Soon to be metal mouth OR ceramic mouth

Message

#1 Post by **Chiwawamom** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:56 pm

I will be getting braces soon. Im getting 2 wisdom teeth pulled next Friday then a couple weeks after that getting my braces. I am almost 29 and really don't care too much about how they look. Im all about comfort and Im really confused as to which kind to go with ceramic or metal? I work in travel and with the public so having clear might be better but they look bigger and bulkier and I have a small mouth and small teeth. Is there anyone out there with any imput on which type is typically more comfortable? I have a MAJOR over bite. My bottom teeth disappear when I bite down and I have some pretty big spaces between my canines and molars other than that my teeth are really straight but my bottom teeth are wearing away grinding behind my two front teeth and its causing jaw pain. I was told 18 months of wearing the braces at my consultation and I could go metal or ceramic. Of couse I picked ceramic right off the bat for 500.00 more but the more I think about it and read stuff about it it seems more of a pain to have the ceramic ones and they look SO big compared to the metal ones. Please if anyone could give me any imput I would greatly appreciate it.

P.S. Going on a Caribbean cruise and debating on postponing putting my braces on a couple weeks so I get to enjoy the food......is that wierd or would anyone else do the same? : )

#2 Post by **lemonlyme** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:05 pm

Hi there

I have metal and ceramics, and sometimes the metal brackets really irritate my cheeks, but my ceramics have never bothered me at all. I guess they are a little bigger, but maybe it's the shape that makes them feel 'softer' for me..i'm not sure. I really love the way my ceramics look too..

I guess it's different for everyone though!

#3 Post by **Chiwawamom** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:12 pm

I really wan't ceramic I was just worried that they would irritate my lips and cheeks more. I would be getting the on both top and bottom. At first is it torture or do your lips and cheeks get used to it eventually? I read something about these tube like guards you can put over your braces for comfort. I guess wax will become my new best friend for a while. I'm looking foward to getting them and seeing the progress. I NEVER smile with my mouth open in pictures and I can't wait to finally feel confident doing that.

#4 Post by **lemonlyme** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:19 pm

If you really want ceramics i would totally go for it!

You'll definetly get used to them, and yea wax is really awesome..I have it all over the place lol. You can see my pics
http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q120 ... yme_photo/

I dont get clear anymore really, i love pink!

#5 Post by **Chiwawamom** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:59 pm

Wow this place is great. You guys are awesome. I think Im leaning towards the ceramic. All of yours look great. My Ortho told me that the tops ones would be put on first until he got my uppers in the right spot. Then a couple months to a few months later the bottom ones would go on. Then I get those bands that connect my uppers to lowers. I guess I will just have to see. He seemed to think It would be no problem putting ceramic on both top and bottom. I don't mind either way I guess. Your teeth look really good though. Im kinda leary about getting the tooth colored bands becuase Im a coffee in the AM and red wine in the PM kind of gal. perhaps It'll be a white wine if I have to.. : ) I like the way the colored bands look. Im VERY anxious to get PINK ones. I guess there still a bit of kid in me. Thank you so much for all you posts.

#6 Post by **timsmith** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:19 am

It's now my second week since having ceramics on top and metals on the bottom, I think that now I am getting used to everything there is not much difference in the feel. I was originally against ceramics on top because I was worried about the bulk. KK made a good point, with ceramics having a slightly larger surface area, they exert less pressure in one spot on your cheeks or lips, less pressure, less damage/discomfort. For the first 3 or so days, the metals felt really bad, like razor wire and the ceramics felt better, smoother, less sharp. Now there is not much difference. The actual distance both types stand out from the teeth seems similar.

Go for what you like the look of best but also what your ortho reccommends. If you need to have some teeth moved a long way, to close a gap for example, you might be told to go for non ligature brackets because the teeth can move quicker due to less friction. There are many views on this board as to whether it actually makes any difference to the treatment time. My ortho is of the opinion that metals are better on the bottom, less chance of tooth damage if top teeth hit the brackets and also stronger from an eating point of view.

Whatever you choose, in a couple of weeks you will almost forget they are there and will be getting on with your life in a positive way. This is how I feel at this point and nobody is going to change that!!

Tim

#7 Post by **RightMyBite** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:54 am

Ask your orthodontist about how far the brackets he/she uses (metal vs. ceramic) stick out from the tooth. A few posters here have said the ceramic have a lower profile, but mine actually stick out further from the tooth than the metal on my lowers.

I personally don't find this to be a problem, as it's easier for me to clean around my ceramics than my metal ones because the proxybrush fits around it better!

#8 Post by **fitchick** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 1:59 pm

I have ceramic top and metal bottom. Ceramic was my choice for the tops as I have a 13mm overjet and I didn't want to draw anymore attention to these teeth. To look at them, the ceramic ones do look slightly bigger, but they feel no different to the metal ones at all. And the few times that I have had ulcers I just cover them in wax.

