hello and a question about the effect of headgear on jaws

[ridens]

Hello everyone,

this is my first post :) I've read quite a few posts with great interest and decided to join.

I had braces as a teenager (I'm 27 now) and until about a month ago never suspected I'd be considering moving my teeth around again. I've always been dissatisfied with the way the lower part of my face looks (chin, lower cheeks, mouth area) but I just never made the connection between the two! After googling for a few weeks I'm now filled loads of new informaton and also pretty confused. I've also discovered that my unexplainable health problems could be a direct consequence of my orthodontic issues. But I'll write about that at some other time. I'd just like to say that reading about the findings of THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. gave me heavy winter depression in the middle of the most optimistic part of the year :)

So this is my question:

Is the effect of wearing headgear always to move the jaw? Or can headgear be used to move teeth only as well? Is it possible or is the movement of the jaw always present?

I ask because I had four premolars extracted and then wore headgear for a short time. (It was hooked into the molars.) I can't remember if I already had braces on the rest of the teeth then or if I got them afterwards.

Oh, and I apologize if anything I write sounds a bit strange or not quite right... English isn't my native language :)

[klobird]

The Forsus appliance is used more often in adults now, rather than headgear. If you look up Forsus appliance youtube, you will see what it is. I had it for about 4 months. I would rather have the Forsus than headgear any day!!

[sirwired]

I wouldn't be too worried about THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR.'s writings. While his theories on dental health and nutrition were not too outlandish for the time (the 20's and 30's), most of his ideas simply are not supported by current evidence. If he were to publish the same books today he'd be regarded as part of the medical/dental fringe. This is not because of some kind of deep conspiracy; we just know more now than was known at the time.

[ridens]

Thank you for replying!

klobird, interesting to see this new appliance although my question was more about finding out what effect headgear had on me all those years ago. I don't know if it moved my jaw or just my teeth.

Sirwired, do you by chance have any links to studies that disproved THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR.'s findings?

[malilou25]

I'm so glad to have found this post.

Like you I had 4 premolars extracted as a teenager and wore headgear for both my upper and my lower jaw! and yes I also noticed that the headgear moves the jaws not only teeth. My chin was more proportionate with my face, now I feel it is a little retruded. I also had a wide smile and now it is constricted and I have dark corners on both sides of my mouth. I would give anything to reverse my treatment.

I read about something called ALF appliance which can push the jaws forward but unfortunately no orthodontist in the area where I live has the proper training to use it. That's why I'm wearing braces again at 27 to widen my smile again and hopefully get rid of the dark corners but without repositioning the jaws to where they should be.

If you need any more information about the subject let me know, cause I have long surfed the internet for it and hopefully if you live in an area where ALF practitioners are available, you could reverse your whole treatment.

Peace

[ridens]

I've read about ALF and other means of expanding the arch but I'm quite sure none is available in my country excpet Damon braces, some people use them for this as well. I know that Damon is used by some orthodontists here, but I don't know if anyone uses it in this way. I hope to get an appointment at my old orthodontist soon and ask her about it.

I have read about some negative experiences with ALF, someone said it only splayed his teeth out. Do you have any idea why it works for some people and not for others? Someone speculated it could happen if you already had all the space that you could have achieved.

I'd love to reverse the extractions, too, but I'm afraid it might not be possible in my case. My teeth were very crowded when they pulled my premolars, I still have a cast of my teeth before the treatment. It's a bit battered and some teeth have chipped off, but if I'm looking at it correctly, just one pair of premolars had come out by then, perhaps because of lack of space? So I don't know if there ever was enough bone for all those teeth. And I did wear an expander for a while!

Are you opening extraction spaces with braces?

[malilou25]

I didn't find any dentist who knows about the ALF appliance or any functional appliance that will reopen the spaces, so I am just expanding my teeth to make my smile wider.

The expander will move your teeth sideways and cannot reopen spaces. The ALF will move your teeth forward (if adjusted for this end) and help reposition your teeth to where they should be (according to the orthodontist). It will work only if the orthodontist has the proper training to use it so you have to be sure about his credentials and experience.

Please let me know if you find one and if you will reverse your treatment.

Good luck

[ridens]

What kind of braces do you have? I didn't know that the smile can be widened (after extractions) without putting in implants. Where do you live? I think no one does reversing extractions in my country, perhaps even a few countries around my country!

[zena]

What kind of braces do you have? I didn't know that the smile can be widened (after extractions) without putting in implants. Where do you live? I think no one does reversing extractions in my country, perhaps even a few countries around my country!

What is your country?

[ridens]

Slovenia. Of the neighbouring countries Austria would be most likely, but since I can't speak German I'll have to get someone to help me google it.

[malilou25]

I am wearing ceramic braces. I only wore the expander for about 2 months. It can work since my arches collapsed after the first time I had braces. What needs to be done specifically in your case will be explained by your ortho. Good luck finding the right one