What is this type of brace called?

[NearlySchoolTimeAgain]

My DS is wearing his ‘brace’ for the first time tonight, but I don’t know what it’s called to read up on it. He’s in a lot of discomfort and I’m wondering if that is normal / how long it will last.

It looks like a gum shield with a thin metal bar inside. On the outside of his mouth he looks like he has whiskers. These metal whiskers attach to a head ‘strap’.

Don’t blame the dentist. We’re overseas so there are communication issues but I’m confident we’re getting good care.

I’ve attached a pic of a sample of the brace and a pic of a boy with a similar head restraint on.

Sorry, think second pic got lost.

Orthodontic headgear?

It will ache a bit - ibruprofen and bonjela should take the edge off.

I did see that knittedfaries but his didn’t seem so hardcore as some. This is the preparation for the next stage. This was meant to be the easy bit. I’ve heard him tossing and turning. I think if I go in he’ll have removed it. 😬

Sadly he’s medicine phobic so no chance of bonjela or ibuprofen (I’ve offered).

It's a head brace, I had one as a teenager, except mine was a metal brace piece not plastic, that looks more like a retainer?

Anyway, I had to wear it every night, glamorous or what!

My brace piece also had a "key" that made the brace bigger, think it was turned once a month??

We’ve got to go back in a month. They’re expecting it to take 6 months to work. If he wears it as much as possible at home.

I’m glad it’s not metal. This seems a little more friendly.

Yep, headgear. I had some I had to sleep in, circa 1994. It was horrible because it stopped me sleeping on my side, which was my preference.

Are you in the UK? I was under the impression that orthodontists didn’t use headgear anymore.

Sorry, I’ve just seen you’re not in the UK.

He’s a side sleeper :(

Just been in. He was still awake (2.5 hours after bedtime). Couldn’t get comfy. He’s just taken it off. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone in. 😫

Bit of an odd suggestion, but get him to try a travel neck pillow, to take the pressure off. My girls use them when they have to wear bendy curlers to bed (for dancing shows)

It's a face bow. The prongs fit into 'receivers' fitted around the back teeth.

The face bow fits onto headgear to pull the teeth back (works on overbites) and 'train track' attached to blocks stuck to the teeth straighten the teeth as they move.

I had this in my early twenties. As I was an adult, I had to wear this day and night.

I had to wander London looking like I was recovering from a car crash.

I'm paranoid about my teeth now, fastidious about flossing, tepe brushes and use a tooth guard as I am also have bruxism.

I had this but was attached to my train tracks and not on its own removable gym shield thing. It was orthodontic headgear. The purpose of my was to pull back my top back teeth to make room for my canines which weren't inline. It was great for me as meant I didn't need teeth removing. Though, mine hooked on at the back, that one looks like it pulls all the teeth on the top backwards.

Thankyou! I’ll get one tomorrow. We used to have some but I’ve no idea where they went in the move!

Gingernaut - he hasn’t got anything on his teeth yet. It’s an over bite I think.

I had this in the UK and was 9 years ago

I might contact the centre that assessed his requirement for braces to see if they can tell me more about the plan. Feel stupid not knowing.

Gingernaut - wow! That must have been hard wearing it all day. Did you get used to the stares? 😪

Yup.

Being London, no one said anything, but people would stare.

😪 Lovely teeth now though?

Yup.

Straight, with a reduced overbite.

Enamel like crazy paving due to tooth grinding, but I look after them and go to the six monthly check ups.

If he does eventually take painkillers, NOT ibuprofen. It is an anti-inflammatory and will reduce the effectiveness of the brace. The movement of the teeth rely on the soft tissues/ligaments being inflamed to make movement easier.

Thankyou that’s good to know.

He did manage to get to sleep with it in last night 🎉🎉 but woke up like this. 😫 He must have taken it out in his sleep. We’ll keep going.