All metal and ceramic braces!

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#1 Post by **BBraces** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:29 am

Hi I am newbie here and thinking (plan stages) about putting braces. I would like to know what is the price difference between regular all metal braces and ceramic ones? Thanks in advance!

#2 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:39 am

I think I paid an additional $300 for clear on my upper social 6.

#3 Post by **38Illinois** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 12:03 pm

It was an extra $340 for my upper six clear. I would only for the the clear if they are self ligating, otherwise the clear ties will turn yellow. Good luck.

#4 Post by **catgyrl** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 12:11 pm

It all depends on your orthodontist. Some do not charged for ceramics on your uppers; some do. Mine charged $300 extra, and he bracketed the entire upper row except for the very last molars in the back, which nobody can see anyway.

As far as clear ligs staining, I've had mine for a month and have had no staining whatsoever. I eat a lot of things with ketchup and some ramen noodles with tumeric in it, but I always try to at least rinse out afterward, if I don't have time to brush. So far, so good!

I looked at the ceramic self-ligating brackets, but since you could still see some metal on them, it kind of defeated my purpose of getting inconspicuous-looking braces.

Good luck!
-Cathy

#5 Post by **BBraces** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 12:43 pm

Thank you so much! I thought it would be much more!

#6 Post by **catgyrl** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 12:58 pm

Just one word of caution: Make sure you get the brackets you want AT THE BEGINNING. I changed my mind and went from metal to clear about 3 months in, and in addition to the $300, they wanted me to pay an additional $400 for the extra chair time and labor it took to remove the old brackets, sand off the bonding, and re-bond the new ones.

#7 Post by **Snowglobe32** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 2:14 pm

There was no price difference between metal or ceramic at my office.

Next time you are at the ortho, take a look at the brackets the patients are wearing. It is real easy to see brackets online and then be surprised when it isn't what you wanted. If you check out the other patients, you can see exactly what you will get.

#8 Post by **BBraces** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:27 pm

catgyrl wrote:Just one word of caution: Make sure you get the brackets you want AT THE BEGINNING. I changed my mind and went from metal to clear about 3 months in, and in addition to the $300, they wanted me to pay an additional $400 for the extra chair time and labor it took to remove the old brackets, sand off the bonding, and re-bond the new ones.

Oh wow...ummm well, I am so new to this that I need a link to find out all the ortho lingo so I will know what are the brackets, etc. If you have please share, thanks!

#9 Post by **appygirl82** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:24 pm

I have clear self litigating on the top teeth, my ortho did it for free! So since he does that for free, I have those on top and regular metal on the bottom!

#10 Post by **Wongohk** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:27 am

Ceramic ones cost a load more for me and I mean over 1K USD (top and bottom) logic choice, go for whats priced in the middle. Metal self litigating

#11 Post by **overfortyish** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 6:27 am

Ceramic, self ligating brackets would cost $750 more for me per arch - so $1500 on top of cost for metal self ligating. There is a big part of me that thinks that is money well spent as I don't like the way all metal looks - but the cons are they are more bulkier and harder to remove. So I'm on the fence about it - if I opt to get braces that is.

#12 Post by **UGHBRACES** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:29 am

overfortyish wrote:Ceramic, self ligating brackets would cost $750 more for me per arch - so $1500 on top of cost for metal self ligating. There is a big part of me that thinks that is money well spent as I don't like the way all metal looks - but the cons are they are more bulkier and harder to remove. So I'm on the fence about it - if I opt to get braces that is.

Just go with ceramic on the upper 6 and go with metal on all the rest. Many people do this and that should cut down on that extra $1500 by a lot..

#13 Post by **Chicagogal** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:23 am

I have ceramic on the front upper and lower 6 front teeth. they just asked me what I wanted when it came time to put them on and it was included in my agreed upon total apparently (not sure if that means I woul've been overpaying otherwise).

I will say though, there was no point to putting ceramic on the bottom anywhere. I actually think they can be sharper than the metal against your lips and no one can see them unless i smile like a maniac.

#14 Post by **spinme** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:31 am

My ortho charged the same for ceramic as for metal. He's put an assortment of ceramic, clear, and metal on the bottom to get the result he's aiming for, and to stop any damage to the top teeth biting down on the lower braces.

#15 Post by **catgyrl** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:39 am

BBraces - LOL! "Brackets" are the ceramic or metal things you asked about. The individual brackets are what are placed on each tooth, with the "archwire" running throught he brackets. Some brackets require the little "o-rings" or ligatures to hold the wire in place., while some brackets are "self-ligating", meaning the wire is held in place by a little door on the bracket that opens and closes. My top clear brackets have clear o-rings, while my bottom metal brackets are self-ligating, so no o-rings.