Headgear time!

Message

#1 Post by **scott75** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:45 am

Hi, 31 M full metal braces the inovatoin r type, yesterday i got a huge adjustment, after sanding some teeth a bit i got a new wire and instead of a power chain i got thin wire running along the teeth up and down arcoss all upper teeth, this is going to act lilke a power chain i guess. i also got 2 elastics in shape of a triangle, and then i got fitted in headgear with the head type straps. this is to be worn minimum 18-20hrs but preferable 24!!! i think its to move my molars and also anchor bite? so im not srue what to do about it i guess i just need to suck it up and wear it. it doesnt really look to bad i guess but it hurts!!

#2 Post by **Dark_angel** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:37 am

Your braver than i am, i have never worn my headgear in public and i dont think i ever will. Sounds like your in high pull headgear like me and some others on the boards. I've been wearing my headgear almost a year, since before the braces were on and im so glad its almost time to leave it behind and move on. I had a class 2 bite and i now have one side at class 1 and one side half way between class 1 and 2.

Anyway the pain that your experiencing will dissapear however the most difficult thing you will probably find is sleeping in the headgear and its something i have never really gotten used to, even now i wake up a few times a night. There are special pillows which can offer alot more comfort when sleeping in it.

Headgear can be used for a few reasons, to move the molars back, keep the molars in place all to help with the bite. Do you have an ovebite/overjet?

#3 Post by **elissasmilz** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:40 am

I have to agree. I have been wearing headgear since September. If you can get used to wearing it, the pain will subside over time. The hardest part for me was and still is trying to sleep with it on. I wish I was close to the end but it looks like I have about 6 more months with it. I wore cervical (single strap around the neck) for about 6 months and now wear combination (straps around my neck and ver my head). The cervical was used to move my molars back and the combination is being used to move them back and up. I had and still have an overjet and an overbite.

#4 Post by **HeadgearJoe** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:59 pm

hi scott , welcome to the headgear wearing club , yes man it will get better, the more you wear your headgear the better off you will be an the less sore you will be , strange as it may sound after you have been in it for a while it just better to wear it because it hurts less, sleeping in it at first will be strange an hard to do , a openspace pillow or a feather pillow work great the leave very little pressure on the facebow , pluse it helps not to leave the facebow imprint on you cheeks from sleeping , your going to have very sore molors for a few days but it will pass , i to started out with cervical headgear a was up to 22 hours a day wear .i'm in combination to sleep in now an my setting is lighter an i'm no less than 8 hours a day now , i'll be in mine till the braces are removed because of the very deep overbite i had an the open bite, oh what fun let me know how it goes , an you can ask me or any headgear wearer here any question , maybe we can help , HEADGEARJOE

#5 Post by **mark80nc** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:17 am

Hey Scott:

Mark here, 26 in North Carolina. From a guy perspective, good to see another guy about my age going through orthdontic treatment. Heck, I was about to think there were no other and that I had made a mistake. None of my buds have been through all this.

I have a very deep over bite, with my front top 6 teeth a half inch or so over my bottoms, and my bottom front teeth tilt backwards a bit. After starting a new job that has dental insurance that covers 50% of the treatment, I decided to get something done, and my braces were put on in March. First just top metal brackets and wires, then in May bottom brackets and wires.

I have finally gotten used to the brackets and wires in my mouth except for irritation when I run in hot weather when your mouth dries out. I was pretty pissed though when I went in for my July adjustment Friday last week. After the assistant changed out my ligatures, he came in and took some measurements and then told me that on my next appointment in 3 weeks, I would be fitted with headgear and 4 elastics. Said the appointment would be 2 hours for the fitting as he needed to install some new bands on my back 3 teeth on each side.

He instantly realized I became angry because when I do, my face gets red. At that point I was tuning him out big time, when I asked how long I would need to wear it and he said 14 hours a day minimum. I feel I was tricked or not told the entire deal up front as he said nothing about headgear when I had my initial appointments. I do not know all the technical terms around it, but my understanding is from what he showed me before I stormed out, was that there will be a strap around the back of my neck that attaches to 2 metal bow shaped wires, one that attaches to the back of my top teeth and one that attaches to the back of my bottom teeth. In addition, there will be 4 elastics, 2 on each side. I do not know if they attach to the brackets, the headgear or both. I am generally used to my existing brackets and wires now, but the addition of this in 2 weeks is going to be way diferent.

So here's my deal, I need some advice from a guy that has just gone thru all of this.

#1) First of all, how do you freakin' deal with all of this at a guy level? My social life appears headed for the pits.

#2) How do you get the 14 hours a day minimum wear in? What times of the day and night works best?

#3) What happens during the first fitting? Does it take as long as the initial braces installation? Do the 4 elastics get put on before or after the headgear?

#4) Do you have to wear the headgear right out of the office after it is fitted? How long does it take to fiddle with it, to get it back on, when you take it off.

#5) Can you run or workout wearing it, or does it easily irritate the lips and cheeks? Can you get your lips completely closed wearing it?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I have not signed on here much, you can instant message or email me back at:

mark80nc@yahoo.com

#6 Post by **Kevin** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:07 am

I never had headgear (except as a kid), but I can answer one of your questions as a guy:

#1) First of all, how do you freakin' deal with all of this at a guy level? My social life appears headed for the pits.

Answer - you'll always get what you believe you'll find. If you honestly believe that braces and headgear are going to make you social life head to the pits, it will. On the other hand, if you just smile big, enjoy yourself, have fun, and do what you would normally do you'll be fine.

It's easier said than done, but it's true.

Kevin

#7 Post by **fins** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:14 am

Mark-
My office doesn't usually use headgear for adults. I had it as a kid and I wasn't very compliant about wearing it 24 hours a day.

Perhaps your ortho could use another appliance. There are other fixed appliances that might be an option. Maybe your ortho could work with one of them instead. My appliance was worn 24/7 on the upper arch and worked very much like headgear, but I imagine it depends on what movement the ortho is looking for.

#8 Post by **mark80nc** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:45 am

Thanks to everyone that has replied back to the upcoming addition of headgear and elastics for my deep overbite. One person in particular has been very helpful in filling in the pieces of my knowledge on how to approach wearing it.

I'm pretty stubborn at time, so I am realizing my attitude is gonna be a big part of it. It would help if I knew other buddies locally that had been through or are going through this. In my area, it seems extremely rare to see a guy my age in his 20s getting orthodontic treatment. It is mostly women. Most of us guys just have lived with our bad overbites and/or crooked teeth.