Hi ellebelle4,Hmm, without proper clinical photos, it is very hard to give proper advice. Nevertheless, I will hazard a guess.If you say that your current overjet is 1mm (which is very minimal), I would venture to say that your overbite (that is, the vertical overlap) of your incisors is very minimal. Again, I do not know what your exact treatment plan involves (with or without extractions), but my guess is that people like to avoid extractions when using Damon braces.My caution for you would be not so much the overjet, if my assumptions about your clinical picture and treatment plan are correct, but rather, if you would still have a decent overbite after aligning the front teeth. This is a very common problem encountered, especially if a non-extraction plan is followed, given the assumptions already mentioned. The problem you should worry about is whether your front teeth will meet together properly after such treatment.Once again, I have not examined you before, and we are making a lot of assumptions.
Hi Lindsey,These aren't the best clinical photos, and I can't see your bite in totality, but it appears that it is not just the canine that is "out". In fact, the upper 6 front teeth are, in a sense, in a more forward position, and as you have mentioned, there is a slight 'space' between them and the lower teeth.Assuming the side teeth are fitting in nicely, this is likely due to a tooth size discrepancy, or Bolton's discrepancy, which is fairly common. The usual ways to reduce the 'space' is to change the size of the teeth (through modifying the tooth shape), or to change the angulation (i.e. the torque) of the upper/lower teeth. Either option will take some time.Seeing that this question was posed 6 months ago, I hope your problem was solved!Best of luck!
Hi Anna,Whether or not you use Damon braces is inconsequential to the treatment plan, which is really dependent on how your jaws grew relative to each other. Even if you did Damon braces, it still does not address the issue, which is what your original orthodontist said, that you might need either 2 upper premolar extractions, or surgical correction. Of course, without extraction, we can always try to get the upper and lower incisors to meet, with just the use of elastics / rubber bands. However, there is no guarantee that this will work. It is true that Damon braces allows for a greater degree of arch development, which helps to reduce the separation distance between the upper and lower incisors. However, there is a limit to how much this can work, and really, it is really varies between different patients.In short, it could work for you, but no promises. However, you still have the option of doing the plans the 1st orthodontist gave you, albeit with an extended treatment time.
Hi DrSpain,1. It really depends on location and the type of dentist / orthodontist you are seeing. We pay a lot for the location, the rent, equipment etc., and at the end of the day, if you are comfortable with the person treating you, and you know that he or she will do a good job, then go for it. My take is that a cheap dentist is never the best, as if they cheapen the treatment too much, something has to give. It may be the materials, the equipment, or something you don't know about.Cost-wise, I do charge cheaper, and I do a lot of Damon Clear cases, and I am also an orthodontist, but I'm from Singapore ;)2. To say that something doesn't do it absolutely is only a half-truth. Whilst it is true that I don't subscribe to a lot of marketing hype of said company, I do think that it is possible to round off the arch with any system. Of course, a fixed appliance (i.e. braces) does it better, as there is more control over the teeth, as the braces are physically attached to the teeth. However, there are physical limits to arch expansion / widening, and there are physical limits, after which, you either have to accept a compromise, or to combine your treatment with jaw surgery. Having said that, if your treatment is complex, and requires a lot of fanciful dental movements to be done, it would be better to do it with braces, rather than tray aligners.
Hi Alexis, Hmm, your front teeth are already quite big, and it might not look very aesthetic to use veneers to close the gap. That would make the 2 front teeth too big, and you would look like a horse (pardon the expression). I can't tell how the bite looks like from your photos, but it may be possible to just do braces on the upper teeth to close the space. Alternatively, you can use clear tray aligners like Invisalign to close the space, though I think it is not as economical. Braces is probably a cheaper option, unless you absolutely will not wear it again. Treatment time should take less than a year.I would advise you to wear your retainers afterwards, or if you find wearing them difficult, a permanent wire retainer can be stuck on onto the inner/tongue facing side of the teeth.
