Make Your Child Feel More Comfortable While Wearing Headgear For An Overbite

Now that your child has learned that they need to wear headgear with their braces, they may feel overwhelmed or worried about the experience. Here are a few things you can do to help make them feel comfortable about being treated with headgear:

Focus on Downtime

Headgear needs to be worn for between 12-22 hours a day to correct an overbite, so your child will probably get frustrated at the amount of time that they have to spend with it on until their treatment plan is complete. One way to support your child is to focus on their downtime when having them wear their headgear, so they are faced with wearing it in public as little as possible.

Have them wear it while sleeping, when getting ready for school, and during the evening when the family is spending time together. They can take it to school to wear during their lunch hour or on the way home if necessary too. On the weekends, let your child wear their headgear all day long if you're staying home so they can sleep a couple nights a week without it.

Spend Time Decorating

A fun way to help your child feel more comfortable about having to wear headgear is to spend some time decorating. You can help them decorate the headgear itself with glow-in-the-dark paint and glue on embellishments. This will create a custom look that your little one can feel good about wearing, as they've had the control over how it was designed.

You should also take the time to decorate your child's room with posters and other accessories that make them feel proud about taking steps to create a healthy, happy smile. Look for posters that feature cartoon characters wearing braces, or wall hangings with supportive slogans such as "it's cool to flash a silver smile" on them. If you can't find premade décor, find some artwork online that you can print out and turn into inspirational wall hangings.

Splurge on Cool Accessories

You can make wearing braces and headgear fun for your little one by getting them some accessories to accompany the gear. For girls, princess tiaras, scarves, and puffy hair ties can come in handy. Boys may enjoy bandanas, baseball caps, and visors. Accessories for their braces, such as colorful bands, can also help make wearing their headgear a bit more enjoyable overall.

Take your child on a small shopping spree as soon as they get their headgear so they can choose a couple new things to wear with it that meets their unique preferences. Make sure you bring the headgear along so it can be used to pair with options in the store when your child is deciding what to buy.

Reflect on the Outcome

There's a possibility that your child will come to you with complaints about having to wear their headgear, which will give you an opportunity to turn the negative thoughts into positive ones. This will get your little one used to focusing on the benefits of wearing the headgear and less on the not-so-fun aspect of it all.

When a complaint is lodged or a negative aspect mentioned, turn the conversation around by reflecting on the positive outcome that can be expected once your child is done wearing their braces and headgear. Talk about how healthy their jaw and teeth will be, and the minimized chance of complications they'll have as they age thanks to getting treatment now. Ask your dentist for before and after photos of other children who have gone through the same process yours is going through now. Then when your kid is feeling down, you can share the photos together so they have some visual insight into what they can expect when all is said and done. For more information, visit websites like http://www.kazorthodontics.com.

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