Wearing Headgear

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Mon May 22, 2006 3:20 pm

Hey Josephine and Clo just wanted to say how awesome you are and how I admire you such a lot. I know my treatments pretty drastic but I have every hope to be done in a year, maybe 2 if its still slow, but to be your ages and in work like you are makes me really respect you. My mom was vey impressed too--she's only 34 but has a full set of dentures , and part of my motivation with the headgear is to look after my teeth so I don't wind up following mom, love Sharrsharrsheesheiya

#17 Post by **josephine** » Mon May 22, 2006 5:38 pm

Thanks! My mom also ended up with full dentures. I think in times past that was just the expected thing. Even though they're patched up with fillings and crowns, I've still got all my teeth including my wisdom teeth (all came in without a fight!). Maybe with a better bite I'll be able to keep 'em! Anyway, good luck to all of us. We got into this for a variety of reasons and have had all kinds of different experiences with treatment, but we're all determined to make a good change for ourselves.

#18 Post by **Clo** » Tue May 23, 2006 6:01 am

Hi Sharrsharrsheesheiya,

thanks for the nice words.
It looks like we have now a small group of headgear wearers here. That is
nice. I was thinking it would be great to go out together all in our headgear.
Maybe it would make it easier to set the first step. As I need to wear it
full time, I should wear it when I go out in the public too. But I am just too
scared to do that. After almost a week of full time wear (I have a home
office so I could do this) I did not wear it today, and I saw almost all what
was gained being lost. Argggg, this will really be a long journey I fear ...

#19 Post by **HeadgearJoe** » Tue May 23, 2006 2:51 pm

yes it is very nice to have other Headgear wearing people on the board , strange how most people think headgear isn't used any more at all , an when you say your wearing headgear they question as to why an couldn't you use something else , yea that part kinda bugs me , but anyway i glade things have worked out great i'm very happy with the outcome of my orthodontic treatment so far, (HEADGEARJOE)

#20 Post by **Jillianleab** » Tue May 23, 2006 4:21 pm

Sounds like you all are going through a rough journey, but being very brave about it! I just started my treatment (no mention of headgear), but I'm wondering what sort of problem your ortho is correcting with it? I have a severe overbite (10mm or something crazy like that), does this mean I might end up in headgear? Just curious, might as well get used to the idea now if it's a possibility..... Also, without the headgear would your overbite lessen but not become ideal? Just curious, thanks

#21 Post by **josephine** » Tue May 23, 2006 7:13 pm

Just to be prepared, ask your ortho if headgear is in your future. In my case I believe it's to keep the molars from moving forward, to pull back the archwire shape some and help correct overbite/overjet without extractions, and to give the other previously crowded teeth room to move into better positions with the help of the wire and elastics. It's amazing to me that this works as well as it does!

#22 Post by **HeadgearJoe** » Wed May 24, 2006 12:43 pm

yes ask your orthodontist about headgear , i had such a very nasty deep overbite my upper teeth covered my lowers, an was wearing out the top front of my lower teeth an the backs of my upper teeth, it has been great to see my bite change so much with the headgear , i guess if i had to do it agian i would,( Headgearjoe) (+=+=+=+=+=+=+)all a board

#23 Post by **Norelly** » Tue May 30, 2006 8:39 pm

Hi!
I used to be a headgear wearer, now I don't have braces and I have a perfect bite. I only wore headgear for 6 months and then my braces were off. I had to wear cervical headgear for 12 hrs+ and I would cheat, now I'm afraid that I didn't use the headgear as long as I should and that my overbite will come back. When I was in headgear I did become used to it but I could never take the plunge of wearing it in public, now I think I should of just done it and I'm really thinking about talking to my ortho about my fears and if wearing headgear with my retainers will help my bite stay in place and not have to go over with full treatment I'll do it. It's not as bad after all. Have you ever heard of cases wear people already out of braces wearing headgear???

