Orthodontist Norfolk- Benefits Of Orthodontic Headgear

At some point during your orthodontic treatment, your Orthodontist Norfolk may highly recommend that you wear a customized headgear in addition to your braces or retainers.  There are a couple different types of commonly worn headgear, but they both serve the general   purpose of providing a unique force that helps guide the growth of your face and jaws.

For the reason that each person has their own individual treatment plan, it is important to follow the instructions provided by your Orthodontist Norfolk for your headgear in order to achieve optimal orthodontic results.  Be careful placing and removing your headgear; not handling the appliance properly could result in injury to your mouth, face, or eyes. Always take your headgear off for any contact sports or running. Orthodontic headgear is commonly used for younger patients who are still growing. Its primary use is to correct problems with a patients bite (occlusion) by stalling the growth of the upper jaw and giving the lower jaw time to catch up. You will be required by your Norfolk orthodontist to wear headgear for at least ten hours a day to achieve results and the entire course of treatment can take from 6-18 months, depending on the extent of the bite problem and the rate of the patient’s growth.

Orthodontic headgear can also be used with adult patients, but not for the same reason. In some cases of tooth extraction, the nearby teeth can lean forward into the space where the tooth used to be. Your orthodontist Norfolk may recommend headgear to prevent the back teeth from coming forward and upsetting your bite. In this situation, headgear is used to hold them back and prevent any tooth movement. As such it’s advised that adults wear their headgear for a minimum of 8 hours a day at the very least. A headgear may feel awkward and maybe even look a little strange to you, but always remember that a healthy, happy smile awaits you at the end of this journey with your Orthodontist Norfolk.