Damon Braces FAQ

When will I start to see movement/improvement in my teeth?
In my personal experience I saw movement within the first few days of getting them on - but please note it was extremely minor! After three weeks you should start to definitely see improvement. I recommend taking pictures of your teeth from all angles before you get the braces on, and then every few days or every week. Then you will really be able to see what has moved where.

How much do they cost?
I live in northern Germany and my braces will cost 5000€ in total (£4244 or $6500). The price can vary according to the country and the dentist you see. I've read often that as part of the price you also get whitening treatment after the braces are finished. It would be my recommendation to shop around and get different quotes from different dentists, ask as many questions as possible about your treatment, and then pick the dentist you feel most comfortable with. Saving money is all good, but not when you're unsure about a dentist. Your teeth are very important and you should pick the dentist you feel will give you the best service.

Can I pay in installments?
I had to pay an upfront fee of 1300€ and then I'm paying 350€ for the next 10 months. You would have to ask your dentist if paying in installments is possible for you, but I think it's very likely that it is possible.

How long will they take?
This will vary on how much movement your teeth need, but your dentist should be able to give you a good estimate. Different accounts suggest that it often takes from a year to 18 months, but it really can vary. My estimate, for example, is only 9 months. However, I'm prepared for that fact that it may take a little longer to get everything perfect! I found this great article about how you can take care of your braces and ensure that treatment time is not prolonged.

Will I be able to eat normally?
Well, perhaps not totally normally. After you get the braces on, it's a good idea to avoid foods that are extremely hard, or extremely chewy (for example gum, or fudge). For the first week or so, you'll find that you won't easily be able to chew anything because it hurts to bite down. Your front teeth especially will be particularly hard to use, but after the first week it gets much easier. Cutting your food into small pieces helps a lot. The bottom line is, you may have to cut back on some foods, but on the whole you'll be able to eat just as you did.

Do they hurt?
Your teeth will feel sore after first getting the braces on, and afterwards you do feel some sensitivity as they move. If sharp edges on the braces cut into your cheek, you can also develop ulcers, which can be painful. But although your teeth may feel a little sore, in my experience, it's not been so bad that I need an aspirin. And to avoid ulcers, use the wax you are given as soon as you feel something is rubbing against your cheek.

Is the pain so bad that I can't sleep?
In my experience, not at all. I've never felt so uncomfortable with the braces that I can't sleep.

Are they really visible/invisible?
Ok, so Damon Braces are definitely more visible than Invisalign, that's for sure. But quite a few people have said that until I pointed them out, they didn't see the braces. After three weeks, I've got used to the way they look, and I actually think they're kind of cute. But the first week I did worry and start to regret my decision. They're not invisible, but neither do they look REALLY bad. It all depends on you, but I think getting over one or two days of regret is really worth it in the long run.

Can I have braces with receding gums?
I would recommend asking your dentist about this, they will be able to advise you. I have one tooth where the nerve is a little exposed because gum has been brushed away, thanks to my overzealous brushing. When the brackets are put on, the dentist has to thoroughly clean the teeth and being blasted with this high pressure cold water was painful. I worried beforehand that having braces, and having the teeth moving around, would make the nerve even more exposed, but my dentist assured me that this wouldn't happen.

Do the Damon brackets stain?
Well, I have only had the braces for three weeks, and they are looking ok, despite my coffee and tea drinking. But I still try to avoid as many soda/fizzy drinks as possible, and drink less tea and coffee than usual. I would say that as long as you keep your brackets clean, and don't drink and eat staining agents to excess, then they will be ok.

How long does the whole procedure to have the braces on last?
In all, it lasts about an hour and a half to two hours. This takes in the X-Ray time, the time to make impression casts of both the upper and lower teeth, then the teeth cleaning, glueing the brackets on and putting the wire into the brackets.

How painful is the procedure to get the braces on?
If it hadn't had been for this one tooth where the gum is receeded, it wouldn't have been painful at all, just uncomfortable.