How are they going to address your bottom teeth that "disappear when I bite down"? If you look at my post showing my 6mth progress you will see that my lowers were barely visible 6mths ago, but with the help of a bite plate my lower jaw has dropped considerably and you can now see those lower teeth.

I'd also say get your braces on before your cruise. The sooner you start, the sooner you finish. Go for it, you'll be happy that you did. Good Luck and enjoy your holiday.

#9 Post by **Chiwawamom** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 3:07 pm

Thank you so much to everyone for all of your support. I am probably going to go with the ceramics. And wait until I get back from my cruise. I might as well have one more brace free trip and enjoy pizza, steak, nachos and all those hard to eat items on the menu. Plus is something goes wrong I want to be close to home. My Ortho didn't say anything to me about metal on the bottom. He just said that he wants to get my top teeth taken care of and bring them up before he puts the bottom ones on so that my top teeth don''t hit the bottom brackets. So basiclly he said the top ones go on then a few months later the bottom ones then a few months after that the elastics. Total time approx 18 months and around 4,900.00 for all. Im going Friday to get my top wisdom teeth pulled. I only have top ones bottom ones don't exist "got lucky with that one" and they are so close to my jaw bone that there is not way I would put the bracket/metal thingys that go on the back teeth. Those things would be stabbing into my jaw, as is there is barley enough room for the wisdoms. Plus they are hard to reach serving no purpose because there are no teeth below them to chew. Im not looking foward to Friday but my Dentist advised since they are out that it would'nt be too bad. Im anxious to get my braces though and can't wait to post pics when I get them. Thank you all again!!!!!

#10 Post by **MsViola** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:35 pm

Welcome Chiwa:

I would suggest that you wait until AFTER your cruise to get braces. I postponed mine until after a Carribean cruise at the advice of my Ortho. I am very glad that I did. It was quite "different" getting used to my braces. If I had had to worry about how to chew and clean my braces my trip would have been quite stressful. Now that I am used to my braces. I am looking for another cruise to go on

.

In regards to ceramic vs metal: I have clear on the top - they are smaller and not as bulky as the ceramic (at least mine are). I also have a deep overbite and I am glad that I took my Orthos advice not to go all metal. In hindsight, I think I may have felt self-conscious having metal on my top teeth. However, if you don't care go with the cheaper ones.

Enjoy your cruise

#11 Post by **Chiwawamom** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:55 pm

OK, It's official I made my apointment this morning to get my braces on May 14th. I get back from my cruise on May 12th so Im not wasting much time. : ) What are CLEAR braces? If those are smaller I want those......My Ortho didn't show me clear ones just tooth colored ones. It's a really high tech modern place too you would think they have all the latest technology. ???? I will be calling them in the morning to ask them about that. Im sure even with the ceramics though I will get used to them. I did have braces when I was 10yrs old and a barely remember them at all. I just had them on the front top 4 teeth to bring my HUGE gaps together. I only had them on for 6 months so I don't really remember much but I do remember getting used to them. That was almost 20 years ago though. Im not too nervous about my wisdoms. I got my pre-op letter in the mail today from my dentist preparing me for it. It's not too bad. My hubby had all 4 taken out a few months ago and he survived. : ) I also asked my ortho this morning if ceramics on the bottom where ok and they told me it was no problem once they brought my uppers up. My 4 top teeth "the ones that had braces when I was 10" are very low even my gums are. I kinda look like a rodent. At least thats how I feel. They are very isolated from the rest of my teeth. I can put my whole tounge in between my canines and my 4 front top teeth. Anyhoo, those guys need to be brought up and that could take a few months according to my Ortho. Then I get the bottom ones on. I guess one good thing about spacing out the tops and bottoms is it wont be TOO overwhelming when I get them on. One jaw at a time. I thought about getting them on before my cruise but I really don't want to deal with something that drastic and new while out of the country in the middle of the ocean. PS did everyone hear about the couple that fell overboard yesterday and lived to tell the tale? I work in travel and it was the talk of the town at work today. : )

#12 Post by **Chiwawamom** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:10 pm

Ok....so I was looking online for clear braces and found something called inspire ice. They look so comfortable...I want them. But only found like 4 Orthos in San Diego county that offer them????? They claim to be so great and comfortable? If they were so great why would all Orthos offer them? Or are they too new?

#13 Post by **MsViola** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:19 pm

Chiwa: Glad you are on your way. As far as the couple who went overboard on the cruise: they are crazy people doing crazy things. I have been on 3 cruises and you would have to "work" at falling overboard.

I have inspire brackets and as I said before I do love them. I am sorry your dentist doesn't offer them. However, he must have good success with what he uses so it shouldn't be a big deal.

#14 Post by **MsViola** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:20 pm

sorry for the double post!

#15 Post by **MsViola** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:20 pm

Sorry for the triple posts!