Damon Braces or Surgery-Expanders-Braces?

[davo1]

Hi everyone,
My first time ever posting on here and the reason I am is that I have been told that I MUST do something to fix my severe crossbite. I also have one tooth that underbites fairly bad and need that fixed as well along with moderate crowding of the upper and lower teeth. I am 19 years old and want to do something a.s.a.p.!

After being assessed by three different orthos it seems that if I want to fully fix my crossbite I only have one option and that is surgery! I am really steering away from this option. They did give me a second option and that is to get Damon braces. Unfortunately this will mean my severe crossbite will have to stay the way it is as trying to move it could cause even more problems. The positives of Damons are that my crowding can be fixed and my bite will improve from fixing the tooth that underbites. He told me that from my underbite it has pushed my jaw forward to accommodate this and with braces it will pull my jaw back.

My main reasons of getting braces was to straighten my teeth so I could smile with confidence but once they told me I needed surgery it gave me a big shock. My jaw has accommodated well for my crossbite, my teeth sit well (not healthy unfortunately) and I have no pain although I’m scared it could cause major problems in the future (one tooth has just began to get sensitive to cold foods and told it could be from my the pressure of my bite forcing on this tooth, this confused me as it became sensitive after I got a filling). Surgery followed by expanders than braces seems a long exhausting process as well as creating a big hole in the wallet, something I don’t want to go through.

One ortho said if I get Damons it will take 24 months and $5700 Australian dollars, the other said 18-21 months, cost unknown until I show x-rays get records etc. The other I saw who does not do Damons said I would need expanders for 3-6 months and then ordinary braces for 18 months. I was told by the second ortho that in my case expanders will not work as my jaw has fused and it would be a slow process, painful and could cause gum problems. He would not do expanders in my case.

Also I am about to start a new course (plumbing pre apprenticeship) next week and will not want surgery during that time, I also do allot of surfing. Also is it true you are stuck on a liquid diet for a long time post surgery? It was hard enough not beigh able to eat solid foods for a few days after my wisdom tooth were extraced and Im in the proccess of trying to add some weight as I grew really quickly and cant afford to lose any (I weigh 136 pounds and I am 5'11). What should I do as I am so confused about all this?
Thanks, Dave.

[Sunny]

Great you've found this forum Dave!

You have some major decisions, but it's great you have options. Firstly ... you don't have to have orthodontic treatment ... but it sounds like it would be to your advantage to get your bite corrected. It's important for you to realise there's no MUST ... but instead it's about you making the best decision for you now and in the future.

Next ... damon is a brand of bracket. Brackets don't move teeth, so make sure you choose an ortho you trust and don't be concerned about what brand of bracket they use. Don't let an ortho sell you on a brand name ... this is about the skill of the ortho, as the brackets don't do anything.

At 19 there's a better than good chance that your jaw bones are fused. These can be broken with surgery, if that's the best option. Some ortho's use expanders with adults, to help push the teeth out a bit further in the jaw bone. A skilled ortho can do this well, but it's something that needs to be done with care, as push the teeth too far and there may not be enough bone to support the teeth.

If your case requires surgery, there's no way round that. What you need to find out, is what will be compromised if you choose not to have surgery. Some ortho's are great at disguising some bite issues, but this may affect the stability of your results and you may risk jaw joint issues later. Of course some of these things can not be known for sure, but your ortho should have some ideas of how a bite like your's has affected other patients who've not had surgery.

After surgery there is usually only a short period of liquid food, then it's pureed and then it gets a bit thicker, until you can chew ... a little at little at a time. The time frame will depend on the type of surgery and the rules of the surgeon. There are many protein shakes etc that ensure a person doesn't loose weight and many people find they gain weight during this time.

I recommend you continue consulting with ortho's until you get a clearer picture of what your options are. You live in a huge city, so consults shouldn't be an issue.

Good luck!

[davo1]

Hey Sunny,
Thanks for the response. Your right, there really isn’t anyone forcing me to get my bite fixed but it is up on the to do list to get my bite corrected. I do have the option of leaving it as is be but the underbiting tooth is really annoying me now. My main priority is getting them looking good by fixing the underbite and crowding more so than fixing the bite. With my studies starting in a few days I really don’t want to get surgery during this time and I also don’t have any insurance so the cost will play a fair part in my decision. Also ever since I could eat solids after my wisdoms were removed last year I still have not been able to drink a smoothie or eat puree as I got so damn sick of them during my four days I couldn’t eat solids! Also did stints taking protein shakes in between meals and can barely drink them either. Could not imagine going longer than a week without solid food!

