Couple Questions, Ceramic vs. Metal?

[GCHutch]

Hi everyone
I'm a 24 year old, about to finally get braces! The ortho suggested this treatment plan: Phase 1: He will put braces on top teeth, lip bumper on bottom, and a fixed appliance (can't remember the name) on the top molars to help pull the teeth back to create more space for them to move. Once there is enough space on the bottom teeth, he will put braces on the bottom. (It was either do the 2 appliances, or have 4 more teeth removed- and he suggested the first)
Anyways, my questions are: Should I go with ceramic or metal on top? The ortho said the only cons to ceramic are that they aren't QUITE as effective as the metal? Also, the patient coordinator said she had the ceramics on top/metal on bottom- and if she did it over again she would choose metal on both, because the ceramics were harder to clean. I love coffee, and do drink soda- so I don't know if that would cause the brackets to become discolored. The price would increase by $300, should I choose the ceramic.
Also, he said since there is so much crowding, they may shape/shave a very thin layer off of some of the teeth to create more space between them? This is the only thing that kind of worries me...my teeth are very sensitive to begin with, I don't want to risk damaging the enamel...although, he said it is such a slight amount it would not affect anything.

What are your thoughts?

[josie]

I have ceramic on top and metal on the bottom. I have no complaints about either. The ceramic appears to be just as effective as the metal - what I've heard about the ceramics is that they can be harder to remove by the ortho at the end of treatment, but not that they are less effective during treatment.

I don't find my ceramics difficult to clean either. I drink a LOT of tea - green and black - and they haven't stained at all.

There is not only one ceramic bracket though - there are several - so it's worth finding out what type your ortho is proposing. (Mine are InOvation C.) Some ceramics are more 'clear' or opaque than others. Some are very white, some are better for folk with off-white or a yellowish tinge, so yeah find out what type.

As for shaving off some of your teeth to create space between them, I wouldn't worry about that. I had it done at my last adjustment, since my ortho has finally determined that the reason my lower teeth won't budge and straighten that last little rotation needed is because there's not enough space for them to fit in, straight, at the moment. So he took something akin to a nail file (but much thinner) and 'flossed' between my teeth with it. It didn't hurt at all and I couldn't even see any difference, but I know it gave my teeth more room to move because they hurt for a week after, as they do whenever they get to be moving.

[Sunny]

Hi and welcome GCHutch!

I agree with what Josie has posted. Ceramic brackets perform the same as any other bracket, as it's the archwires that move teeth and the brackets are just the 'tools' that are bonded to your teeth.

Ceramic brackets don't stain ... the old clear plastic ones did, but I don't think they've been used for many years. The ligs and powerchains will stain, but there are shades that stain less and many ortho's offer wire ties as an option. Ceramic brackets with coloured ligs look great ... so there's always that choice if you want to have some fun.

The removing of thin layers of enamel from teeth is a fantastic way to achieve a small amount of space, without the need to remove teeth. I've had IPR (shaving) done a few times and it was fast, painfree and effective.

Good luck with your decisions and getting your treatment started!

[ports]

At 25, i went with all metal self-lig brackets. It's obvious that I have braces, and I don't care. No one comments on it or asks usually. The few that do are supportive. Personally, i don't care what anyone thinks. I'm fixing my smile and doing something good for me.

Fyi, all metal will probably be cheaper. Ceramics/clears were a $600 upgrade at my ortho.

[BraceLace]

I have ceramic on the top six teeth and I haven't found them any harder to clean than the rest of the brackets. I had a picture taken the other day and you really couldn't tell that I had braces at all!

[stevenson]

The brackets on metal braces are smaller than those on ceramic braces which can alter the aesthetic appeal for some. Also, the elastics in the ceramic braces can stain the teeth whereas they are not used in the metal braces so there is no concern with this aspect at all.!!

[Sunny]

We put ceramic brackets on the upper 'social 6' of all our patients and they don't find them any harder to clean. The brackets ... metal and ceramic, are the same distance above the tooth, if they're from the same maker. This is so that metal can be mixed without affecting the archwire.

If you have ligs and powerchains (and nearly everyone has powerchains) ... they're the same no matter what type of brackets you have and they all stain, so don't make decisions based on them. Lol! ... and they never stain teeth! It's time this spammer was banned!

Some brands of metal brackets are a little smaller, which can make them more poker. Metal is not more aesthetically appealing due to it being so much more obvious than ceramic ... and size will never affect that!