Habit Breaking Appliances Treatment for Children in Rohini, Delhi
As a shanti dentals Treatment for kids, a lot of parents seek us out because they’re worried about their child using a pacifier or sucking their thumb. These habits are completely normal in infants and sucking is a natural instinct.
In fact, some babies even suck their fingers and thumbs in the womb! However, when oral habits, including thumb sucking and tongue thrusting, continue past the first few years of life, severe malocclusion (an improper bite) can occur.
Fluoride Filling Ensures That the Tooth is Protected From the Acid Attack Thereby Keeping Tooth at Bay From Tooth Decay. It Reduces the Ability of Plaque Bacteria to Produce Acid and Enhances the Repair of Enamel. In This Way, the Patient’s Teeth Are Protected for an Extended Period if the Fluoride Fillings are Done at the Right Point in Time.
What are the available appliances
At shanti dentals we study the habits of children and we make a treatment plan for Child Habits. Here are the basic treatment option for some of the common oral habits
Thumb Sucking
Thumb sucking is a common habit among many children. It is common with children under three and is associated with the need to seek food. In some infants it can signal fatigue, sleep, hunger, teething and shyness. Thumb sucking till the age of 3 years is quite normal and may not cause major side effects.
However it is important to stop the thumb sucking habit BEFORE permanent teeth starts coming in from age 6 year onwards. Breaking the habit by the ages of three to four is better and easier but if they continue beyond that don’t pressure your child to stop, this can reinforce the habit, you need to seek professional help from our Orthodontist.
Tongue Thrusting
Tongue thrusting is the habit of pushing your tongue forward between the upper and lower teeth when you swallow. The proper positioning for the tongue is for the tip to push against the gum above the back of your upper front teeth. This is treated with a tongue thrusting habit breaking appliance. This can be either in the form of the crib, rake, spiky style or beaded.
Mouth Breathing
Mouth breathing is only necessary if your nose is blocked from allergies or colds. Constant breathing through the mouth, even during sleep, can lead to problems. We normally breathe through our nose, but mouth breathing reduces saliva production and makes us more susceptible to tooth decay. A blocked nose due to recurrent cold or a deviated septum can force the child from the mouth and thus the habit of mouth breathing develops. Mouth breathing in children can lead to crooked teeth, facial deformities, and stunted growth. Perhaps we can assume that the child’s brain has some kind of mental disorder. This should be recognized and fixed as soon as possible. In adults, chronic mouth breathing can cause gum disease and bad breath. It can also make symptoms of other illnesses worse.
Appliance used for treatment is an oral screen. Mouth guards prevent inhaled air from entering the oral cavity. The oral cavity can also be closed.
Breaking The Habit
These Habits till the age of 3 years are quite normal and may not cause major side effects. However it is important to stop the thumb sucking habit, Tongue Thrusting Before permanent teeth start erupting from age 6 year onwards. Breaking the habit by the ages of three to four is better and easier but if they continue beyond that don’t pressure your child to stop, this can reinforce the habit, you need to seek professional help from our Orthodontist in Rohini.
Some tips to help your child leave habit:
- Don’t get frustrated with your child; this tends to make the habit worse.
- If they suck because they feel insecure, focus on eliminating the cause of the anxiety.
- Try the bitter solution (it works well, initially generally around 3-5 years)
- Have them hold balls in their hands while they sleep so their hands are busy.
- If your child is older, involve them in choosing the method of stopping. (When they are willing to stop, but subconsciously suck it while watching TV or sleeping.)
- If you feel your child’s teeth are moving, talk to us for personalized advice.
See our orthodontist Dr. Rajesh Bansal to help you learn more about an appliance that will help your child to stop sucking their thumb & tongue thrusting.