I felt really comfortable with two of the orthodontist I saw and they both recommended the Damon system as they believe they could give me the best results possible without going down the surgery path which at the moment is the way that suits me best. I am confused though as one said they could slightly expand my crossbite using Damons and the other said he would prefer to leave the back crossbite as is to avoid creating other problems. He said I should either completely fix the crossbite though surgery or leave the back teeth as is because they are set in their place. Do you know if I could get expansion using braces or is there no point trying and if I could should I?

I am going to get a records appointment with Dr David Peters in a couple of days as I’m not very patient to make more appointments to see more orthos. Also most in the area ask for around $90 for the initial consultation which would add up. The records appointment cost around $280 with him although the initial consult was free which is great. I did like the other orthodontist also and one of the assistants was so hot! It was hard to keeping my mind on track as the ortho was explaining my options cause I could not stop looking at the hottie!

These are the two orthos that were very helpful to me if you want to have a look.
Straight Orthodontics | Mentone | Health Harmony Confidence
Orthodontist Bentleigh Melbourne | Braces Centre Orthodontics | Melbourne Invisalign Platinum Provider

[Sunny]

Hi Dave, at your age I doubt your bones are still growing, but check with your ortho coz if they are, then you could get expansion. Mostly by your age the bones are fused and they expansion can't be achieved without surgery. What can be achieved with a skilled ortho, is the archwires can move the teeth out further in your jaw bone. This means that your jaw may look more rounded and you may achieve a little more space. This has to be done carefully, but many ortho's do this with good results.

Good luck and here's to you choosing the right person for your treatment!

[annabella]

Hi Dave... Welcome
my daughter got braces and she is 14. All the orthos said she was on the cusp age wise where the jaw bones begin to fuse. But her individual case is different. Due to being a late bloomer her bones are still growing(orthopaedists) told us, she had a fracture and a spine xray. So he could tell this by her growths plates. Any way I think boys were a bit behind but by 19 it is considered that they are fused. Now her dentist thought she would need an expander but all the orthos felt the could do with out.
So did any orthos mention that typically the lower jaw continues to grow, upto age 21 especially in males. So you might want ask about that and how it would affect your bite.
Now her ortho will widen/broadening her arch using the brackets instead of an expander. But her jaw isn't fully fused. She has Damons and everything is very good. We choose the ortho because were confident and connection with both he & his daughters abilities. So if you have confidence and he has had similar cases, then trust him and move forward. Once you make the decision it is easy. I remember we went back to ask questions about what the other orthos did and they explained everything. My daughter and I consulted she really liked this group and we told and they asked if we wanted to start her records. 2 weeks later she was braced and the lowers were added 3 wks after. So there you have it. Does your ortho have Damon clears(ceramics). They are really nice if you can get them. More comfortable but only for uppers 6 the rest are metal.
Well good luck.

[davo1]

Hi Annabella,
My growth is almost finished I think. I am about 5'11 now and I did grow allot last year and although slowly I am getting taller I feel it’s pretty much done. All 3 orthos I saw first recommended surgery as the best option in my case. But I’m not prepared for surgery now so it’s not an option at all. Two of the orthos were happy to try to use expanders with braces to see if I could get some movement that way. The third and my preferred ortho said that he has recently tried expanders for a similar cases to mine on 15 year old boys and mentioned that have had a fair bit of pain trying that option, instead of turning the screw once every 1 or 2 days they could only do it once every 2 weeks. He also did say he has had great success going down the surgery path. I just did the records appointment with the ortho a few days ago and in 3 weeks I will have an appointment where he will discuss what the costs are and what best option is for my circumstances is.
He did mention in the first consult that if I do not go with surgery the damon braces will be the best option for me. I forgot to ask if he does do the clears but I have asked 3 different orthos if they do clears but they only do metal. If they did have clears I would definitely get them for my upper teeth. I will ring up the ortho tommorrow but maybe the clears isn’t used in Melbourne/Australia yet?

[Sunny]

Davo I'm not sure if any ortho's are using the clear damon brand in Oz yet ... they weren't when they first come out, as I think they want them trialled by a few other places first.

The type of bracket will not affect your teeth ... but if you want clear sl brackets, there are brands and I'm sure most of them are available in Melbourne.

Good luck with next appointment!

[annabella]

Dave
I think you need to pick the vest option for you now. If you can't or just don't want to do the surgery then get the orthodontics. You can always choose later to do it.
On the brackets, if you want clears/ceramic , we had several orthos that used inovation SL and Clarity SL. Defintely my daughter prefered them , comfort, smoothness and food seemed to get less stuck. Anyway if he does have the Damons clears they are good, plus they were smaller.
Ok good luck let's us know more

[davo1]

Got home too late today to ask whether my ortho uses the damon clears (will do so tommorrow) but I just found an ortho that does do damon clear braces in Melbourne, he also does SureSmile, Clarity SL and In-OvationC. The only problem is it cost $160 for the first consult as its a pretty thorough one.

