Why might your child need Orthodontic headgear?
Orthodontic headgear, sometimes known as braces, is a device used to correct severe bite problems. While braces can correct misalignment of your teeth, orthodontic braces can cause changes in jaw alignment by putting pressure on the braces. This device can also be used to increase the space between the teeth. To make room for the growth of other teeth.
There are different types of head restraints, each of which can be used to treat specific incoordination disorders. When this device is used together with other orthodontic treatments during adolescence and youth, the effects of the treatment will be greater.
General purposes of using orthodontic headgear
This device is primarily used to correct bite or bite alignment problems, which are called malocclusion in dental terms. Malocclusion refers to the misalignment of the upper and lower jaws and teeth. In summary, these problems are:
- overjet
- Overbite
- underbite
- Cross bite
Orthodontic headgear is generally used for 9-year-old and older children who have jaw growth differences. During the child’s growth stages, the jaw bones are still actively growing. By controlling jaw growth through continuous pressure, malocclusion may be corrected non-invasively.
In children and teenagers, if braces are not enough, orthodontic headgear is sometimes used to correct severe gap problems.
Headgears solve severe and specific problems that if we didn’t use them to solve these problems, maybe we wouldn’t be able to solve them with any other means.
I don’t think anyone can say that wearing a headgear is fun or tolerable. But in any case, when it comes to foot treatment and facial shaping, patients will usually tolerate the worst type of orthodontic treatment provided they achieve the desired result.
So when your treatment period is over and you see in the mirror exactly what you thought, the result of all your hard work will pay off.
Orthodontic headgears are powerful tools with high pressure
As you know, headgears are a part of orthodontic mobile tools. These tools must be connected somewhere in order to exert their pressure on desired structures. For this purpose, this device is connected to the head and teeth or jaw through straps.
Normally, the force that can be applied to the teeth through a mobile device such as a headgear is much more than the force of braces on the teeth. More interestingly, the headgear can apply force to the jaws and teeth from different directions, so they are very useful.
How many types of orthodontic headgear do we have?
We have two types of headgear:
- Normal headgear
- and reverse type
Each of these headgears is designed for a specific purpose and is made of different components.
When exactly will an orthodontist use a headgear?
Usually, when the presence of aligners or braces alone is enough to straighten the teeth, there is no need to use other orthodontic tools. But when using braces doesn’t work, and we need more pressure to straighten the teeth, we use head braces.
For example, when we see that the patient has severe malocclusions such as overbite or underbite, we use an orthodontic headgear to apply more pressure.
How does a headgear help align your jaws and teeth?
When using this orthodontic device, you should pay attention to several points. The duration of using the head-gear for each problem can be different. How many hours you should use this device during the day depends on the following 3 factors:
- Headgear model designed for you
- The type of problem you have
- and the severity of your problem
But in general, the duration of using this tool will be between 12 and 16 hours. Of course, you should not be satisfied only with the hours of using the headgear. In using this device, you must follow the advice and instructions of your orthodontic specialist. For example, if he says that it is better for you to use this tool only in the evenings and at night, you should follow the advice of your specialist.
The word is the word of your orthodontic specialist
In addition, you should use the headgear exactly as recommended by the specialist. For example, if the specialist has advised you to use your headset for 17 hours a day, you must install it for exactly 17 hours. If you use it less than this time, your teeth may return to their former state. And the duration of your treatment will be longer.
The purpose of the interesting design of this tool
The design of the headgear is very interesting. This tool is designed in such a way that a part of it is connected to a person’s jaw. And at the same time, the other jaw will be free. Let’s remember that one of the functions of this orthodontic device is:
The jaw that is larger than the other jaw is under pressure and control so that the jaw that has little growth can grow to the size of the larger jaw.
For example, if the lower jaw has grown more and the upper jaw remains small, a part of the headgear is connected to the lower jaw, so that we can prevent its growth by putting pressure on it. This pressure should continue until the size of the upper jaw reaches the chin.
How to maintain and care for headgear
The most important thing that you should pay attention to in the process of treatment with headgear is that you should take care of them as much as you can. Because every time there is a problem with the headgear, your treatment time will be longer than usual.
Headgear care is not the only concern. And you should take care of your face, mouth and lips while installing or removing it so that they don’t get injured.
Just like the braces and any orthodontic tools that are placed in the mouth, the part of the headgear that is in the mouth or in its vicinity must be carefully and regularly cleaned. Because if it is not cleaned, it will be prone to bacteria accumulation and infection.
Performing any physical activity that may cause damage to the face and mouth parts, while using the orthodontic headgear, should be done with complete caution. If you do a certain sport that usually injures your face, don’t do it until you finish treatment with this tool.
Using this device can be unpleasant and usually children and teenagers have a hard time coping with this device. But you will get used to it with time and you won’t have any problem with it.
Before you decide to use braces, be sure to ask your orthodontist and make sure that using this device for a long time is worth it.
