Teenager in headgear

[Solrosen]

I have just finished my second time around with braces and my 13 year old daughter has just started her treatment. At the moment she is in headgear (and has been for four months), but later in (in about a year) she will get braces ("train tracks"). The ortho has said the hg should be worn nine hours a day, preferably longer. We have agreed on her not having to wear it outside the house (except of course for sleepovers at friends places), but we are strict on her wearing it all the time at home. She is good at wearing it if we're at home too, but usually puts it on when we come home with the excuse "Oh, I forgot...". She usually takes it off at night, saying she does it in her sleep.

Does anyone have any good advice on how to get a teenage daughter to wear her headgear? We have tried with everything, for instance that it will take much longer if she does not wear it as told etc.

[starzz]

From what you said, she's not responsible enough to wear it when she is home alone. She's acting like a child; therefore tell her she can no longer be left home alone (!) Tell her if she keeps forgetting either she will need a babysitter or she will have to be with mom or dad etc. Set a date in say 2 weeks to review her progress. If the situation hasn't improved, follow through and hire a sitter and/or drag her along to places she doesn't want to go to. I bet she'll start remembering better.

[bbsadmin]

Or, you can tell her that because she is not doing what needs to be done, she can pay for her own orthodontic treatment again when she's an adult, because if she doesn't do what the orthodontist tells her, her teenage outcome will not look good. Tell her to start saving, because (as you know) it will cost around $5,000!

You might mention that it will much harder to wear headgear when she's in her 20s and dating and trying to hold down a job.

I know this sounds rather harsh, but as the mother of a daughter the same age....this is what I'd tell her. Either grow up and take the responsibility for your treatment, or pay for it/deal with it yourself when you're an adult.

Another alternative....stop her treatment until she is older (16 or 17) and can handle the responsibility and be compliant.

I'm the sort of mom that doesn't put up with unnecessary immaturity from my teenage kids (of course, what one might consider "immature" is a judgment call depending on the situation). IMO, they're old enough to understand the consequences of their actions by age 13 and frankly by that age I feel that it's time for them to take responsibility for various parts of their lives and stop blaming others or making you be the "headgear police".

[Solrosen]

Thank you for your replies! I have talked to her, again. We went to the ortho today and he was of course not pleased with the lack of result. I think she listened a bit more to what her ortho told her and is starting to realise that cooperation from her part is essential.

The "train tracks" weren't supposed to come on until in about a year, but now it looks like she is getting them already in October or November. Not so easy for her to cheat then I guess...

[Fashionvictim]

My girls are to wear theirs 16 hours a day. Teir ortho said "You may take it off when you get out of the car in the morning to go to school and it goes back on when you get back in the car. Weekends -off only for sports and parties or dates.

[goodteethby2013]

I can't help but weigh in as an adult in treatment for the second time - I was sentenced to headgear when I had braces the first time around when I was 12, and I ripped it off in my sleep every night. Wearing headgear was the absolute worst. Regardless, here I am today, nearing the end of two more years in braces, this time I had a post drilled into my jaw to help pull the teeth back, accomplishing what the headgear did not! If she can't wear it now, she will likely have to do this again in the future. Frankly, this post in my jaw is easier than the headgear was! Good luck!

[sweetcynic]

Will add here as another adult in treatment - I very much prefer extractions to headgear.

[sportgrl09]

I had the same issue, I forgot and always took it off when my parents weren't around me, my orthodontist installed a timer onto my headgear straps, I thought it was a joke at the time.. they found half the usage of what i was supposed to be wearing and in return my dad did something i never thought he would do, he told my orthodontist if i didn't start cooperating after numerous warnings, they would wire it in... Which is exactly what they did.