Headgear tips

[Linda1]

I recently had two premolars extracted to help make room and address an overjet and overbite. Part of the extraction process is that I have to wear headgear for the next 6-9 months to hold back my molars and help close the overjet and overbite. My orthodontist wants me to wear it 14-16 hours a day, with 14 hours being the minimum or he says it will be difficult to correct my bite. It is really uncomfortable to wear -- it's painful and also socially, I feel strange wearing it. Does anyone have any tips or has anyone experienced it?

[kplatt2010]

Hello Linda,
I feel your pain with regards to the headgear. I had the unfortunate experience of having to wear one as a pre-teen; forty years ago...

I'm kind of surprised that they are making you wear one instead of going the elastics route. Headgears are usually used during growth periods I thought; unless you're a young teen? Even with the teens I thought that the headgears had gone to the wayside. With different elastic configs you can get the same desire effect; pull the uppers back using a class II config.
See the copied link regarding different elastic configs.

Are you a preteen or do you live outside of the US?
Karla

[Bryce24]

I know a person who is also wearing headgear after some molar extractions. She seems pretty content wearing hers. She wears it around the house etc. She said after awhile it felt better to wear it than to not. So there's that piece of mind for you. She looks fine with it in and jokes about it, keeping things light. She only has the cervical strap. What kind do you have? And let us know how it goes! Stay strong, wear it, and have fun with it!

[Linda1]

I have two elastics as well but my orthodontist said the headgear was to hold and push back my molars because of the extractions and because of the expansion, which is pushing my front teeth out. He said elastics weren't enough and because of the severity of my overjet and overbite, I needed the headgear. It's a high-pull headgear that goes around the top back of my head.

It has been painful to wear, but I've focused on wearing it for longer periods of time this weekend, 14-16 hours uninterrupted and the pain has decreased. I have a tendency to want to remove it in my sleep but my orthodontist gave me a safety strap that goes around the back of my neck and helps because it is more difficult to remove. I'm trying to establish a routine of putting it in as soon as get home and leaving it in at all times while home, unless I'm eating. I hope I get to a place where it feels better to wear than not. Was that a comfort issue for her? Did the pressure relieve another kind of pain in her mouth? I like to hike and so decided to wear it on a walk at a somewhat secluded park this weekend. I wore a hat with it which helped it not look so noticeable. I only saw a few people and it was fine, so that boosts my confidence a little. I also had a good friend over to watch a movie last night. She's been supportive of my treatment and I told her I had to put my brace on before we started the movie. I put it on and came out and we both kind of laughed and then everything was fine. My speech therapist is working with my orthodontist on my treatment and I'm supposed to wear my headgear to every speech therapy appointment so she can check it and keep track with me of how much I'm wearing it. I wore it this morning to speech therapy. It always feels weird wearing it in the waiting room and being seen by others, esp kids who tend to stare. But my speech therapist was very encouraging of my wearing it this weekend, and I felt more comfortable with the headgear. It's no fun, but I guess it also gets better with adjusting to it.

[Bryce24]

That's great that you're doing things you enjoy. Don't let your treatment slow you down!

[Linda1]

Thank you! I am getting used to it. I never thought it would, but it get easier to wear and I just don't really care what others think.

[Jaynicolaou]

[quote=Linda1 post_id=507523 time=1557810745 user_id=32612]
Thank you! I am getting used to it. I never thought it would, but it get easier to wear and I just don't really care what others think.
[/quote]

Wow Linda, hope it’s not causing u too many sleepless nights n pain how long do I need to wear it all for? Is headgear Rare for adults ?, so in aww of u. Cause are made to wear all that gear n u have your head held high your amazing Linda xx
Jay

[Linda1]

I'm actually more adjusted to wearing the headgear now. I am wearing it 14-16 hours a day. After a while, with the pressure, it felt more comfortable in than out. I did have a painful phase last week when my orthodontist adjusted it quite a bit, but I've gotten used to it again.

[Jaynicolaou]

thats good linda how long left has your ortho got you wearing the headgear

[Linda1]

Thank you. He's not sure, but estimates I will need the headgear another 5 months. He said I may need to wear it at night only for several months after that. Every few months, he adjusts it and it is really sore and uncomfortable for a while. He adjusted it quite a bit last week and gave me a new facebow that has taken some adjustment to get used to. I have still been wearing the headgear for 16 hours a day. It's more challenging when it's painful, but it usually resolves in several days. I think the accountability of speech therapy has helped me with it. I have worn my headgear to every appointment and it's just expected now. I sometimes forget I have it on. I went to my dentist's office for a cleaning the other day and forgot I was wearing it. We all laughed about it and they did part of the cleaning with it in and for part of it needed to take it out. I will be glad when I am done wearing it, but while the adjustment was very difficult, I am now very comfortable wearing it. I sometimes get funny looks from people, but when someone says something, especially a kid, I just say it's a brace I have to wear for a while to align my bite and then all is ok.