Standard Braces vs Damon Braces and How Braces Have Changed for the Better
Braces in 2024 are far superior than the conventional braces you remember when you were a kid.
Has your Orthodontist recommended braces for yourself or your child?
Learn here about how technological advances have improved the orthodontic experience for adults and children, making it a more comfortable, more effective and less time-consuming experience.
Traditional twin brackets, requiring elastics to tie the wire in place.
Damon braces are designed to open like doors, so the wire slides through them instead of being tied on them. In this model, colors are placed behind the top 6 front brackets for the fun of decorating but are not required. Notice the bottom and back teeth have no colors.
What are the differences between older, conventional twin brackets compared to modern Damon brackets?
Prior to 1996, the most common type of orthodontic bracket used was a twin bracket. A twin bracket requires an elastic or metal ligature tie to attach the wire to the bracket. This type of bracket, when used on all permanent teeth, are notoriously uncomfortable and not very efficient requiring longer treatment times.
Damon Braces are self-ligating, so elastics and metal ties are not required to attach the wire to the bracket. The bracket is designed so that the wire slides through the bracket.
The wires used with Damon braces are made of Copper NiTi (copper-nickel-titanium), were created by NASA, and have a thermal memory property. When these wires are warmed by the body, they move teeth with less force than conventional wires and brackets and stay active longer, so patients are seen every 8 weeks for adjustments compared to every 2-3 weeks with twin brackets.
Damon Self-Ligating Braces open like doors, allowing the Copper NiTi wire to slide through.
Copper NiTi Wires create broad, beautiful smiles with Damon braces.
Why does the type of bracket matter when moving teeth?
All brackets are not created equal.
Aside from the fact that Damon braces move teeth with less force and in less time, they move teeth in ways that conventional twin brackets cannot.
The Copper NiTi wire has a memory property allowing teeth to move out wider, creating a bigger arch form for ideal tooth placement. This type of movement often allows crowded teeth to straighten without the need for extracting permanent teeth to create space. Space is created by moving all of the teeth in a way that creates a larger circumference.
It was (and still is) common practice for permanent teeth to be extracted when straightening teeth with twin brackets.
This photo shows optional colored elastics placed behind the front 6 brackets for the fun of decorating. They are not functional therefore not required.
Damon braces come in metal and optional clear ceramic on the top front for patients 16 years and older.
Wearing Damon Braces During Your Smile Journey
An Orthodontist who uses Damon braces for orthodontic treatment is able to explain in person how these type of brackets will be used for the patient’s unique treatment needs.
If your Orthodontist recommends having permanent teeth removed as part of the treatment plan and they are not a Damon provider, it is a good idea to have a second-opinion from an Orthodontist that is a Damon provider. Making space for permanent teeth when possible is always the best option compared to extraction.