dirty ethel rackham Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Anyone here have experience with the Herbst appliance. DS15 is supposed to be getting one next week and I just want to know what to expect and what to watch out for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 He is actually about to get it off and get his braces on. I was soooo worried about this. I mean, the thing looks like a torture device! However, it was NO BIG DEAL! It took my ds about a day to adjust to it. I thought we would have to eat mush. Not so! I really think it is less of an adjustment than the braces. He was really not sore or anything. And, he was only ten when he got it. Hope it goes well for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich with Kids Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 DS had one. He never complained about it. Make sure he really listens to the ortho about what to eat and how to take care of it. We had one instance when DS opened his mouth too big and it came apart. The ortho will go over all of that with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demal Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 We have experience with a Mara, which is similar to a Herbst. If you google, you'll find quite a few orthodontists' websites that will give you an idea as to what to expect. The only things I would add are that ibuprofen is sometimes needed after adjustments (just for the day) and a higher-end Waterpik can really come in handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyinNNV Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Dd says it hurt a lot at first. Take meds before your appt. DD also had trouble with a bar coming out when she yawned. So, we went in and ortho. gave her a longer bar. Voila-no problem. Good luck! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 My 14 year old had a hebst. It hurt her much more than the actual braces. She took ibuprofen on a specific schedule that the orthodontist gave us, and used a heating pad on her face every night for a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katalaska Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 She got it on along with the palate expander and upper and lower braces. That was a LOT of hardware in one very young mouth!!! The first couple of days she needed ibuprofen; I think that was more for the palate expander than the Herbst but since they were in her mouth simultaneously it's hard to be sure. It wasn't much different from being a bit sore (and needing ibuprofen) after a regular orthodontist appointment when she'd get a heavier-gauge wire or have some other significant work done. After that, no big deal. As her jawbone lengthened, she did have the "bars" (they looked to me like miniature shock absorbers!) come apart. She became proficient at putting them back together per the orthodontist's instructions. As they were able to "move up a size" with the bars, they did so and that solved the problem. I was much more worried about the Herbst than dd ever was and it really was NOT a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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