I have a question about the HERBST appliance......?!
Question: I have a question about the HERBST appliance.............?
i am getting one but the doc is going to put it in over the course of 2 weeks.. can i get it in all at one time.? or is that a bad idea.. and i do not mind pain btw..
and also, can you tell me like everything about it.? not what it does, but more like how it feels and how people react to seeing it.? will you be able to see it if i open my mouth even a little.?Health Question & Answer
and also, can you tell me like everything about it.? not what it does, but more like how it feels and how people react to seeing it.? will you be able to see it if i open my mouth even a little.?Health Question & Answer
Answers:
The process for putting one on is first gluing bands of metal around 4 molar teeth.. 2 bands on the upper will be slightly more forward that the 2 bands on the lower teeth.. Hardly any pain involved in this process.. Each of the bands has a "pole" connected to the outside, 2 are solid and 2 are hollow.. The solid ones fit inside the hollow ones..
When the poles are pushed together all the way, your mouth is still open, like you are singing (so not that far, but definitely open).. As you close your mouth, the poles cannot slide any further together and so it forces the lower jaw forward.. Your over bite is instantly corrected (sorta) because the Herbst will not allow you to close your mouth without the lower jaw in the correct position.. (It will also not allow your lower jaw to move side to side..) but the poles can become disconnected if necessary (although I never did this unless at the ortho because it was too darn hard to get it back together again..
Anyway, as the lower jaw becomes trained into place, the ortho may place on the solid poles "shims" which shorten the possible distance of the poles so the lower jaw is projected even further.. Usually a person may get 1 or 2 on each pole, but 2 is the most I have ever heard of.. This is the only time a Herbst hurts.. Anytime it is adjusted, shims are added and initially when the poles are connected, the back teeth no longer touch when the mouth is closed.. Makes it kinda hard to eat, huh.? Well, the front teeth are aligned still so for about a week you have to use those.. Or eat soup and ice cream (which is what I did).. During this week, the back teeth migrate forward on their own (because the body is cool like that), but it hurts like a ****** while this is going on.. So over 2 years, my herbst hurt about 3-5 times or so.. Not too bad for an orthodontic appliance..
How does it feel.? Barely noticeable, for me.. I could feel the poles on the sides, but your cheeks are so puffy that they were cushioned and I only felt it's existence if I tried to move my jaw right or left too far (which the Herbst won't allow).. That hurts cause it is pulling on your teeth.. Anyway, more that likely you will never experience sores in your gums or cheeks from it unless you get hit in the face.. You won't need wax or anything like with braces..
No one will know you have it unless you show them or open your mouth really far and they see the side of the inside of your cheeks (really unlikely).. Most of my friends never knew about mine.. People don't really mind about it (the ones I did show).. Most said it looked like a hydraulic jack (like in the hatchback of a car).. It will never be seen in photos or if you smile.. I actually liked mine! It changed the entire profile of my face! My chin became aligned, my teeth touched and I didn't have an overbite.. It even straightened my nose a little (I had a bump that disappeared)..
I have heard that some ortho Dr..s think that people who have one that it can later cause TMJ (a jaw disorder) but I have never experienced this or had any jaw pain and I had mine about 10 years ago..
=]Health Question & Answer
When the poles are pushed together all the way, your mouth is still open, like you are singing (so not that far, but definitely open).. As you close your mouth, the poles cannot slide any further together and so it forces the lower jaw forward.. Your over bite is instantly corrected (sorta) because the Herbst will not allow you to close your mouth without the lower jaw in the correct position.. (It will also not allow your lower jaw to move side to side..) but the poles can become disconnected if necessary (although I never did this unless at the ortho because it was too darn hard to get it back together again..
Anyway, as the lower jaw becomes trained into place, the ortho may place on the solid poles "shims" which shorten the possible distance of the poles so the lower jaw is projected even further.. Usually a person may get 1 or 2 on each pole, but 2 is the most I have ever heard of.. This is the only time a Herbst hurts.. Anytime it is adjusted, shims are added and initially when the poles are connected, the back teeth no longer touch when the mouth is closed.. Makes it kinda hard to eat, huh.? Well, the front teeth are aligned still so for about a week you have to use those.. Or eat soup and ice cream (which is what I did).. During this week, the back teeth migrate forward on their own (because the body is cool like that), but it hurts like a ****** while this is going on.. So over 2 years, my herbst hurt about 3-5 times or so.. Not too bad for an orthodontic appliance..
How does it feel.? Barely noticeable, for me.. I could feel the poles on the sides, but your cheeks are so puffy that they were cushioned and I only felt it's existence if I tried to move my jaw right or left too far (which the Herbst won't allow).. That hurts cause it is pulling on your teeth.. Anyway, more that likely you will never experience sores in your gums or cheeks from it unless you get hit in the face.. You won't need wax or anything like with braces..
No one will know you have it unless you show them or open your mouth really far and they see the side of the inside of your cheeks (really unlikely).. Most of my friends never knew about mine.. People don't really mind about it (the ones I did show).. Most said it looked like a hydraulic jack (like in the hatchback of a car).. It will never be seen in photos or if you smile.. I actually liked mine! It changed the entire profile of my face! My chin became aligned, my teeth touched and I didn't have an overbite.. It even straightened my nose a little (I had a bump that disappeared)..
I have heard that some ortho Dr..s think that people who have one that it can later cause TMJ (a jaw disorder) but I have never experienced this or had any jaw pain and I had mine about 10 years ago..
=]Health Question & Answer