look at your teeth on the side and notice your braces....people don't just stare at your mouth!

[chrisd]

yes the ceramics are a bit bigger, but i can honestly say that having both in my mouth at the same time i really cannot apprecaitate a size difference. i would wager that most people would not notice a difference in the size of the braces in their mouth, it just is not that great of a difference.

as for staining. the brackets do NOT stain. the ligs can, but after two weeks of eating foods that should stain i dont have a problem, and they can always use wire ties instead of ligs, and most orthos will let you come in just for a lig change if they get really bad.

as far as invisibility, the ceramics ARE less noticable. yes talking to someone close up or giving a big smile they are going to be seen. but in casual conversation or from 10 feet away they really are less noticable, and they tend to not show up so much in pictures.

so in the end go with what your ortho feels will work best, and if there is really no difference then go with what yu like the look of better. you'll have them on for 1-2 years, so you may as well be happy with the way they look, be it metal or ceramic. it is a personal choice, and as far as the way they feel in your mouth you are never going to know the difference.

good luck with you choice. check out my webshots link or the www for pics of my ceramics/metals combo
chris

[Orth-ohno!]

For what its worth- I've had clear uppers on for a little over a week and very few people have even noticed! (I'm a teacher and very few of my students have noticed- or don't care enough to mention it.) Just go with whatever YOU feel most comfortable with, as most people probably aren't that observant (or would say anything) anyways!

[belmikry]

just to be devil's advocate [giggles]

I have the Damon 3's- and I as well debated about the ceramics vs Damon's - basically I did some research online and from several ortho's and this is what I got:

Ceramics:
Pros:
-virtually unnoticable [other than the wire] from 5 feet away or pictures [good news!]
- do not stain

Cons:
-larger than metal brackets, can be more uncomfortable
-takes longer [according to many ortho's i've talked to and independant researchers online in comparison to self ligating systems- basically they provide sliders so there is less tension in your mouth-they can cut your treatment from 2-3 months to almost half a year, but sometimes it can be the same amount of time]
-elastics [lol- this scares me, but also they give more tension on your teeth]

according to research I did, self ligating works better because of less tension, the teeth can move quicker and more naturally than in ligating braces. Also, Damon's are half ceramic half metal, so they aren't too bad in my opinion

Ultimately, its you and your orthodontists opinion which matters- I suggest doing some research online, call some clinics and then the rest is up to you

[Kell]

For adults my ortho recommends 6 ceramic on the front top teeth and metal everywhere else. The cost is the same as all metal. I guess maybe they are a little larger if you look at them closely but they don't feel larger in my mouth. They feel the same as the metal to me.

I worry about staining the ligs but really it hasn't been a problem. They are a bit less clear than they were the first day but no one can tell except me. I do drink my black coffee with a straw now but that is the only change I've made. After thinking about it a lot I think that I like the ceramic with clear ligs best for me even if they aren't as clear after a few weeks. At my adjustment they will be all shiny again.

I'm sure I would be fine with all metal too. The look of the braces really doesn't bother me that much. If anyone else has a problem with how I look that is their problem.

Go with whatever you are most comfortable with and with what your ortho recommends. I don't think you can go wrong with ceramics and I don't think you can go wrong with all metal.

There are some pictures in my boring www page.

[missing_tooth]

Thought I should post back why I thought ceramics were so visible.

I was in the mall waiting in line to order food and this girl in line turned sideways and was talking to her friend. It looks liked she white corn kernels on the front of her teeth.

Are there different size brackets for both the ceramic and metal?

As others already said, go with what your othro recommends. Mine recommended cermics, but I was told they recommend that for all adults most adults want the braces to be unnoticable.

- Missing Tooth -

[chinadoll]

Hi vikingfan,

You've heard a lot of great advice already, but I just want to put in another plug for having ceramics on the top 6 teeth. I know ceramic brackets are technically bigger, but I've got metal everywhere else, but I just can't tell a big difference in bracket size at all.

Honestly, I've been really happy with the appearance. Of course peopel can see I have braces...but here's a sample of responses I've heard from coworkers after I told them I had braces and gave a big smile: "oh, but isn't that just a retainer you have on?" "Are you wearing that 'Invisalign' thing?" "You can't really see them that much" and "Wow, I didn't notice." My girlfriends still insist that the braces are actually "cute", but I'm not going that far...

Hope that helps...

[Raspberry]

I think the size of the brackets, ceramic or metal, depends on the brand that your orthodontist uses.

I asked my Ortho's assistant to physically show me the brackets, and she gladly did. They had them on a demo plastic thing, and they were, MUCH smaller than I thought.

It never hurts to ask questions!

[flowertowngal]

I agree with the posters who say ceramics aren't invisible. I can certainly see them and I am positive others can too - they're pretty obvious. However, I have had pictures taken and you can't see them at all. I was in a play and the audience couldn't see them. So ceramics had benefits for me personally.

But I was dismayed at first because they were not invisible by any means. So don't expect that is what I'm saying.

I agree with everyone who said ask your ortho and go with his/her recommendation - that's really the best advice so far.

[vikingfan]

You guys are great and so encouraging. I know, the ceramics aren't totally invisible, but I do believe they are "less noticable" as so many of you have stated. I really, really thank you all for your input, it's great to hear the experiences of so many of you that have been down the road I'm on (of deciding) and then doing it!! I'm sure I'll be on here more as my braces day approaches and I think I will go w/ my gut that tells me ceramics on top and damons on the bottom. I don't mind the look of the damons at all, but I personally feel as though I'd be happier w/ the ceramics on top. I can give up coffee, red wine and softdrinks, mustard and spaghetti sauce for 2 years for straight teeth (heck I gave up most of that while I was pregnant anyway, what's another 2 years). THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN.

[Flora2006]

I can give up coffee, red wine and softdrinks, mustard and spaghetti sauce for 2 years for straight teeth (heck I gave up most of that while I was pregnant anyway, what's another 2 years). THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN.

You don't need to give up on all these things...really!! Even if you do stain your ligs a little, it's not that huge of a deal. They won't turn black, they just become kind of a light/off white/yellowish that really isn't that bad. Besides, you can choose from many colored ligs that don't stain as much so don't worry about giving up on these things!! I drink coffee everyday, I could not live without it!!