Braces Explained: Headgear
In this video I will be reviewing the question of “what are headgear? and what are they used for?”
Headgear is an appliance that’s has been around orthodontics for a long time but is still very useful. It utilizes the back of a patients head or neck as an anchor for orthodontic and even orthopaedic force delivery. As I explained in a previous video, teeth movement causes an equal and opposite force on the teeth tied in… In other words, if you wear elastics to pull your upper teeth back, the side effect is that your lower teeth will come forward. To learn more about anchorage, check out my video on TADs ([ Ссылка ]).
What a headgear does is that it uses the back of your head or neck as an anchorage and therefore there is no “side effect” on other teeth. The primary use of headgear is twofold. When using lower forces, the headgear can cause your upper teeth to go backwards and if a heavier force is used, some believe that it can in fact restrict growth to allow for the lower jaw to catch-up, if you have a large overjet (what some call an “overbite”).
The headgear can be fastened to your neck, which is called a cervical pull headgear (CPHG), around your head, which is called a high pull headgear (HPHG), or somewhere in the middle which is referred to as a combination headgear. The level of force and the direction of force will be explained to you by your orthodontist depending on your particular needs.
Just like with elastics, the more you wear your headgear, the faster you will achieve the results necessary and the more time you take “breaks”, the longer it will take. Sooo I suggest you all wear it as much as possible, if your orthodontist prescribes you a headgear, so that you can finish up with it quicker!
If you guys have a headgear, or have any questions about it, please feel free to drop a question below!
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See you next time!
Greg Asatrian, D.D.S., M.S.
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This video may contain orthodontic appliances, devices and/or procedural content. The content seen in this video is provided only for education purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for professional dental advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For personalized advice, please be sure to visit a professional orthodontist near you!
