I am almost sure that this is just a fantasy (or a fake). I cant believe that a "technology" like this would be accepted by patients. You can about it here and there in the internet - but I never found evidence.

I think I have found a way to do this.  Note, I said “Think”.  I’m going to give it a tryout, and if it works, will post pictures here.   

Good news/bad news situation.  I’ve managed it, but….

Oaky, firstly, I’ve attached two straps to the ends of my facebow.  Clear plastic straps with a few reinforced eyelets.  Then I bent the headgear hooks shut (a Leatherman tool is such a handy thing to have!)so that straps cannot be unhooked from the ends of the facebow. 

So now you have a facebow with two straps hanging from the end.  Attach headgear to facebow as per normal (elastics on my high-pull slips through the hooks even when bent closed to keep the straps locked in place) Bring the loose ends of the straps together behind the neck, and padlock together through the t-piece at the neck of the headgear – ta-dah!  Headgear locked in!

Or is it…  I’ve discovered no matter how tightly I padlock my facebow in, I can always slip it out of the buccal tubes.  And I can slip it out of my mouth.  Thus it’s technically “removable”.  (Also, if it’s too tight around the head to try and make it “un-removable” it gets really uncomfortable, and then I just want out and all the fun is out of the game – its better for me to have a bit of slack – I want to feel the headgear, not the locks.).  However, because the straps are still locked round my neck, and connected to the headgear itself, it still sits round my neck like a collar, and there is this big mass of webbing hanging down my neck.  In case no one noticed, headgear inner-bows are sharp, and when tied round the neck it pokes nastily at the throat…  so ‘tis easier to just wear the darn thing in the mouth as it was meant to, than it is to remove and wear it round the neck. Which can be a blessing really – the facebow can then be removed for cleaning and eating, but provides enough discomfort to put it back where it belongs when lunchtime is up!

I’ll see if I can take some pics sometime next week to show.  I’d call this myth “confirmed”.

I am sure technically this can be done, but I don't imagien any orthodontist woudl do it for safety reasons - if someoen had an accident they wouldn't want the legal case!

I've heard if taped ub hg, but never seen it. It seems like would work, esp if the kid knows better than to disobey his parents.

Actually UK, it was the ortho's idea (the cable tie locking hg). I dont see any safety issue, as I stated the facebow had the safety latches at the molars so the facebow couldn't come dislodged. Like taping the hg on the cable ties could be cut in an emergency, but the parents would know if they had.

I wonder if an orthodontist would attach a bow that only the orthodontist could remove if a patient requested it.

My headgear is fixed. My girlfriend is a dentist and she fixed my facebow so I can not withdraw. It is a soldier.
It still exists. I'm proof of that.