Dr Wexler will examine your smile, teeth and bite, taking photos.
He'll analyse your x-rays and orthodontic photographs.
"Pros" & "cons" of your options will be set out for you
Thorough reports will be written for you & relevant others.
You'll get copies of everything, including images, in the reports.
We'll find you excellent other dental professionals, if needed.
You'll be given costs and ways to make an easy payment plan.
Consultations take 60 minutes. Reports are usually ready by then.
If the time is right, we'll be ready to start your orthodontics!

Although it would be good to see him is it worth paying $160 for the first consult even though I already feel pretty confident with the one I have chosen. Most orthos around here cost around $85-$100 for the initial consultation but they dont take the photos or analyse xrays. It seems a fair price to pay for another opinion!
Here is his website
Geoffrey Wexler Specialist Orthodontist in Melbourne | Suresmile Dental Braces and Advanced Orthodontic Treatment Melbourne | Sure Smile Advanced Orthodontic Braces in Melbourne | Invisible Braces in Melbourne | Cost of Braces in Melbourne | Clear Br

[annabella]

We had the panoramic xray that the dentist took so the orthos could look at it to assess. Only one charged us for the consult and he said if we wanted more info about treatment to get an additional set of xrays for 200. I had already paid him 75. So I would say if that is the cost of everything not bad. What did the other orthos use to assess your case. Now several orthos offered to do xrays for free but I had the one from the dentist. Anyway it just depends if you would like any additional opinion. If you have doubts better clear them before proceeding. It was like the last one we saw I was ready to cancel but I didn't. We didn't pick him he gave us valuable insight. It just assured us of our choice.

[davo1]

Called the ortho today and good news they do have the damon clear braces so hopefully hes happy to use them in my case. Probably won’t bother getting another consult as I was getting pretty similar responses from the orthos I saw anyway, just the last one gave me the most thorough run down and I felt confident with him.
Is there any difference from the clears to the metal in strength, shape or costs or anything else or are they similar to the metal brackets?

[annabella]

That is too awesome. I think if you liked him the best and felt he was giving you a clear treatment plan no need to go elsewhere. Ok for us it was no additional charge for clears and it was only the top six the rest were metal. They are larger in size but much more comfortable (per my daughter) and easier to clean. She liked them so much when we went back for her lowers we asked about them. Our ortho would do it for fear of chipping the bottom teeth. Metals are much smaller, which were good for since her lower teeth are quite small. But she gets more food stuck on the lowers maybe because of the way she bites food. Definitely annoying.
Well looks like all you need to do is get your moulds and records done and get started.
Best of luck.

[davo1]

ARGH! Just got back from my orho and he tells me the cost of the damon braces will cost $7000! A big difference compared to the first ortho who said $5700. Im now considering going back to the first orto and getting a records appointment with her as the cost difference is huge. The other thing is although he does have the damon clear braces he does not like using them as he says they are too weak and he prefers to use the new damon Q braces. Just wondering if I can take the molds and the photos they took from the records appointment and take them to another ortho?

[aisforava]

Would you mind telling me which ortho you went to? I'm also in Melbourne.

I went for a first consulation on Monday, that cost $620, he gave me a discount, so it went down to $370. My health insurance is going to cover most of it. I think I'll be out of pocket around $50.

He gave me a quote for $9930 for 24 months with SureSmile. But I think I'll go have another consult with another ortho. Let me know if you get to have the expander, the ortho also told me that I would need an expander, but I'm 21, so he's not sure if it'll work

Good luck!

[davo1]

Hi aisforava
There is a very good ortho in Mentone, unfortunatley I dont have insurance and the $1700 difference between him and the other is too big for me but if you have health insurance I would recommend him to you. The first consultation is free, only goes for about 30 minutes. The records appointmet is $290. I think he uses sure smile
Straight Orthodontics | Mentone | Contact Us

The ortho I will be going to who is cheaper is in East Bentleigh. Also have alot of confidence in her. Her first consult costs $85 and the records one is around $240. Dont think she uses sure smile though.

I wont be using an expander and I can guarantee you that if you do see the ortho in Mentone he wont use it. Im 19 and he wouldnt use it unless I went with surgery. If you read the other post in this thread I explain why. I wont be completely fixing my cross bite but will be fixing my front teeth.