Frustrated....getting damon braces

[arowland]

Hi. I am supposed to be getting braces put on this Thursday. But I called the orthodontist today to ask some questions. I have an initial consultation Thursday morning and then after that the braces would be put on. But I have a HORRIBLE gag reflex and had some questions about it today.

So I called and talked to one of the staff members there and just briefly asked if I was a candidate for invisilign. They told me no and that "it would be hard enough to straighten my teeth out with braces." My teeth are crooked and I have a small mouth, but braces should fix them. I can't believe they would say that!

So now I am having all kinds of doubts about getting the braces put on. I am already dreading how I will look in them. I'm 31 years old and do not like the idea of braces.

Can anyone give me an idea of what they went through with the damon braces? Did you have to have spacers? Any devices?

[Phantom Muse]

Arowland,

One ortho I saw for a consult for Invisalign (actually my daughter's ortho - and he did a great job for her) told me that Invisalign would not work for me. It turns out that he simply was not comfortable with the technique of Invisalign, and so his advice to me was based more upon his favor toward other methods of straightening teeth rather than my particular situation. Now, 4 months later, I am well over halfway to the end of treatment with a different ortho, and I am very happy with my Invisalign experience!

That being said, I obviously can't tell you if Invisalign is a good option for you, but perhaps you need to get another (or a few more) consults so that you feel comfortable with your choice of orthos. For me, it is most important to work with someone I trust, and it sounds like you may need to find someone you feel more comfortable working with (and that does include the office staff, too!).

Good luck!

[lauralea]

I dont know how bad your gag reflex is, the worst part is the impressions and you would need to do that with invisalign as well (and perhaps more often then with braces). I know that when you have to go in for a tightning or anything like that, its not like a regular dentist in the fact that they are digging in and all that jazz. I think you will surprise yourself with how much easier it is than you think.
Hope all goes well.

[Sunny]

Please don't worry too much and make sure you tell the ortho you have a bad gag reflex before the moulds are done.

How many consults have you had before choosing this orthodontist?

I was turned down for invisalign by all the providers I asked. I was also turned down for treatment by a couple of orthodontist's ... which I found very upsetting. There attitudes were that as I was already in my 40's, I should learn to live with the pain and not be concerned about the gap from my impacted canine.

Luckily over a couple of decades I met many good ortho's and when I was finally ready for treatment ... aged 47 ... I chose an ortho I found outstanding ortho to do the job.

I now work for my ortho and it's a great job. When we have patients with a bad gag flex we tell them to concentrate on wiggling their toes while we take their moulds. We also have them sit up with their heads slightly forward, so they feel better.

Spacers - these are used by ortho's who put molar bands around the molars of their patients. These aren't used as much as they used to be, but some ortho's still prefer them. I think like all things to do with ortho treatment, you adjust quickly and there's always going to be people on here to help.

Good luck ... and keep asking questions ... on her, and of the ortho's you meet!

[myhollywoodsmile]

hi there,
I was also told that I wasn't suitable for Invisalign by some ortho's but then I found a more experienced one who was happy to treat me! Sometimes it is worth seeking some extra opions.

[Fern]

Hi there. I worked for two years for an orthodontist who used the primarily the damon system. We always encouraged our adult patients to go this route. The reason is, the wires work differently than traditional braces. They work faster! They are less painful! Sometimes clear aligners just don't work well, especially if the the teeth are significantly crooked. You could end up being in them for years and with a meh result. You may not look your best in braces, but you'll be in them less time and with less pain. AND, with less impressions. Invisaline requires many impressions. Regular braces don't.

[Kimmie8503]

I have damon braces and two weeks ago i got 2 spacers put in. I love them. I have had them for 7 months with 3 to go. The braces are put on before you realize. it does not hurt at all (until later that night or the next day so please takee meds and be prepared to ache for about 5 days). the spacers dont hurt once they are in but you will feel the pressure of them being jammed in you mouth (but sometimes you have to go thru the pain to get great results). dont be afraid be EXCITED...oh yea...best color powerchain/elasctics..silver or light pink...I know from experience :-D...hope i helped and remember BE EXCITED!!!!!

[livelavalive]

The gag reflex is horrible with impressions, and my many panic attacks and clown like antics at the orthodontist is testament enough to that.
When they're tightening your braces and stuff it's not too bad. Also, when you get them off it's not too bad either, besides more impressions.
Invisalign will make you get more impressions than braces will. Apparently impressions will become digital in a few years (Can someone PLEASE confirm this?), but if you want treatment now I would recommend the braces.

