Damon Q Braces V Damon 3

[jenbev]

Hi. My name is Jennifer and I am new to this forum. My daughter Rachel had her Damon braces put on yesterday. It was quite a shock to me when I saw them because I had been researching them on the internet and they looked different in real life to what I was looking at on the web.

After a few hours additional research today, I realise that Rachel has been fitted with Damon Q braces rather than the ones that commonly come up on internet images which as the previous and most widely used Damon Braces - the Damon 3 (they have the clear bit at the back).

Upon researching, I have learned that these are an upgrade from the Damon 3 as it is a smaller bracket, more rounded, they adhere better and they are not as protruding. However, I was struck by the darkness of the Damon Q. They are small, but it is quite a metally look - quite heavy.

In Australia, the Damon Q seems to be very new with not many orthos using it yet. It seems to me that the Damon 3 is a lighter coloured metal, and although it may be a bulkier bracket, it is less visable because of the clear background. Having said that, I have only seen pictures on the internet of Damon 3 - I have no live comparison to my daughter's Damon Q braces.

I was wondering if someone out there has some knowledge on the two generations of Damon braces and what they look like athsetically side by side? I have spoken about my confustion to our dentist and he is offering to change out the front teeth for the Damon 3 if we like but after further investigation, it seems they may need the Damon 3MX on the back teeth to balance them out because they sit out further from the teeth than the Damon Q.

I don't know what to do and I don't know who I can contact to find more information. The Damon product doesn't have a contact no or helpline. Can someone please shed some light on the topic and help me sort through this confusion?

Thanks so much.

[Sunny]

Jen I'm not really sure I understand what your concern is.

Is it that the brackets on your daughters teeth don't look like you expected? This often happens to begin with, but it's not about the look, but about the ortho's skill in using the archwires and making sure the teeth move correctly.

The Q bracket is Ormco's new one, and does vary slightly to it's others, which is to be expected with a new product. What's important to remember when viewing publicity about brackets, is that it's usually funded by the company that is selling the product, this means that you must be a weary consumer. The most important thing to remember is ... brackets don't move teeth!

I hope your daughter adjusts quickly to having braces and her results are great!

[gravytrain]

Hi Jen

I tend to agree with Sunny in that I dont understand what your main concern is all about. I myself have just been fitted with the new Damon Q brackets here in Melbourne Australia. I too was expecting to be fitted with the Damon 3 brackets. My orthodontists advised me that the new Q brackets are a updated design and has a lower profile in terms of its design. It doesnts stick out as much and is more comfortable on the mouth. Anything that is updated and new is a bonus regardless if the Damon 3 had a lighter colour appearance. I've had no issues with it lately and I'm into 5 months of the treatment.

Also dont forget that the internet is a useful resource our there, but nothing else compares when you discuss your problems and issues with your orthodontist.

Hope your daughter is going well with the treatment! : )

[jenbev]

Hi again. I did post quite a long update a few days ago, but for some reason it didn't stick. Anyway, nearly a week on and my anxieties have been greatly reduced. I think that that first look at braces on your child is a shock no matter what, but ours was excacerbated by the fact that she was wearing a new product that we didn't know about when we were expecting a different product to be given to her (Damon 3). Hence, my original post was me dashing around after the fact, trying to find out if someone had knowledge on both Damon 3 and Damon Q and could let me know that there wasn't much difference between the LOOK of both. I believed that the Damon 3 was less noticable than the Damon Q and that it was a lighter coloured product.

I have since done sufficient research and that coupled with Rachel's delight of her braces, has lead me to the conclusion that she has the right product. Now that we are used to them, I really like them. They are small and her friends ask her "how come your braces are smaller than mine?". She was really suprised at how small they felt in her mouth. When she closes her mouth she doesn't look like she has braces - no bulging cheeks or lips. Rachel said that she is soooo happy to have Damon braces over normal braces and that having a lower profile than Damon 3, would not want to trade these out for the half-clear look of the 3 version.

My research has also lead me to understand all the improvements of the Damon Q over the 3. They are smaller, more rounded edges reducing cuts and ulcers, less chance of food getting stuck (Rachel's braces always look clean - although she is diligent in keeping them so). They have a reduced profile, so they sit flatter and are less bulky in the mouth. They look very neat and we are all very happy with the result. Also, she only had real discomfort for a couple of days. My tip to anyone out there, get the braces put on towards the end of the week, give yourself a day off and then the weekend to deal with any discomfort and to come to terms emotionally with your new look. It's hard to accept what you look like while you're in pain - it's too much going on. So give yourself some time and space. Rachel was definitely ready to go to school confidently on the Monday after having her braces the Thursday before.

Our main issue in retrospect is that although our dentist gave us the better product, he didn't take the time to explain what he was doing. We expected something different when we asked for Damon Braces - we didn't know there were different versions - and it should have been their job to explain it to us. So I would just advise others out there to make sure you know exactly what you are getting before they put them on your teeth! Do your own research and become a mini-expert - but do it before you get the braces - it will be a lot less stressful!!!!!!

Have a great Day!

Jen
Sydney, Australia

[Sunny]

Fantastic that everything is working out well for Rachel!

Brackets are brackets ... they don't move teeth ... but I do understand that the way they look can affect how we feel about them. Most people don't notice them and the majority of patients adjust quickly.

As I've written above ... the important factor is to have an ortho who knows about how teeth move, as it wouldn't matter what bracket was on a persons teeth ... without the skill of the ortho, using things that do move teeth ... like archwires, elastics etc ... those teeth are going no place with just brackets bonded to them.

In appearance the new Ormco product Q is very like many of the ceramic brackets with the rounded edges, that do make comfort easier from day one ... but people adjust no matter what brackets their ortho's use.

Good luck to Rachel and her progress towards having a great bite!