Orthodontic headgear

Orthodontic headgear is a type of appliance attached to dental braces that aid in correcting severe bite problems.

Additional recommended knowledge

Daily Sensitivity Test

Essential Laboratory Skills Guide

Daily Visual Balance Check

The most common treatment they are used for is correcting anteroposterior discrepancies - for instance the top teeth being too far forward relative to the lower teeth ("increased overjet".) The headgear is attached to the braces via metal hooks or a facebow and is anchored from the back of the head or neck with straps or a head-cap. Elastic bands are typically then used to apply pressure to the bow or hooks. Its purpose is to slow-down or stop the upper jaw from growing, hence preventing or correcting an overjet. For more details and photographs, see Headgear - Orthodontic.

There is another type of headgear to treat reverse overjets (where the top jaw is not forward enough.) It is similar to a facemask, also attached to braces, and encourages forward growth of the upper jaw.

The headgear can also be used to make more space for teeth to come in. The headgear is then attached to the molars (via molar headgear bands & tubes), and helps to draw them backwards in the mouth, opening up space for the front teeth to be moved back using braces and bands.

Initially this can be embarrassing for children, however most doctors agree that children and adolescence adapt quickly to such changes and requirements. Parents should be aware that their child may be subject to mocking for wearing headgear although children and teenagers, friends and school peers normally get used to the new appliance after just a few weeks if full-time wear (i.e. 16 to 22 hours a day) is required. However, some orthodontists only require 12 hours per night. They often must have multiple appliances and accessories to go along with their headgear, such as coil springs, plates or retainers and elastic bands.

The vast majority of patients receiving this type treatment are children and adolescence however adults sometimes are required to wear such appliances. The need for headgear (also see Headgear - Orthodontic) is a useful appliance for orthodontic specialists and it has increased somewhat as less and less orthodontists use temporary implants ("temporary anchorage devices") inside the patients mouth, to perform the same tooth movements.