Metal Mouth Message Board

I am freaking out now deciding on metal or ceramic. I just called my orthos office to ask about ceramics and the woman I spoke to sure tried to talk me out of it. She suggested that the ortho would be much more aggressive with the metal and ceramic would likely slow treatment a bit. She also brought up the staining, I mentioned opting against clear ligs, but she was still really trying to push me away from ceramic. I know someone being treated at the same office with ceramic and will give her a call tonight and ask her what she heard from the ortho. Also, I asked to have them available for me to take a look when I am fitted for my TPA in a couple of days. Should I be making a big deal of this or just take the metal brackets that were offered in the first place? I naturally don't show my top teeth much when I talk. My bottom actually seem to show much more. Will it make that much of a difference? Comments? Please. I need to talk this out a little - this is a big committment!

The best person to talk about the kind of brackets you need is the ortho; not the assistant or receptionist or anyone else. It's also a personal decision, most choose ceramics as to make it a little bit less visible...As far as the treatment time...I really don't think that ceramic slow the process down UNLESS your ortho says it will...

My ortho told me that my ceramic brackets on top will not delay anything.

It's really easy to get influenced into a decision but make sure that at the end, your decision is yours only. Talk to your ortho and from there make your decisions.

Good luck

I would be willing to bet that each individual case is different regarding whether or not the ceramics will slow things down or not. So certainly talk to the ortho, not the assistant. Also, ask which is more comfortable and maybe ask to see and touch the actual brackets. That may help your decision also.

As mentioned, your ortho would know best.

In my case I wanted metal all along but at my consultation my ortho said due to the complexity of my case ceramic would slow me down, for sure. So just talk to your ortho in any case.

As mentioned, your ortho would know best.

In my case I wanted metal all along but at my consultation my ortho said due to the complexity of my case ceramic would slow me down, for sure. So just talk to your ortho in any case.

It may be an ortho's personal opinion on which is best. Kinda like Coke or Pepsi. I wanted ceramic but he talked me out of it, referring to the treatment time. I thought i will go with what he says although he would stand to make more money with the ceramic.

I'm going to have a look at them both tomorrow. Then I'll ask them to have the ortho call me (assuming he won't be present for the TPA ey fitting). I'll give him a chance to talk me out of them, otherwise I'm going ceramic. A friend of mine has them and I barely notice them. They are practicaly invisible in pictures (this is a major motivation as I may be in some nationwide professional publications this year and don't want to look like a kid!)

Harpua, I understand your dilemma. I'd prefer ceramic on the uppers because I'm a therapist-in-training with clients and go to conferences and such. You never know how other professionals (or clients) will look at you. I'd prefer the ceramic braces, but I have yet to see if my ortho says 'No.' It will depend on your situation and possibly treatment time.

Part of me keeps thinking 'braces are braces, whether they are ceramic or metal people will still see them'....right?
Good luck



2/10/06: 4 upper spacers

My ortho said there would be little difference in my treatment time with ceramics vs. metal. I have a mixture of ceramics and metal. If I did it again, I would go with all metal. I haven't had to have a metal bracket removed yet, but I have had two ceramic brackets removed and one shattered. NOT FUN having it ground down to get it off. I'm not looking forward to having the ceramics removed.

Ceramics aren't as noticeable as metal at first glance, but you still see the archwire. Unless you do linguals, braces are braces and you're going to see some portion of them.

Chris

Harpua, like everyone else suggests talk to your ortho. I was considering but after speaking with one of the girls in the ortho office who wore the ceramic convinced me not to go with them. See said hers always stained and that the ceramics were not as flexible and easier to break. If you are concernec with how the metal are going to look as your office if they offer the mini metal braces. These are a smaller version of the metal braces. I opted for the original since I could afford the extra cost. My ortho charges $18 extra for upper and $16 extra for lower porcelain braces and $12 extra on each the upper and lower for mini braces. According to his paper the benefit of the mini braces are there more comfortable and fewer cavities. I hope this helps in your thought process.

Well, I just got back for the ortho and I had a look at the ceramics. I asked the doc, in my 2 minute window with him, what his comments were on ceramic vs metal. He began to say that in my case metal would be better for the movement and by the end of his rambling, said that we could go with ceramic for the top 6. Maybe he was just being a yes man. An assistant had previously told me on the phone that they would be $500 more, but after I made my decision and went to tell the front desk that we needed to get square for ceramics, they said that the doc said I could have them for free. Great surprise! Weird how fast these major decisions happen! My theory about the ceramics is that they are potentially more of a pain in the arse for the ortho and staff to deal with (and don't want people expecting invisible braces). If it made that much difference in treatment, I would sure expect him to have put up at least as much of a fight as all of his staff did when I mentioned it!

When I was considering ceramic vs. metal, my ortho. told me the same thing: many orthos just plain don't like them because they're a little more difficult to work with and often patients expect more than what they really get. He told me that it wouldn't add on any extra treatment time, but that it would be a little more of a challenge for him. I LOVE my ceramic uppers and it was worth the extra money for me. I'm going to have braces on for a long time. People don't even realize I have braces a lot of the time and those who do have to squint and say "Is that just a retainer?" I love them.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I have never had a problem with staining and I drink coffee, tea, and cola every day. I haven't and I won't, however, try curry or mustard.

When my ortho asked which one I would prefer, I asked questions and found that in my case, if I had ceramics it would take me longer, so I chose not to go with the ceramics and stick with the metal. I think every individual case is different, it may not take you longer. I would discuss this with with the ORTHO rather than the assistant! The assistant probably means well, but it is between you and the ortho. I suggest asking your ortho the pros and cons of each one as it pertains to your situation, that's what I did.

ok just my 2 cents here. if your ortho does not care which type go with what you like the look of best. you eally are not going to know a differnece about the way they feel in your mouth.

staining. some people make a big deal about this. for me and lots of others here it is not a big issue. i think i ate tomatoe sauce based meals for the first two weeks i had my clear ligs. result no noticable staing. brackets DO NOT stain.

with regards to treatment times. there is no difference between metal and the ceramics with the metal slot.

i say that with one caveat. metal brackets are available in a wider range of prescriptions and can thus provide a wider range of forces and torques, which can certainly impact treatment time if you are one of the people who require a perscription at the ends of the spectrum not available with ceramics. in this case the ortho would have to use other techniques to get to the end result which could alter treatment time.

chris