Seeing people with braces is nothing out of the ordinary, especially if you work with kids. However, what’s not that common is seeing someone with an orthodontic appliance that extends outside the mouth and around the back of the head. This is referred to as orthodontic headgear, and it’s used to correct severely misaligned teeth when braces alone simply aren’t enough. How can you tell if your child will need orthodontic headgear? Let’s take a closer look and find out.
What Is Orthodontic Headgear?
Every kind of orthodontic treatment works in the same basic way: a gently pressure is exerted on the teeth to shift them into a more aligned position. This device has to be anchored in place in order for the pressure applied to be steady and work in the right direction. Usually, this is done on the back teeth, since they are strong, stable, and allow the front teeth to move without shifting themselves.
However, sometimes there are too wide of spaces between the teeth, and traditional braces might not work. For example, if your child has a gap between their molars and the rest of their pearly whites, orthodontic headgear allows your kid’s dentist to shift one set of teeth without automatically moving the other. This way, there is better control exerted over your child’s teeth, and fewer bite problems are likely to occur in the future.
The reason that orthodontic headgear is most often applied to children is because their jaw and facial muscles aren’t entirely finished growing yet. Headgear helps guide the growth of the jaw and face, and more often than not, this results in a more symmetrical smile.
If you’re worried about your son or daughter feeling self-conscious about wearing headgear, don’t fret. Most of the time, the appliance only needs to be worn for about 12 hours a day, or just at night. They likely won’t even have to wear it when they go to school.
Will Your Kid Need Orthodontic Headgear?
Your dentist will likely recommend orthodontic headgear if your child has significant gaps between their back teeth that can’t support braces. They may also suggest it if your kid has one jaw that is sizably different from the other, causing a serious overbite or underbite. However, this can only be determined after your child has been thoroughly examined by their dentist. If headgear is prescribed, be sure to follow the dentist’s instructions to a T to help your son or daughter achieve a straight smile as quickly as possible.
Your child might not be thrilled about the idea of wearing orthodontic headgear. However, when they see those straight pearly whites smiling back at them in the mirror, they won’t be able to help thinking that it was all worth it.
About the Author
Dr. Dalia Georgy earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Oklahoma. She has undergone extensive specialty training in braces and other orthodontic appliances like headgear. At Glenpool Braces in Glenpool, OK, she offers all kinds of orthodontic devices to help your little one smile straighter. To learn more, contact her at (918) 201-1414.