Why must a headgear be worn?
Headgears are worn to increase space, to align teeth and to help adjust the occlusion (bite). Wearing a headgear will move the upper molars toward the back of the head, thus giving more space to straighten the teeth and to help correct the bite.

How much should a headgear be worn?
Start with a few hours, perhaps two hours, and increase the wear daily. The patient must become accustomed to wearing the headgear while awake before wearing it to bed. Some discomfort is to be expected with the movement of the teeth. This will prevent the patient from unconsciously removing the headgear during sleep. The headgear must be worn consistently at least 12 hours each day to be effective. Wearing twice as much force on one day will not make up for not wearing it the day before. Most patients wear the headgear whenever they are home and always during sleep. Be consistent. Skipping even one day or night may result in having to wear the headgear longer. Weekends are a good time to accumulate extra hours of wear.

When should the headgear NOT be worn?
Headgears can be dangerous. NEVER wear the headgear when there is a chance that it might be bumped or pulled off. This includes many sports, especially contact sports. The headgear is not a toy, so "horseplay" is NOT allowed while wearing it.

How should the headgear be cared for?
Little maintenance is required. Do not wash the strap or allow it to get wet since this will affect its tension. You may wipe the wire with alcohol to clean it. Always store it in a safe place when it is not worn. Do not try to adjust it yourself if it becomes damaged. When the padding becomes worn, it can be replaced with lambs wool applied with double stick tape. Never force the headgear on or off. Use gentle force and just one finger to remove it. The headgear should easily slide in and out so that it can be removed gently from one side, then gently from the other. Bending the wire up and down when removing the headgear will break it and possibly break the braces as well.

What difference will cooperation make?
The length of treatment will probably depend on how well our directions are followed. The headgear will only be worn for the length of time required to get the results we are looking for. So the better the cooperation, the fewer the months we will ask that it be worn.

When should the headgear be checked?
Bring the headgear to every appointment for the doctor to make necessary adjustments. Having the headgear at every appointment will allow us to adjust the tension of the strap, bend the wires for comfort, or maybe…just maybe…decide that it be discontinued!