13 YR old son keeps breaking Damon brackets

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#1 Post by **Cornflke** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 7:30 am

My son got his braces in June and has already broken 4 brackets. After 5 we pay $50 per bracket for reapair. I should say HE will pay $50 per bracket. I thought this would we enough of a deterent. All the parents I have talked to have said their kids eat the same things he does and have had no problems with breakage. He has the Damon system. None of the others do. Is there something different about the brackets or the way they're applied that may cause them to be more apt to pop off? I do realize it does boil down to him. But, I also wonder if it has a lttle to do with the braces themselves. I would really appreicate any opinions. Thanks.
Christy

#2 Post by **bbsadmin** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 8:08 am

Is he breaking them, or are they simply just coming off?

This is important to know, because sometimes the brackets are not bonded well and come off of some people's teeth. Several members here have talked about that (one jokingly said he thought he had Teflon teeth because the brackets just didn't seem to want to stay on).

I've never heard of an orthodontist charging to replace brackets after a certain number come off or break. Has anyone else here experienced that? Doc Rick and Doc Bill, do you have any input on this one?

#3 Post by **Cornflke** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 8:26 am

I would say he's breaking them off. The first was a jaw breaker. Which I know is a total no no. The second was on Nerds candy. (another no no) the third was a chicken strip. (????) the last was a pencil. (another no no) I do realize that the way he has broken them off is his doing. Other's that I've talked to say their kids eat the same things (except pencils) and have had no problems. We know he has to be more careful. I just wondered if it was somthing about the Damon system that was more apt to do this. Thanks everyone. Christy

#4 Post by **bbsadmin** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:48 am

I can't say for sure whether the Damon brackets are more prone to come off. But the things you are telling me would break off ANY brackets. Jawbreakers, hard sugar candies and pencils -- my gosh.

I think your son is old enough to understand the consequences of not following the rules. It's one thing to accidently break one off while eating a perfectly innocent meal (it does happen sometimes). But he has to understand what the restrictions are and comply. The consequences are up to you, as his parent.

#5 Post by **sportsgrl97** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:30 pm

one of my friends sister had a problem with her brackets sticking to her teeth. for some reason they just wouldnt stay and i think there was a reason but i forget, sorry

. anyways she got a different glue to make them stay but in the end when she got her braces off they had figured out that the braces had actually rusted under the brackets and stained her teeth and u can still see faint little marks where all the brackets had been.

ooo yeah im also in my teenage years and i can relate to your son's problem. in my 17 months of having braces (OMG! i just realized today was my 17 month anniversary for my top braces and my one year anniversary for my bottom braces tomorrow!!!

) well anyways in my 17 months of having braces i have had 8 brackets come off, 9 if you count the one that the assistant broke off. i eat ALL the foods on the no-no list except for hard candies like jolly ranchers and jaw breakers because well they are just to sweet and my teeth are senstive to those kinds of things. but i have had two come off in the last month that werent even my fault. one was my second molar bracket which i swallowed while eating an extremely soft cookie and the other was my front top one that i just noticed had come off and i no i havent eatin anything hard for a while. but all the others were because of these reasons....

1- granola bar
2- granola bar (same time as #1)
3- pencil or a pen but i bent my wire up extremely bad on top of breaking off my bracket. the wire went in zig zags all over the place after this little stunt.
4- i was opening a bag of sunflower seeds with my teeth and the bag got cought on my braces as i was pulling the bag away from my mouth
5- crackers ??? i dont know why it happened this time??
6- assistant takes the blame

7- i think it might have been an apple or carrots....
8- soft cookie and i swallowed the bracket
9- just came off on its own

ooo ya and i have heard about orthos charging for broken brackets but THANK GOD!!! mine doesnt or else i would be in some serious trouble

and by the way i have normal metal brackets.

#6 Post by **rmjam** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:54 pm

i have Damon bracets and mine keep popping off too!! They put bands on my back teeth because they popped off so much and the front they break off for no reason...and my orthadontist charges $20 per bracket so i am in alot of trouble!! They brake while i am brushing my teeth and sleeping and eating like pudding and stuff, but of course my orthadontist doesnt believe me, she thinks that i am eating hard things. I think that it has something to do with the brackets...or my teeth are just stuborn!!

#7 Post by **rmjam** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:30 pm

hi bracedagain,
It is a pain. The only problem is that my Orthodontist wont let me talk. Also, do conventional braces take longer than Damon? I want my braces off asap, I really dont like them...but I am afraid that if they keep breaking off it will take alot longer than expected!! Another broke today while I was eating a cut up apple with no skin. I wonder if it could be something that my othodontist is doing? Or perhaps I to have 'teflon teeth'. It is really begining to burn a hole in my wallet! My ortho was saying how most people only break 4-5 in 2 or three years, and she was looking at my chart saying that i have broke them way, way to much. I tried to explaing that most ofthe time when they break off, I am not even eating anything, but she seems to enjoy cutting me off!

Sorry for taking up the conversation.

~R. Marie

#8 Post by **GoBucks** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 4:00 pm

I've had Damon 3 brackets on the bottom for a year now and have had numerous brackets come off for no reason. The latest happened today while I was brusing my teeth after lunch. My ortho believes it is the Damon 3 bracket so we've actually switched to the all metal damon bracket on 2 of my teeth and will do so with others in the future if need be. The metal brackets seem to stay on much better. Needless to say this has been very frustrating because its happened about a dozen times now.

#9 Post by **denny33** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:25 pm

This is interesting. I've had damon braces for twelve days now, and I've broken six brackets. The first one broke on the very first bite that I took after having them put on. The last one was a piece of soggy pizza. No single bracket has broken twice.

Everyone in the ortho office is quite amazed that I'm back every other day. We're all on first name basis now. I know about their kids and families.

In some cases it might be acceptable for orthodontists to charge per bracket, but if mine were to try that, I'd have some words for him. Teflon teeth or no, I paid a lot of money to have my teeth straightened. It's quite clear that they can be put on incorrectly, as in my case. The most daring thing I've done is eat lasagna, and that shouldn't be causing brackets to pop off.

Anyway, my orthodontist is extremely apologetic everytime I'm back in, and he should be apologetic. I'm going to talk to him next week about a complete do-over. I can't leave work every other day to have my braces fixed.

#10 Post by **joele** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:26 pm

My ortho told me that the 1/2 clear damon brackets tend to come off easily and need more repairs, she doesn't use these anymore, only metal.

Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:29 pm

I think my friend has damon. well she eats like normal and from what I've seen and heard, she hasn't had any problems.
- mariah

#12 Post by **Mizu** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:50 pm

I have Damon. I broke one off eating Pizza.

I broke another off today eating popcorn chicken. They DO break off easier, but they're less obtrusive than other kinds, and they apply pressure better. Woot.