Damon Clear and the Social Six!

[katie82]

Hi - I'm 25 years old will be getting my Damon braces on in a months time... I'm SO nervous... mostly about how they will look and what my friends and colleagues will think! Not to mention the pain!!

I'm getting damon clear on my 6 upper front teeth, and metal on the rest of the top and the bottom. The only thing I'm concerned about is whether I will look funny with only 6 clear brackets on the top teeth (I have quite a wide smile). Does anyone know if the orthodontist can fit clear brackets to more or all of the top teeth? Does anyone have any photo's of this or can share how they adjusted with having braces?

I've been told by people that once you start to see and notice the changes in your teeth, your confidence will even increase as you see the drastic changes taking place under the braces!

Thanks!

[emmarie]

I have Damon clear braces on my six upper front teeth and metal on the rest. Unfortunately, I was not told that the back teeth on the top would be metal, so it was quite a shock when I looked in a mirror for the first time. I also have a very wide smile. You can see all my top teeth except the very back molar when I smile.

Personally, I wish I didn't have the metal in the back. If I had known and had the option to put clear on all the top teeth, I would have. However, I would much rather have the clear on the front six than metal all the way around. They definitely look better and are much less noticeable, especially from a distance. And they are much more comfortable. I haven't had any trouble with pain from the clear brackets rubbing inside my mouth. That might be because they are on top or because of the structure of my mouth, but the edges aren't sharp like the metal brackets. You would think they would be able to make these things more comfortable!

I am 34 and was also nervous about how I would look and what people would think. But I was really surprised to find out how many adults have braces and it's really not a big deal anymore. Everyone has been very positive about it and they all seem to want to share their own braces story or tell me about someone else who had braces as an adult. The first week or so is a bit awkward as you learn to talk and eat and deal with the discomfort. My biggest complaints are the amount of food that gets stuck in the braces and the time you have to spend keeping them clean. I find that I don't snack between meals anymore because I don't want to have to clean the food out of my braces.

Good luck!

[lightskinnnn38]

I have ceramics on my top 10 teeth and metal on my top pre-molars & bottom teeth. If I was to get only 6 ceramic on top you could probably see the metal on the sides when I smile. I would definitely ask them if there is an orthodontic reason for only having the "social six" and if you can have clears put on more than 6 teeth. It doesn't hurt to ask! I was lucky enough to get ceramics on most of my top teeth without asking.

I agree with @emmarie. I am 26 and when I first got mine I was so self conscious about my teeth and if people would look at my mouth all the time. But a lot of people who commented on them were the ones who had braces before and many of them surprisingly were adults! The more my teeth are corrected the more confidence I have in my smile and I definitely smile a lot bigger now! No one even comments on my teeth anymore, and if others do notice them they are pretty accepting of them and congratulate me on them!

As far as pain, I didn't have much pain initially and after my 1st adjustment the pain lasted for maybe 2 days. Just be sure to use a lot of wax if your brackets rub against your cheeks and rinse with warm salt water. Have no fear! Braces are great and I love this whole experience!

[katie82]

Thanks so much for the feedback and support guys! I really appreciate it

So I called the orthodontist yesterday and they said the technology in the Damon system had not yet progressed to allow for more than 6 clear brackets They said the only way they could do clear brackets on more of the top teeth would be to use ceramic braces with the Damon's - but they wouldn't be happy to do it that way.

So I guess I'll be having the social 6! You're right @emmarie - it's better than all metal and i'm glad to hear it's more comfortable too.

Whilst I was on the phone I also booked in my first 2 adjustments! Just can't wait to get them on now and get on with it!

[lightskinnnn38]

I have the ceramics and not the clear Damons. I wonder why the "technology" hasn't progressed... The archwires are the ones that move the teeth, not the brackets, so what does it matter?

I'm not the expert so I'm sure there is a reason that I don't know about

Good luck with your progress!! It's such an exciting time

[ports]

lightskinnn38, i think it's cost. I've been looking at ortho parts costs, and the clears are just cheaper to do on the social six. Hence them coining that new term.

As far as rubbing, it's in a different position in your mouth. I don't think the ceramic shapes are very different. Also, some people have trouble chipping teeth on the ceramics because the ceramic is harder than the metal.

I'm 25, I work as a full time engineer. I actually work in commercialization, so a lot of my time is spent explaining other peoples research... in front of an audience. No one cares that I have braces. Even girls at the bar haven't commented on them. If anyone asks, I tell them I wanted a nicer smile. And leave it at that. It's my mouth after all.

I got my braces to realign some of my teeth. I don't have an issue with my bite, or any random 2nd row of teeth.

[araymond18]

Hello!

I wear the damon clear braces as well... I had them put on at the end of August, so its been about 5 months now... I was told I would be wearing them a total of 18 months. After the first month I could already see a lot of movement! I am a little nervous that one of my teeth will not become align with the rest. one of my lower front teeth is so far forward that if I didn't get braces to correct it, I would have to get skin grafting done to prevent it from breaking through. I haven't seen any movement with that tooth but, it has only been 5 months and I am sure its a pretty big challenge.

When I first got my braces on I was very self conscious! I noticed when I would meet people for the first time they would stare at my mouth but, others didn't even notice. Now, the pain.... I would have to say that I have never been in that much pain before in my life.... It could have been because I had a crazy work schedule (working from 3am to 3pm everyday.) I remember my mouth throbbing... I could only eat soft food for the first 3 weeks... After that I could chew using only my back teeth. It was impossible for me to eat anything I had to take a big bite out of (hamburgers, anything fryed, etc.) Eventually it got better...it just took a long time.

I still have a long time to go but I know in the end it will be worth it.

[Sunny]

Hi and welcome to this forum Katie!

I'm sure you will adjust to whatever type of ceramics (of which damon clear is a brand) that you have. We give all our patients ceramics on their upper social six. This was a decision our ortho's came to a few years ago and it's working well. If a patient wants more than six they can have them, but they do cost a little more. Ceramics can be used on the bottom teeth as long as the bite is suitable ... but due to the cost, many patients who could have them, choose not to, due to the lower teeth being less noticable for most people.

With the modern memory archwires discomfort is not as common as it once was. Some people have more sensitive mouths and this may mean they feel early movements more than others. Keeping well hydrated helps your mouth to cope with the brackets and it's good for your general health. Using wax on any brackets that rub will allow the skin to toughen without sores forming and this also helps ensure the comfort of your mouth.

Most people find that for the first few weeks they are consumed by their braces and then they forget about them for most of the time. It's also great when you realise that other people don't really care about your teeth and your mouth. I guess it's a bit like any medical problems, it's huge for the person, but most others don't want to talk about it.

Good luck with your treatment!

[CapnCrunch]

I have damon braces, full ceramic on the top front six, the next two back from those are half clear and half metal, and then metal everywhere else. they look fine and you really dont need clear on any more than the front six

[litlmina]

i have damon q metal on top and bottom, and the attention i get has all been positive! people who work with me (and noticed that i got them) loved to tell me their stories of when they had braces. one woman told me she was in her early thirties, married, pregnant, with braces! and since she looked so young, she was always afraid that people would think she was a teen mom.

but most people will want to give you advice or share their story. peopel who don't know you will probably not comment on them at all. i did get carded twice at this one bar, but other than that, no one has said anything to me.

(and i've made a personal decision that if someone asks me what high school i go to, i'll just make up a name. no use in fighting the inevitable!)

[miss_april]

Hi,

How do you like your braces? Do you see any results since its been a few months now? I am getting my impressions on Friday and I am very nervous.

Thank you