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We all know that dental braces are for the best and that the end result is a life time with a nice smile with perfectly straight teeth. In some extreme cases it is necessary to use orthodontic headgear. I know if wearing braces wasn’t enough ridicule then having to wear a headgear on top of that will be the “nail in the coffin” so to speak for many people’s self-esteem.

Orthodontic headgear is necessary in patients that suffer from an over or under bite. An over bite is when someone’s upper jaw is growing out further than their lower jaw can keep up with. The under bite is the opposite with the lower jaw growing further out than the upper jaw. Headgear is administered to slow or stop the growth of the protruding jaw, whether it is the upper or lower jaw, and this allows the other jaw to catch up.

Another benefit of using the headgear is that orthodontists can help to adjust the space between teeth if someone has had a tooth extracted or if the mouth needs more room for teeth to grow in. To create more space in a patient’s mouth the headgear is attached to the molars with special bands. This pushes the molars back into the mouth opening up more space for the teeth.

This method can also be used in an adult if they have had a tooth extracted and the orthodontist wants to maintain the patient’s bite. When a tooth is extracted the teeth in front of the space will begin to move back and the teeth behind the space will begin to move forward. To maintain the bite headgear may be worn to keep the back teeth from moving forward.

Headgear, while hideous, can have many great benefits for a patient that suffers from over or under bites or other teeth spacing issues that braces cannot handle alone. The device helps to correct oral issues so that the patient can enjoy a proper bite and smile faster. dental braces