Did you choose metal braces, or an alternative and why?

[NeilH]

I chose metal brackets for a whole host of reasons and didn't really give clear brackets much thought. I'm sure they look great on some people and if they help to encourage people to undertake orthodontics for the long term benefit of their oral health then thats a good thing. I didn't have any issue with metal brackets for the whole 33 months I had them and would choose them again if I had my time again.

[WonkyIncisor]

I tried invisalign about 7 years ago and hated it. My new Ortho didn't really give me the choice anyway. As he was about to place my braces on I asked him about other choices and we discussed ceramic, but my bottom teeth show a lot when I talk, so I didn't think it was worth it. I am 34, but like a pp I look young for my age and I do get carded more since getting braced, but I don't care. I want straight teeth again (I had braces at 12 for 6 mos and kept a great smile until 20).

[Klb]

I decided to get ceramic braces as I work as an executive assistant and feel a bit silly having silver braces at 26. My sister in law has metal braces at 17 and they suit her so much! I also chose ceramic as I have read several comments about ceramic being less obtrusive/likely to get ulcers (which I am soooo prone to)

For an extra $1k it was worth it for me

[MummaFish48]

I'm 53! And about to have braces in a few weeks I have gone for ceramic in front uppers just as they are less obvious but metal on lowers as have been told ceramics are a little less robust if you do bite on them. It is purely aesthetic you are right and really braces are braces and everyone will see them anyway!! Good Luck

[Len]

Personally I chose metal conventional braces because of two aspects:
1- I love how personalized they can be with the elastics, I'm an artist so I always have everything colorful I can.
2- It's by far cheaper than the other solutions.
3- Except for Damon, every other options would take the same amount of time.
I'm still to put them on on March the 24th.

[mandla]

I chose ice kit bracket.....They are clear. I did not want it to be obvious from a distance that I have braces. It matters a lot for me how I look.

[MetalMouth77]

I am getting my braces on in two days and I have chosen to go all metal. Personally, I am not concerned what others think. I am doing this for me. Laugh if they will, what have the jokers done to improve themselves lately? For two reasons, 1. Repositioning ceramics is more difficult and the ceramics stain and I cannot handle them getting stained and stuck there for two years.

[angelina]

I have 6 ceramics on my upper teeth and the rest are metal. I did this knowing I was on bridesmaid duties throughout the treatment so would be in photos. Of course, blind freddy can see that I have braces on but I like that from a distance and in photos they look subtle.

Mine were only $300 more expensive for the upper ceramics (and when you consider I spent over $7000 AUD for the whole process that's not really a lot) and they're yet to stain 6 months in.

I'm super happy with them and love smiling with them, but I suspect I'd have been just as happy in all metal

[testimony777]

I choose ceramic braces for both uppers and lowers. For me the concern with aesthetics was not so much about what others would think but about how I would feel looking at myself in the mirror. While I am sure I would have gotten used to seeing myself with metal braces eventually, I felt ceramic braces would make that transition a little easier. I got them on the top and bottom because I have a big mouth lol; my bottom teeth definitely show when I talk, laugh and smile (and I do all three A LOT). It was an extra cost but very worth it. So far I am really happy with my choice.

[diamond63]

I've got ceramic on most upper teeth and metal on lowers. I would've gotten ceramic all over but my bottom teeth are too narrow to fit the slightly wider ceramic brackets. My two upper laterals, which are just fake teeth attached to the archwire, also have metal, because the ceramic brackets wouldn't stick to the fake teeth material and kept coming off.

I am 28, new to my career and have the whole baby face thing going on so whatever I can do to lessen the obvious brace face look, I am all for. My ortho made no mention of them taking longer.

After I got my braces, an older coworker got them as well, and she has all ceramic plus these wires I've never heard of that are whitish colored or painted instead of metal colored. When she first got them I had no idea and she made some comment about her braces and I literally thought she was joking, that's how much they blend in. I'd love to have some like that.

Oh and I will say I was a candidate for Invisalign which would've taken 6 months longer. I still would've went that route but was put off by having to take them out to eat and put them back in afterward. I thought I'd be embarrassed doing that in the office bathroom in front of my coworkers. Plus once my spaces opened for the upper laterals to go in, whereas now I have the fake laterals attached to the archwire, with Invisalign the fakes would've been in my aligners so I would've been "toothless" when the aligners were out while I ate. I snack a lot so that sounded like a big annoyance to deal with.

That said, I didn't realize that even with metal braces, I would have to get used to brushing my teeth in public restrooms after most meals. Taking the retainers out before eating would've been only slightly more of a hassle, since after I eat with metal braces, it's a bathroom trip to brush teeth anyway. If I had to do it all over again, and didn't have to deal with fake temporary teeth to close gaps while waiting for implants, I think I'd go with Invisalign.

[Beckett]

I chose ceramic for upper and lower because I personally didn't want to look in the mirror and see all that metal on myself. My oldest had all metal a few years ago in his mid teens, my second had metal on the upper 6 when he was 10, and my current 10 year old has ceramic on 6 upper and 4 lower, plus 2 metal on his lower back molars. I let them choose, and that's what they picked. My orthodontist doesn't charge any differently for ceramic.
I did opt for purple ties though, because they're cute. They show enough to say hey, these are braces, not bulky teeth, but not so much as all metal would show.

[Beckett]

I wanted to add that I just looked closely in the mirror, and the bottom front incisor brackets are smaller than the top ones, so they do come in different sizes if you happen to have smaller teeth. (Ceramics)

[swisscat]

I have metal braces because I do not like the look of ceramic braces. And I like to drink coffee so I was worried about stains.

[MadSpinner]

I didn't actually choose the type of braces I'm getting because metal ones are the only thing offered by my ortho. But if I had to choose, it'd be metal because it's the trend here in our place (haha!). Plus, I like the fact that its color can be customized.

[ashleyy]

I guess in my case I didn't really have any choice because they can't do what they need to do without metal braces. So traditional metal ones for me, starting the first week of May.