[Sunny]

Hi there. I worked for two years for an orthodontist who used the primarily the damon system. We always encouraged our adult patients to go this route. The reason is, the wires work differently than traditional braces. They work faster! They are less painful! Sometimes clear aligners just don't work well, especially if the the teeth are significantly crooked. You could end up being in them for years and with a meh result. You may not look your best in braces, but you'll be in them less time and with less pain. AND, with less impressions. Invisaline requires many impressions. Regular braces don't.

Fern it's really sad to read your post and that you worked for an orthodontist. The archwires used for brackets are the same ... only a few companies make them and they sell them for use with all brackets. There's no such thing as a type of wire that moves teeth differently, faster, slower, better, worse, painful, comfortable etc. This is marketing hype and it's a shame that people in the industry don't all know this.

Invisalign is now able to achieve most things that braces can achieve. It's about finding the right orthodontist, who's had the level of training needed. A person who's been treated with invisalign, shouldn't need any more moulds made, than a person with braces. Maybe if they need refinements they'll get an extra one done, but again with a skilled ortho and help to deal with their fears, this is not something to worry about.

Fern please remove the advertising in your signature, or I'll have to delete your post. Thanks

[IHIC]

There's no such thing as a type of wire that moves teeth differently, faster, slower, better, worse, painful, comfortable etc. This is marketing hype and it's a shame that people in the industry don't all know this.

Wow, thanks for posting that Sunny! Now I know thr truth! At my first consultation the Ortho was keen to get me to go with a certain type of brace (the most expensive as well) and said they didn't hurt/feel uncomfortable like traditional braces, he also said treatment time would be alot less... of course, I totally believed it.

[josie]

I think Sunny is saying that the wires themselves are the same in all braces - but it's the BRACKETS that are different between traditional and modern braces. Your ortho was probably saying that you should use self-ligating brackets rather than traditional brackets...

Self-ligating (modern) braces allow the wire to slide slightly as the teeth move, so there's no manual tightening. My ortho explained it as follows: The arch wire has a 'memory' of the perfect arch. It will constantly try to return to that perfect arch once attached to your teeth, thereby taking your teeth with it. It is activated by the heat of your mouth/body temperature. (My ortho said that if you want to speed your treatment up, you could try swilling hot water to encourage the arch wire to work harder to return to its shape. Not sure if this is true or speculation!) This is why nothing needs to be tightened - the forces are not manually adjusted on each tooth as with traditional braces and adjustments - but are part of the wonder of physics. This is my understanding of things.... I think there's a good explanation of all this elsewhere on this site...

[livelavalive]

I don't know if it's something I read or actual fact, but Invisalign does need more impressions than regular braces.
Braces impressions are fitting for appliances and Invisalign impressions are fitting for the next "retainer" for lack of a better word.

Also, does anybody know if impressions will turn digital in 7 years? That's what my orthodontist's assistant told me when I was complaining about getting them.
If that's the case, I wouldn't mind getting tune up treatment when I'm older.

[IHIC]

I think Sunny is saying that the wires themselves are the same in all braces - but it's the BRACKETS that are different between traditional and modern braces. Your ortho was probably saying that you should use self-ligating brackets rather than traditional brackets...

Yes, the Ortho told me it was the brackets that would make my time in braces more quicker. The ones he recommended were the most expensive out of the 3, and they were self ligating.

But I am sure I can remember someone once saying that brackets do not move the teeth, it's the archwire... So therefore if someone is trying to tell a person that certain brackets work faster/better etc it's not true, as the archwire moves the teeth and not the bracket.
Can someone confirm this please? or put me straight if I have that incorrect! It's all a bit confusing lol.

-------

EDIT: I found it! It was in a post Sunny made (Are there any difference between ceramic and metal braces? thread):

Brackets don't move teeth, therefore no one type can do anything another type can do!

So if archwires and different types of brackets can't move teeth better/faster, why are some Orthodontists telling some patients that they can? Also, why are they priced higher if there is no real benefit from them? (other than perhaps they are smaller, so not so visible)?

[Sunny]

Profit ...

Business has to be driven by profit, or otherwise there's no point in being in business. But ... giving incorrect information to obtain this profit is different, as that's deceit.

There can be small differences between the costs of brackets ... like a few cents or dollars between them, but it's rarely very much. Plus most orthodontist's buy in bulk, which guarantees discounts and deals.

I don't really know, but I'm guessing some other's get 'kick backs' for selling a product that they've been asked to endorse. Like sports players, actors etc. Why would they do this ... because they can get away with it ... greed ... etc.

Demand and supply can cause price fluctuations. If an ortho has to get some new equipment to go with a new product, then that may be added to the cost. The same would go with additional training to do certain techniques with a product.

