I have been considering a treatment on and off for the last few years.
The initial quotes I got were way too high for me and most suggested Invisalign therapy, which I do not want (obviously).

Now I found a new dentist and orthodontist and decided to give it a go.
Treatment plan will be discussed soon  In the back of my mind I’m still in doubt, but I think I’ll go with it this time.

I personally believe that if I had to put braces on my teeth I would prefer the metal one. It is true that you can see clearly, but the transparent ones often end up being yellowed and it seems to have stained teeth. In addition, the transparent one then ends up having elastic, thick thread and in the end it is even more noticeable in my opinion.

Of course, invisalign is a nice solution but in reality now you notice the same ... I say: if you wear the braces, patience, you will see and it is better not to try to hide it, because you will notice more the strange expressions that braces

Honestly, besides any "fantasy", I think I would coose either invisalign or metal fixed braces.

Invisalign I have heard they are pretty good, and really barely noticeable.

Clear braces are less noticeable, but you can see them anyway, so they are almost useless, and lingual... well, they are probably a pain for myself, so I would not change my personal discomfort with braces in full sight. After all, why shoud I be shy?

IMHO

I do not know how to make a poll but I simply ask the question.

You have to get a real orthodontic treatment tomorrow in your everyday life.

Honestly, considering advantage and disadvantage of all type of braces, what would you choose ?
- metal fixed braces
- clear fixed braces
- lingual braces
- Invisalign

Please, the question is not to know what would you prefer as a fantasy but in your real life, with your wife, children, family friends, colleagues, work etc.

I ask the question because I am not sure for the answer for myself (After a very long reflection, I will start an orthodontic treatment this year).

For plenty of reason (probably most of us share), I would really like fixed metal braces but despite a good amount of self confidence, I am not sure I could assume them in my everyday life, in front of my wife, my family (I have teen nieces with metal braces) and my friends. Furthermore, my job requires to speak in front of a public and everyone would see the metal braces.

That's why I would probably choose clear braces on top and metal on bottom. Lingual braces and invisalign are too expensive.

What would you do or what did you choose if you were in a similar situation ?

EDIT : I could make a poll but still very interested in your comments !

I'd like to say I'd do full metal braces, but I'd probably chicken out and get Invisalign

I mean, I have full metal, but there are reasons other than looks that went into the decision. To rule out Invisalign, which I think would have been my choice, is my ortho said I am a “borderline case”, which means that I would probably work with Invisalign, but it’s not a guarantee and I may need braces afterwards. At least, that is what my ortho says. According to the reviews, she says that to everyone. I don’t really like the look of ceramics, and my ortho only does the top arch with an additional charge of 300 USD. That is essentially $22 for a tooth, which isn’t worth it for me. Lingual seems like it would cut up the tongue, so that wasn’t even in the question.

If you do end up doing metal, do colored ligatures. Everyone can see that you have them, so you might as well embrace the look!

Just for reference, I have an edge-to-edge bite and my teeth are wearing away at my molars, which is the main reason for treatment. There is also some minor crookedness, but it isn’t that bad.  I didn’t even have to press or go to a different ortho!

I know this is a really detailed reason, but that is what happened in real life, and that’s what this question was about.

@Sniffer9 Congrats! What did your first treatment consist of? Did you not wear your retainers?

@sniffer9 Right on. Hopefully you'll share pics of your treatment and progress...

The current discussion on the "Last two days before braces!!!" thread started by ineedbraces25 refers too.

We "see" with our brains.  I think that most people would agree that vision is an active process, involving a huge amount of information processing.  Fewer people think about the implications.

I suggest for discussion that one of those implications may be that our obviously overwhelming preference for fixed metal bracket appliances may be because there's little real-world cosmetic benefit in the other options.  This seems paradoxical.  On the one hand, we see all the marketing hype about discreet or "practically invisible" assistive devices such as orthodontic appliances, hearing aids and, until recently, eyeglasses.  Photographic images would seem to make a compelling argument in favour of the aesthetic option.  On the other hand, we see orthodontic patients requesting colourful ligatures on ceramic brackets, we see hearing aid wearers decorating behind-the-ear instruments or requesting black in-the-ear instruments, and bold eyewear has become a fashion statement.

Some of this almost certainly relates to stigma.  I argue that it also has to do with visual information processing.

We "see" what our brains are predisposed to seeing, what we've built the neuronal mechanism for seeing, and what attracts our attention.  We sometimes hunt for objects that were right in front of us all the time.  A police officer will see something dodgy long before anyone else.  The baseball star will read the movement of the ball in what most people will see as a blur.  The nature guide in the safari vehicle will spot the camouflaged animal long before anyone else.  And we spot braces that most people wouldn't.  Case in point:  https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?https%3A//flic.kr/p/2ovgo1h

I honestly think that most people have become "blind" to orthodontic appliances in much the same way that we've become "blind" to eyeglasses.

Your thoughts?