Your HEADGEAR is a very important part of your orthodontic treatment! We selected this appliance because it is very effective in correcting the problems that exist in your mouth.

When you bite together, your top teeth are too far forward when biting against the bottom teeth. The HEADGEAR connects to the bands that we placed on your upper molar teeth and wraps around the back of your neck. It not only slows the forward growth of the upper teeth as you get older, but can even gently push the upper molars back into a better position against the lower molars. This change in position will allow space for your upper front teeth to move back into a better position for your bite and your smile, while letting the lower move forward into a more balanced and better bite relationship with the top.

In order for your HEADGEAR to be most effective, we recommend that you wear it at least 12-14 hours each and every day! You can even wear it more than that on days when you are not at school and indoors. If you wear it less than 12-14 hours every day, IT WILL NOT WORK and you will need to wear it longer than necessary. Simply said, the more you wear it the better it works and the more quickly you will be done with it entirely.

Sometimes it is a little tricky to learn to place, but with practice, you will get the technique in "no time." We will need to see you every six to ten weeks to adjust the HEADGEAR and make sure that it has the proper force level and position in your mouth. Please make sure to bring it with you to every appointment.

Occasionally, a band may come loose and your HEADGEAR may not fit well. If this does happen, please call the office immediately to schedule an appointment to recement the band. If this does occur, please do not wear your headgear until we see you again.

If you ever have any questions about the HEADGEAR or any other appliance that is in your mouth, please do not hesitate to call our office at any time, we are ALWAYS here for you!