Oral habits and Habit Breaking Appliance

Service Description

Oral Habits and Habit-Breaking Appliances Oral habits like thumb sucking, lip biting, and tongue thrusting can impact dental health, speech development, and facial appearance if prolonged beyond early childhood. Thumb Sucking: Thumb sucking is normal for infants but should stop by age 5. Prolonged thumb sucking can cause improper tooth alignment and jaw development. Treatment options include: 1. Reminder Therapy: Using neutral reminders like adhesive bandages on the finger. 2. Reward Therapy: Setting agreements between the child and parents to discontinue the habit with incentives. 3. Appliance Therapy: A fixed palatal crib prevents thumb contact with the mouth, making the habit unappealing. Lip Sucking: Lip sucking involves tucking the lower lip behind the upper front teeth, causing teeth misalignment. A Lip Bumper is used to reduce pressure from the lips and cheeks on the lower teeth, allowing space for proper tooth alignment. Tongue Thrusting: Tongue thrusting is when the tongue is positioned incorrectly while swallowing, leading to tooth misalignment. Treatment options include: 1. MyoFunctional Therapy: Exercises that retrain tongue muscles for correct positioning. 2. Appliance Therapy: Though less effective, some appliances discourage tongue thrusting. Early correction of these habits can prevent long-term dental and speech problems.