When Is Headgear Necessary?
Between 50 to 70 percent of children in the U.S. will have braces before they reach adulthood. A small number of these cases will need an additional orthodontic appliance commonly known as headgear.
What is Orthodontic Headgear?
Headgear is an orthodontic appliance that extends outside of the mouth to align your smile. There are different types of headgear, and they all serve the same purpose: to move the teeth and jaw into the correct position. Headgear and braces work together to apply slight pressure to the teeth, slowly shifting the position of the teeth and jaw.
When Is Headgear Necessary?
Headgear is used for moderate to severe orthodontic problems which cannot be fixed with braces alone. Headgear provides external support needed for a full alignment correction, in cases like a severe overbite, a severe underbite, or other jaw misalignments.
Headgear is most commonly used for children and adolescents because their jaws are not fully developed yet and are, therefore, easier to shift. Headgear is a preferred method to fix a jaw misalignment, rather than corrective surgical procedures at a later age. Headgear is very rarely used for adults and only in severe situations.
Benefits of Orthodontic Headgear
There are undeniable benefits of headgear, including:
Treatment time - the use of headgear means a shorter treatment length to fix issues that would otherwise need additional time or surgery.
Results - Headgear can transform your smile and jaw in ways unachievable with braces alone.
Convenience - many types of headgear are designed to be removed and are not required to be worn 24 hours. Headgear usually should be worn for 10 to 14 hours a day, which means your child may only need to wear it at home.
Are you or your child ready for braces? Contact Oasis Kids and Orthodontics to schedule a consultation!