What is a Headgear and How Does It Help Fix Overbites?
Correcting a child’s overbite while they are still growing.
Has your Orthodontist recommended a headgear as part of your child’s treatment plan?
Learn about why headgear is used for overbites and why timing matters so much.
Headgear are used to correct overbites in growing children.
What is an Orthodontic Headgear?
When a child’s top jaw is growing significantly faster than the lower jaw, an orthodontic headgear is worn at bedtime to slow down the growth of the upper jaw.
This appliance is only effective while children are growing, which is why the American Association of Orthodontists recommends age 7 for an initial orthodontic exam, even while baby teeth are still present.
When do we use a headgear?
Not all overbites are created equal; some are more significant than others. In cases where there is a significant jaw discrepancy between the top and bottom jaws, a headgear can be very effective.
Although it is true that the top jaw stops growing before the lower jaw does, a severe overbite cannot be corrected with a single set of braces as a teen. Intervention while a patient is growing reduces the likelihood of a surgical correction.
The bigger the window of opportunity for growth that exists, the more effective a headgear is.
An overbite is when there is a significant discrepancy between the top and bottom jaw.
Headgear are only effective when used while children are growing. Age 7 is a good age for evaluation.
Wearing a Headgear during your Smile Journey
A headgear comes in two pieces; the face bow and the neck support. It is adjusted by an Orthodontist intermittently as the overbite is corrected.
Headgear is worn only in the evening before bed and while sleeping, which is different from the past, when headgear was worn during the day and to school.
The amount of time that a patient wears a headgear varies depending on the severity of the overbite, but it can be worn for several years. It takes a few days to adjust to sleeping with it but most patients find that they can sleep comfortably with it on.