Its Not the 80s, Why Do I Need Headgear?

Headgear may give you nightmares of the 1980s, the Katy Perry “Last Friday Night” music video, or any John Hughes movie. Though it may not be the most fashionable accessory, it is a key tool in helping adjust your jaw and your smile, which is the best accessory of all. Headgear is a removable device used with braces to adjust the overbite or underbite of an orthodontia patient. It provides extra pressure and guidance to move teeth and align the jaw. Headgear consists of three main parts. The bands are cemented to your back molars, the wire that attaches the headgear to your teeth, and the headpiece that keeps everything in place. These places can be attached to your braces themselves or plates that are more common because the plates allow the gear to be removed.

Use

Headgear is usually worn to adjust an underbite but can be over in the case of an overbite. It restricts movement on the more prominent part of the jaw so that the opposite side has time to catch up and align with the prior. This can be done in two ways; first by anchoring the back teeth so the retraction of prominent front teeth can be maximized or by moving teeth backwards to create more space in the front of the mouth. While most people just wear headgear at night to avoid embarrassment, it is more affective the more it is worn. Thus, wearing your headgear throughout the day can actually lessen the amount you have to wear your gear in the end. Kids typically wear headgear 12 to 14 hours per day for 9 to 18 months.

Types of Headgear

There are two types of headgear available. The first, called the facebow consists of a wire boy that attached to your upper molars. The bow then connects to a headpiece with a strap that lies behind your neck and head. The second type is called a J Hook. The J Hook attaches your braces to two wire loops instead of a wire bow. The J Hook also uses the same head trap as traditional headgear.

Don’t worry parents and adults; headgear is mainly worn by children who still have developing jawbones. Adults rarely wear headgear because their jaws are fully developed.

Stop Biting Your Nails!

Did you know that over half all people bite their nails? So if so many people do it, it can’t be that bad right? Wrong, “[P]eople who bite their nail usually do it chronically” and biting your nails can cause damage to your teeth and cause oral hygiene issues. The constant biting can force your teeth to move out of place or break all together and enamel to splinter. Some people however can’t help but to bite their nails. The bad habit has been linked to genetics and usually affects more girls than boys. Most girls and boys however have reported to spot biting their nails after getting braces because it is uncomfortable.

Why Should You Stop

1. It can cause diastama and your teeth to move: Diastama is commonly known as a gap between your two front teeth. This is most common in people who begin biting their nails at a young age and don’t stop. This can lead to a need for braces.
2. Your teeth can chip: When biting through your nail, your teeth tend to hit each other pretty hard. This point of impact can cause your teeth and it’s enamel to break.
3. The roots of your teeth weaken: This process can happen when you continue to bite your nails while wearing braces. Root resorption is when part of your roots are dissolved by the bone surrounding them which make your teeth roots very weak.
4. It can cause gingivitis: Biting your nails brings germs into your mouth that can infect your gums and teeth. In some cases this can lead to gingivitis.
5. It can cause TMJ: The constant biting of your nails may cause the disc in your jaw to slip and lead to TMJ.

How to Stop

While many people grown out of the nail biting phase in their life after their teenage years, some people still struggle with the problem. Try some of these ideas to help you stop biting your nails:

• Cut your nails short leaving less to bite.
• Paint your nails with nail polish. The bad taste of the polish will deter you from biting your nails. Some brands of nail polish make polish specifically for this reason, leaving you with a worse taste than other polishes.
• Try to manage your stress in different ways: yoga, deep breathing, working out, or meditation
• Try wearing gloves or covering your nails with bandages.

If none of these suggestions work, try contacting your doctors or a mental health professional to see if they have any further solutions. Your issue may be related to stress or anxiety that may need to be treated through medication or counseling.