Damon Clear Q: Clear on top and bottom or not?

[AJP1]

Hi all,

I've had a consultation with 2 different Orthos, both of which provide the Damon Clear braces.

The first Ortho I went to said it would be fine to have clear on both the top and bottom arches; however, the second

Ortho said he uses only clear on the top, as the ceramic can wear down the teeth...

Being 25, I obviously want the most aesthetic option, and I had my heart set on a mouth full of ceramic :D, as opposed to any metal...

What is the best route to go down?

Thanks

[Toxgirl]

Hi,

I don't have the Damon system but I do have the Clarity Advanced ceramics on the top and metal on the bottom. My ortho said that she doesn't do ceramics on the bottom because they tend to wear the enamel off the back of the top teeth. Here is a thread that talks more about it.

http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=374242

Hope that helps!!

[AJP1]

Thanks for that, it was most useful.

I will probe the ortho a little more about the concerns I've just read.

[plugnickel69]

Hi AJP1,

I had Clarity ceramics top and bottom. My ortho said no problem, but the other ortho I was considering also said he will not do ceramics on the lowers. Meanwhile, I had no problem, though I did have problems chewing on my back teeth for the first month to six weeks.

Whether it will be a problem or not depends upon your bite. If the fronts of your bottom teeth come in contact with the backs of your uppers when you close your mouth or chew, this would be a problem. Sometimes they use bite ramps or bite turbos or bite plates or means of restricting the brackets from hitting while opening the bite. From what I've read, the Damon system often uses bite turbos.

But if your ortho won't do ceramics on the bottom, you'll have to go with metals. They're usually fairly unobtrusive on the bottoms, and depending on your smile, may hardly be visible at all. If you read posts from here you'll find that nobody cares that you're wearing braces anyway.

Choose the ortho who has the best qualifications and who you feel most comfortable with. Don't go by the bracket system.
There's really nothing special about the Damons but the hype. They spend a fortune advertising.

Good luck, whatever you choose.

[Leeshlund]

Exactly right I have ceramics top and bottom with the bite guards in place!! Honestly I would rather have metal on bottom then the bite guards (I chew with 2 teeth) but I already have ceramic so oh well lol

[BraceFace2115]

I have Damon.... Ceramic on the top and metal on the bottom! Your lips cover the bottom well so there was no point paying extra for ceramic clear on the bottom! This combo works well... I'm 28 and not many people notice the mental also seem stronger I have bite blocks on the bottom because I have an overbite and it stops the brackets getting damaged x

[YellowDogTooth]

Most of the time braces aren't super noticeable on the bottom teeth anyway. If you're young and getting braces you obviously want to end up with nice beautiful teeth in the end (and they have to last quite a long time still!) so if there is a chance of clear braces harming your teeth in some way I'd opt for metal.

For financial reasons I went for metal. I wasn't willing to pay an extra thousand for clear. It was a hard choice because I'm 28, but I figured in the end people would see I had braces one way or the other. I enjoy picking colours. I don't think you get colours with damon braces though...so yeah.

You could also do a third consult too and use that as a tie breaker haha.

[Leeshlund]

Huh my ortho charges the same price for both..so of coarse I went with white lol 40 and vain???! I guess lol

[TheProfessor]

I have damon clears on top and metal on bottom. My ortho said that she doesn't do clears on bottom unless the patient insists- I took her word for it and went with metal on bottom to avoid any damage. Whether or not the metal brackets on bottom show depends on the person. My bottom teeth were really messed up and out of line and I have one of those mouth shapes that shows the lower teeth more than the top when I talk. I thought the metal brackets looked really bad at first and regretted not getting the clears on my lowers. I got used to it quickly, and as my teeth have gotten in order they are less visible when I talk. I think the metal brackets are fine now, and I'm really happy that I didn't have to get bite blocks or turbos to protect my upper teeth from clear brackets on the lowers.

You should ask both orthos if you will need bite blocks during your treatment and decide from there.

Good luck!

[mapleleafman888]

I have Damon.... Ceramic on the top and metal on the bottom! Your lips cover the bottom well so there was no point paying extra for ceramic clear on the bottom! This combo works well... I'm 28 and not many people notice the mental also seem stronger I have bite blocks on the bottom because I have an overbite and it stops the brackets getting damaged x

Pretty much the same here...I just got my damons off today (mar 11), clear on top, metal bottoms...the ceramics didn't damage the teeth. I was told at my first appointment clears don't work the best on the bottom because of a bracket strength issue...they break easy.

[AJP1]

Actually, I think metal would be pretty noticeable on myself. When I talk, it's my bottom teeth that show most of all and not my top teeth (darn!!)

Both orthos seemed well experienced; however, it was the one that offered clear on both, that suggested he'd use some sort of blockers so my teeth wouldn't meet.

Perhaps I'll go with him. I'm 25, and already feeling self concious about the whole idea - but I guess I should stop learning to care what others
think, right?

It's an expensive and lift time investment, and either way, I'll end up with beautiful knashers!

Thanks all for your invaluable input.

[AJP1]

One further question I have (just out of sheer curiosity!)

But some years back, I went for a consultation for InVu braces (I think that was the name of the brace system, anyway!)

The ortho at the time suggested he'd have to pull out four teeth! Immediately, this made me run away and bury the idea of fixing my teeth

under the carpet for several years.

The two Damon orthos, however, both said they wouldn't need to pull teeth? Is this strange?

I have read the online literature and promotional material about the Damon System which claim they can often straighten teeth without

the need of extractions.

Is it best to try and go with an ortho that doesn't suggest pulling healthy teeth? Surely all brace systems are similar in the way they work.

I don't see how the Damon System is some miracle maker, although the promo material perhaps gives out this message.

I have read stories about teeth flaring out, but I have read that IPR can also be done to create room... Ahhh, a lot of questions to ask!

[plugnickel69]

You have to have a conversation with your orthos regarding the flaring issue. The Damon system to attempt to avoid extractions, but at what result? It's all a matter of physics and mathematics. They can measure how much room you need and there is only so much expansion tht can be done, especially in an adult. I would also suggest having a consult with an ortho who doesn't use the Damon system.

[lorsa]

I have Damons.... Clear on the top and metal on the bottom AND I do have bite turbos on the backs of my two upper front teeth, because otherwise I would hit the lower brackets and either break them off or damage my upper teeth. My ortho said he doesn't do clears on the bottom because they don't work as well. I *think* he said it was because they weren't strong enough to handle the torque of the lower archwires, but am not positive I remember that correctly as it was almost a year ago.

Anyway, the comment made above about lower metals not being noticeable is correct - I find most people don't even see my lower teeth.