Instructions For Your Headgear
What does it do?
Headgear is an appliance that helps to align the teeth and jaws. It works by holding or restricting the forward growth of the upper jaw while allowing the lower jaw to grow and catch up. It also serves to retract the upper teeth into a more desirable position.
What are the parts?
- The Facebow (metal part that inserts into the mouth) has two loops which always face down.
- The Neck or Head Strap (fabric) will lie flat against the neck or head
- The Spring Modules (the plastic part that attached the Facebow to strap) should be attached at a specific tension that has been instructed in the office. This will allow a small portion of the narrower part of the module to show. The spring will release if it is too tight. If it is too loose, the maximum benefit will not be achieved.
When to wear it?
The headgear needs to be worn as instructed in order for it to work as designed. Full time is considered 14+ hours/day. Night time is approximately 8-10 hours/day and is best achieved wearing while asleep. This time does not have to be consecutive; however, it is easiest to include sleeping hours. Consistency with the headgear, wearing it every night, is the most effective way to get results.
What to expect?
The first few days are the most difficult because your teeth will be sore as they are not accustomed to the headgear. Ease into wearing the headgear by only wearing it for a few hours in the evening and on a lower tension level as indicated in the office in order to get comfortable with it. Take Advil or Tylenol as necessary. After these few days you should be able to wear it overnight without any discomfort. Also, you should be able to jump up to the next hole on the spring module within a week or two which will create the correct amount of tension for the headgear. If you are consistent with wearing the headgear, you shouldn’t experience any more discomfort.
How to care for it?
Your headgear pad may occasionally be washed in warm sudsy water, rinsed and left to dry. Please bring your headgear to every appointment for us to check and adjust it.
