Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi, I'm Cin, from the Netherlands. My English nog not so good, sorry for that...but I'd really like to participate in this forum, I found wile surfing on the Internet! When I was younger, my dentist wants to sent me to the roho, but my fear for braces was big! My mother decided that it was my own responsability for the future.
So now, I'm 22 y.o. and I decided last year to go to the ortho......I was very nervous.
The result of that is I'm a braces-wearer since Febr 2014. I have braces on my top teeth and a headgear for 20 hrs a day....but I only wears it when I go to bed. I'm afraid to wear it in public.
In Holland, there are a lot of headgear-wearers, but my opinion is that in de US for example, there are just a few people wearing headgear.
I'd like to get some more experiences and tips from other brace/ headgear wearers, this is a very good site!

Hi Cin! Welcome to the forum!

I think you are right that not a lot of people in North America wear headgear. When I was researching orthos, several of them mentioned on their website that they promise "no headgear." If it's more common in Holland, maybe it won't be so bad wearing it in public? You wouldn't want to compromise or lengthen your treatment time because of embarrassment; the problem will just last longer.

Cin wrote:In Holland, there are a lot of headgear-wearers, but my opinion is that in de US for example, there are just a few people wearing headgear.

How common is headgear in Holland? Do most braces-wearers have headgear?

Yes, it's very often used at teenagers in the age of 12 - 14 years. For me it was my own choice....surgery or headgear. Do you also wear headgear, Alex?

I have headgear as part of my treatment.

I wear it in public regularly, as that's the only way I can get the amount of wear time I need to get on a daily basis. I'm my orthodontist's only adult patient who wears headgear, as no other adult is apparently willing to wear it, even if it's needed for treatment.

Like Cin, I chose to wear headgear as an alternative to surgery, and have had to wear it a significant number of hours. But in my case, because of bite issues, it was either braces and headgear or lose my teeth to gum loss. I chose the former.

I agree that headgear does not seem to be used often, but in my case, I was told it was the best way to straighten out my bite.

Hi Farmboy,

We're in the same situation, I think. How old are you? Did your ortho said for how long you have to be in headgear?
So, you're wearing it in public? Respect for that. Next week I have my next appointment, so I'l get further information then....

p.s. what kind of headgear do you have?

Hi Jaime,
I forgot to answer you.....sorry!
I visited your blog.....you have a long ortho-journey.....respect for that, with the jaw-surgery. The improvement you've had so far is very good....pretty girl!

Cin wrote:Hi Jaime,
I forgot to answer you.....sorry!
I visited your blog.....you have a long ortho-journey.....respect for that, with the jaw-surgery. The improvement you've had so far is very good....pretty girl!

Oh thank you, that's very sweet!

Good luck with your journey!

Cin wrote:Yes, it's very often used at teenagers in the age of 12 - 14 years. For me it was my own choice....surgery or headgear. Do you also wear headgear, Alex?

Cin, I don't wear headgear. I'm getting my braces on next week.

I started out with a combination headgear, but later got switched to the interlandi style.

My orthodontist first placed the headgear around the fifth month of my treatment. I've had headgear since then, and have continued to wear it with my retainers because my open bite desperately wants to come back.

I'm in my late 30s.

I had headgear when I was 8 and I had to wear only in the night. I had a class II problem and there was an elastic on the headgear supposed to push back my front teeth. The treatment took 3 year and after I got braces.
It was long time ago... in the last years I haven't see anyone wearing headgear anymore...

Hello in australia adults don't get the headgear hey , how is your treatment going

I got lucky that i don't need headgear