Metal Mouth Message Board

Boy, the switch from ceramics (and ligs) to linguals has been such a relief when it comes to food and social interactions over meals!

No more ligs to stain? Go ahead and have turmeric/curry, harissa, barbeque, bordeaux, and coffee whenever you want! And not just on the day before your next appointment. Heck, I just threw back an espresso before writing this. Maybe I'll go have another!

Dinner party or a business lunch coming up? No problem. Order that salad or spinach or something that you actually have to bite into with your front teeth (if they aren't sore!) because when (not if) something gets stuck between/on top of/all around your brackets and wire, no one will know except you and your tongue! I love not having to worry about it. Also, no more unnecessary trips to use the facilities just to check in the mirror so that I'm not paranoid for the rest of the lunch or evening. I assure you, Dear Lunch Companion and Dinner Party Hosts, my bladder is not the size of a peanut.

With a year still to go, this thing just got much easier. If you've had only linguals from the start, this might not seem like a big deal, but for anyone who has had both it's kind of like getting one of your "braces off" presents early. Now, about that second espresso...

This really convinces me of the benefits of lingual! Was your treatment more expensive than usual because you switched from ceramic to lingual? And why did your orthodontist decide to do that (or did you ask for it)? I am thinking of doing the same so was hoping to ask for your experience.
Thanks!

Hi nhyn - The short answer to the cost question is that it did not make the treatment more expensive. Just to be clear, the switch was part of the treatment plan...first ceramic to take care of some posterior maneuvers, then the remaining moves with the linguals. In fact, this combination resulted in a lower cost because it enabled the lower arch to utilize Incognito Lite. Otherwise, the whole treatment would require full Incognito. Regarding whose idea it was, definitely the orthodontist...there's no way I could have concocted the plan! Other orthodontists that provided consultations either suggested regular braces (ceramic, if I chose), full Incognito, or a similar one-two combination using braces first and then Invisalign. In the latter case, the braces would have addressed a couple things that otherwise would have disqualified the case for Invisalign. Only my last consultation suggested the ceramic-then-lingual option.

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. And apologies for the slow response.