#24 Post by **HeadgearJoe** » Wed May 31, 2006 3:38 am

hi , my orthodontist has said i MAY need mine after , but it realy depends on a case by case , i was a very deep overbite an may still need my headgear with my retainers for a while, but i haven't know anyone haveing braces removed an after a few months needing it , but with orthodontic's any thing is possable i guess , i would chat with your orthodontist for sure ,( Headgearjoe)

#25 Post by **HeadgearJoe** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:47 am

good morning rage31. seems like it was around four or five months before my lower braces went on because of the deep overbite i had but the cervical headgear started two months into treatment , the elastics started then to the best i rember , but this was all when i started my first set of braces in 2000, an my bite was way off my molors didn't hit at all , but just rember headgear is like any other orthodontic appliance , you will hate it at first. it hurts your molors , it will feel strange to wear an sleep in at first , (BUT) it does get better you will get use to it an it does a very good job , an in my case you find that wearing it is less pain than not wearing it , realy hope this helps , well i'm going to go put mine back on an head to work , take care (HEADGEARJOE)

#26 Post by **josephine** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:17 am

I think it was about eight months or so in when I got headgear, and a couple of visits after that I started one configuration of elastics. One or two visits after that I got a second set of elastics.

Before braces and headgear, overbite in the back on one side was causing pain when I chewed. The teeth connected, but with top and bottom at angles -- not good. The braces helped that part.

My understanding is that elastics are part of almost everyone's treatment at some point, headgear a little less common. The dates you get from the ortho are really flexible depending on how your teeth actually move.

#27 Post by **jennielee81** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 12:39 pm

Norelly wrote:

Hi!
Have you ever heard of cases wear people already out of braces wearing headgear???

YES! my daughter is still wearing headgear and has been out of braces for a year now.

#28 Post by **Clo** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:54 am

Hi Rage31,

I guess my situation is a bit strange. When I first started my braces
journey, now about 25 months ago, I was told if I were then still a teen, I
would be given a headgear right away. I have a class 2 bite, with an
overjet of about 6 mm. Treatment started and very soon my bite became
worse. My overjet couldn't be corrected the way my ortho tried it, it seemed
and I also got a very bad open bite too. I posted here several times about
this. So I went to another ortho who told me I was mistreated very badly.
So he immediately tried to close my bite. He succeeded only partly in this,
but my overjet did not improve a bit. You know I had class 2 elastics for
about 2 years to correct this. They didn't help a bit. So about a month ago,
my ortho told me it would be better to start wearing a cervical headgear
full time. And so I do this now. So, I was told about hg before my
treatment started and then after 2 years again. Why I did not get it in the
first place I do not know. I guess the answer to question 2 and 3 is in here
too. My situation now, bitewise, is not good at all. After 1 month having
this hg, only my 2 molars were pushed toward the back a bit. About 1
mm if I am optimistic. All other teeth did not move backwards yet. Only
did they slant inwards, due to the very heavy class 2 elastics I still need
to wear all the time. And my lower arch is about 5 mm too narrow, when
compared to my upper arch. So, to conclude, my bite is very bad right
now. There is no occlusion, not in the back, not in front. My teeth only
touch here and there, so I am able to eat food that does not require
much chewing.

#29 Post by **HeadgearJoe** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 5:38 am

rage31 wrote:Attention: ALL HEAGEAR WEARERS

I have a question that has been nagging me as of late. I am sure the answer is something that only my ortho can give me, but I was wondering what everyone else has experienced.

I am supposed to start wearing headgear around 4 months into my treatment. I am at month 2 and my bite is so off that I cannot touch my molars together. I am wondering if this will prolong my start date. The majority of my treatment is the headgear and elastics, so the later I start, I would imagine the later my parole date gets pushed back

Here are the questions for youâ€¦

1. How far along in your treatment, before you were told to start wearing your headgear?

2. Before you got it, do you recall of your bite was jacked up or could you eat food?

3. Did you have elastics as well?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

HI , an good morning , have you found out anything else when you might be getting fitted for your headgear ,

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