The best way to find out is to ask. Judge the reaction and response you get, as to whether you'd want that person to treat you, your family or friends.

[josie]

I'm sure that what Sunny writes plays some role in things - but there are also trials and research carried out by the makers of various brackets which compare their effectiveness (speed and results) with 'traditional' braces. These trials are all referenced with the year and the paper which the trial was carried out in, so there is evidence and research which demonstrates their effectiveness. It would be illegal for these claims to be made, were they not to have been found in clinical trials. Maybe some companies just have more money to throw at trials than others, so others may be just as effective but not have had any research to 'prove' that - so are therefore unable to make those claims.... ??

[Sunny]

Traditional brackets are brackets ... within the traditional bracket range are type like ligating and self ligating and materials like metal, nickle free, ceramic and types of ceramic etc. The first thing to remember is that brackets don't move teeth ... so no matter what type of bracket it is ... it won't affect how teeth move. What manufacturer's are looking for is comfort and appearance ... anything to give them an edge, as there's many new brackets being marketed every year. Ligating ceramic still have the most being manufactured ... but who knows what will be next.

It would be illegal for these claims to be made, were they not to have been found in clinical trials.

It definitely should be, but the proof that it's not, is the advertising that this or that bracket moves teeth quicker/easier etc. As we know that brackets can't do this ... check out the hundreds of advertisements that have incorrect advertising on them.

I did an assignment on this type of advertising ... it was very interesting.

I agree that some companies do seem to have a very large marketing budget and they seem to be able to make many unsupported claims and get away with it. This is why it's important for consumers to make sure they'll well educated and to check any research they do. Much research is funded by the company that 'what's to come out on top' ... so be aware of research that isn't balanced or compares bananas with apples ... which of course can't be done.

[josie]

Wow that is v interesting indeed Sunny, if true - I mean, Damon have a whole list of studies published on their site: Damon System Braces - Self Ligating Braces - Official Site

Perhaps there are other studies which disprove their claims, which they're not telling us about...?

I think, in the UK, perhaps we are a little naive with medical advertising - we just don't have ads on our public transport systems, TVs, radios etc for medical products. Probably due to the NHS and less consumer choice about treatment and drugs. So perhaps we're not used to being sceptical with regards to the claims of medically-related products.

[Sunny]

Who has funded these 'studies'? Who were the independants in these 'studies'? Where's the balance?

Never loose sight of ... Brackets don't move teeth! They can't ... they're bonded to teeth and that's it. For teeth to move, you need a skilled ortho using archwires and other equipment. These archwires and other equipment are not 'brand' specific and therefore the same equipment is used with ligating and self ligating, with metal and ceramic brackets. So if you know this ... the rest is easy ... choose an ortho you feel good about and leave quickly if any ortho tries to sell you a brand instead of his product. You're after treatment/service ... not buying clothes or electrical goods.

We don't have this kind of advertising either and I think we're the lucky ones, as we don't have our lives so complicated by advertising b/s!

[josie]

I'll for sure be more sceptical about it all from now on!

[lauralea]

Sunny, I know brackets dont move teeth specificaly, however they are all part of a system designed to move teeth, and they are what makes things move quickly. ie: Lig vs non lig, ages before, everyone got lig braces either elastic lig or metal lig ties, now, via research and product engineering, a non lig gate bracket design was found to be more efficient, decrease pain, and move faster. I will be the first to say it, the ones I have on now are 10 times better then the braces I had as a kid, my good god those hurt, I remember going in for an adjustment, and I coudnt eat anything but liquid for 2 days following, and appointments were 4-5 weeks apart. Now unfortunatly I had to undergo treatment again, and these new ones rock! I feel slightly tender for maybe 3 hrs following, but its nothing compaired to before, honestly. And not only that, teeth are moving much faster as well. And this time appointments are 6-8 weeks apart.

[Sunny]

Lauralea the one thing you're right about is that brackets have changed ... all brackets have changed. If you had non sl this time, you'd find them different to when you were a kid. Bracket shape has changed and this makes them more comfortable. The sl brackets poke the highest off the teeth, to allow for the door, and this means they're the more 'pokey' of the brackets. If you like them, you'd find the non sl even easier to adjust to.

Appointment times for ligs or no ligs is the same, as it's the archwires that are doing the work and this is what should be dictating appointment times. There are still some ortho's who like to see their patients once a month or once every six weeks. Where I work the appointments can be as close as one week (rare) or as far apart as 3+ months.

We recommend our patients stay away from hard food for four hours after having their brackets bonded. After that ... it's all about gettting back to eating the same as you would any other day.

It's great that you're so happy with your treatment and that your teeth are moving well. Good luck with this continuing!