How often do you have to brush your teeth?
I find I'm brushing my teeth about three times a day - after breakfast, lunch and dinner. I don't want to brush them too much, but I also don't want trapped food in there, attacking my teeth. I think three times a day is plenty, although after snacks, you may want to just quickly go around with a small little brush, to get stuff out.

Can I floss with the Damon braces on?
I asked my dentist and she recommended not disturbing the wire, and to just use the little brush I'd been given to get in between the teeth. However, I have done it, very carefully. It's a good idea to thread the floss behind the wire first. I've heard you can buy a little threader tool to do this.

Am I too old to have braces?
Many sources I've read say that you are never too old for Damon braces as long as your teeth and jawbones are healthy! I am nearing 30 years old, and I personally think I couldn't have picked a better time. All my wisdom teeth have been taken out so they won't come through and mess up the alignment later. And by 30 the teeth slow down in movement. Having Damon Braces young is also fine I think. But I think that regular dentist appointments to keep an eye on your wisdom teeth is a very good idea.

Will they affect my speech?
The first few days of speaking with something new in your mouth is strange, and in the first few weeks, my slight lisp was made a little worse. But this has now passed and I find I'm speaking as normal.

What are the advantages over Invisalign?
I can only share my personal reasons for choosing Damon over Invisalign. Here were my reasons for not choosing Invisalign:

1. I was told that parts of my teeth would have to be filed away to fit the Invisalign brackets. I wasn't happy with that. 
2. My dentist told me that the Invisalign treatment was not guaranteed to last, and that I would probably have to wear a retainer after the treatment. This could be avoided with the Damon Braces. 
3. The plastic trays that you wear are removable. I'm sure they are very comfortable once you get used to them, but I was sceptical I would keep them in. I was given a mouth guard to protect my teeth from teeth-grinding while I slept. I couldn't even get to sleep with them in, so I'm pretty sure that I would take the Invisalign out if they were even the slightest bit uncomfortable. With Damon Braces I really can't do that. 
4. I was told my treatment time with Invisalign would be longer than with Damon Braces, and they would cost the same amount. 
5. I'd heard that speech impediments can get worse with Invisalign because of this plastic tray on the back of your teeth.

Will I need to get teeth pulled out?

One of the good things I've heard about Damon Braces is that tooth extraction is rare. In my honest opinion, I wouldn't have a tooth pulled unless it was seriously affecting me. Once your teeth are gone, they're gone, and I don't plan on having dentures, that's for sure! I would recommend getting a second opinion if a dentist says you have to get a tooth pulled.

Did you have bands around the back of your teeth and did you have separators?

This was asked by Muyuki Yuki. No I didn’t have any bands around my teeth or separators. I had to Google what separators were actually, and apparently, they look like this and are also known as spacers and are needed before orthodontic molar bands. Molar bands are these metal bands that go around the whole tooth. It appears that this is sometimes needed because orthodontists are not always able to stick the brackets on the molars. This seems to be for a number of reasons, for examples when fillings or other dental work make it impossible. 

I guess my molars were ok, because I didn’t need to have this, although I do have some filling in my molars.

Do the clear brackets on the bottom teeth feel bulky?

This was asked by Laura Murdock. Yes, the clear brackets are slightly bigger than the silver-coloured brackets and so it did feel a little bulky – at least at first. But like all the brackets, I got used to it. I’ve heard it’s not always possible to fit these white/clear brackets on the bottom front teeth, because of their size, and because the relative size of the bottom teeth can be pretty small. I would have been happy with either, but when my orthodontist told me I was eligible to have the white/clear on the bottom, I told her to go for it.

How long do you have to wear retainers, do you have to wear them for the rest of your life?

So I now have bonded retainers behind my front teeth top and bottom and I’ve been told that ideally, this should stay on for life. Obviously it will have to be changed at some point, this one won’t last a lifetime. I also have a plastic retainer (also known as an Essix retainer) that I have to wear every night for a year. This will then make sure my teeth are really settled in their new position.

Who did your braces?

Sherlyn and Em m  both asked about the orthodontist where I had my braces put on. At the time I had them put on I was living in Hamburg in Germany, and I went to Pamela and Saskia Schmedt auf der Günne, you can visit their site here.