Ceramic are weaker than metal brackets?

[ST24085]

I went to my first consultation today. I still have two more.

Simply put, my jaw/bite is right screwed: asymetric jaw, crossbite, narrow upper jaw, and open bite, although you wouldn't know it, my teeth are fairly straight! He's saying $9000, 2 years in braces, three separate surgical procedures performed at once, and then another year of braces. That price tag is only the braces.

I really liked the ortho a lot. He was very thorough; although I don't have much to compare it to. But it seemed like he really knows his stuff. He's an older fellow I would guess in his 60s. Anyways one thing that really put me off is the assistant really changed her tune when I mentioned clear/ceramic braces. She said they're weaker and that they break three times as frequently as metal ones and that because of how he does it he is better able to do his job with the metal brackets. She said if I really wanted them I could put them on my front upper four teeth and that would be it.

This may all be fine and well, but I really would like to avoid three years of braces with those metal brackets that are so damn noticeable. Can anyone with lots of experience comment on this? Are they really that weak? Could it be that he's slow to adopt new things? What gives here.

[Tobilei]

Wow, $9000 for metal braces alone is a heck of a lot of money. My ortho isn't the cheapest I found (I'm in Australia, not sure where you are?) and it was $6800 for a full mouth of clears...upper and lower (full metals were about $6000 from memory). That cost includes my entire treatment-brackets, adjustments, emergency appointments (as many as I need), permanent bonded retainer afterwards as well as removable retainer and I think 18 months after braces for anything that might need attention.

I've read on here that some ortho's say the clears are weaker, however mine doesn't seem to have a problem using them (although in some people it's not possible to get them on the bottom due to them chipping teeth that hit them when your bite is closed) and I'm 4 1/2 months in and have never broken one despite eating a few foods I shouldn't (pork crackling, corn chips, hard lollies).

I think that you should keep this place in mind, but definitely get at least 1 more opinion before you go ahead with it.

[TMJJill]

Are you seeing a Functional Orthodontist? If not, it might be a good idea to get a second opinion from one.

Does your $9000 include two seperate sets of braces? That might account for the high cost.

I have clear brackets and metal brackets and really don't notice any difference in strength between the two.

[ST24085]

Thanks for your reply! Yeah I thought $9000 was quite a bit too. I do live in Alberta, Canada. Everything has an "Alberta" tax on it because our economy is booming here.

I just want to make the right decision.Three years in braces and surgery is not a decision you want to mess up. I do have two more consultations so I'm sure I will learn more. I'll be sure to ask them about clear / ceramic options.

@TMJJill, whats a Functional Orthodontist??

[ST24085]

Nevermind I just googled it. I believe he is, he was talking about my profile quite a bit.

[plugnickel69]

These days ceramic brackets are quite common and seem to be as strong as metal. It is possible for a tie wing to be damaged but I don't think it happens that often. It will be interesting to see what's said at your other consultations.

[zdenka]

So I was told that both kinds are exactly the same as far as function goes. The clear ones are bigger and stick out more though. My upper 8 are clear the rest and lowers are metal. I live in Alberta, I paid $ 8300. Had I gone all metal it would have been 400 or 300 dollars less. I am saying get another opinion and GOOD LUCK!

[isthistaken]

This seems to be one of the biggest controversies in braces, well, besides extractions?

My ortho is very accomplished and had nothing bad to say about non-metal brackets. He is a tad younger than yours though, so I wonder if that accounts for some of the differences of opinion? I went with all-metal though because I like how they look, and I'm kind of an old-school type.

[sirwired]

Well, if you are going to be a surgery patient, I know that my ortho strongly preferred metal for surgery patients (like myself.) He said that there could be really annoying consequences if a ceramic bracket decided to fracture while the surgeon was wiring your mouth shut during the operation to prepare to attach the fixation plates. (Apparently this is done with quite a bit of force, since it is absolutely VITAL that your jaw not move AT ALL while the screws are inserted.)

[ST24085]

Thanks for all the responses people.

[quote="zdenka"]So I was told that both kinds are exactly the same as far as function goes. The clear ones are bigger and stick out more though. My upper 8 are clear the rest and lowers are metal. I live in Alberta, I paid $ 8300. Had I gone all metal it would have been 400 or 300 dollars less. I am saying get another opinion and GOOD LUCK![/quote]

City?

[flips712]

Wahoo.......

Alberta, Canada!! I took a ski trip to Sunshine Village last year in May. Sorry I know this has absolutely nothing to do with your post or question but I got excited as I'm considering taking another trip there this year again.

I have top and bottom ceramics and haven't broken any brackets or chipped any teeth. However, at my first adjustment both the tech and Ortho popped off a few brackets during my wire change. No big deal....they just glued on new ones. I didn't feel anything.

I'm in Florida and my braces cost me $4750, which included a discount since I paid in full up front. This is also my second time in braces as my teeth shifted due to no retainer being worn over the years. If I could do it again I would have just got all metal braces I think as they're a bit cheaper and I like the smaller profile of the metal ones vs. the ceramics. I was super paranoid about getting braces as an adult, which is why I went for the less discrete ceramic ones. But then I realized that no one even really cared or noticed them so I'm now wearing hot pink ligs. Next week I'm getting teal. So much for being discrete....

[isthistaken]

Definitely it could depend on the case. My case is not a mildly cosmetic case, but it's not at the furthest end of the continuum as far as difficulty either. So in my case either was recommended. It could also just depend on what the ortho likes to work with? Different brackets for different folks I guess.

[oldfart]

Remember there is a difference between Canadian Currency and US currency. Isnt $9000 Canada about the same as $6000 US? Havent traveled there in a while so not sure what the exchange rate is.

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[isthistaken]

good point as that would be cheaper than what I am paying in the US

[daxlo5]

I hope it's not weaker! hahahah, i have ceramics on my upper!