Oral Habit Correctional Appliance
Oral Habit Correctional Appliance
With an oral habit correctional appliance in Middleborough, Massachusetts, Emerald Family Dental can assist in breaking habits that may potentially harm your child's oral health. There are various approaches to addressing your child's oral habits, and our dentist will gladly discuss these options with you. For questions or to schedule a visit in our office, please contact us at 508-947-7758!
It's normal for children under the age of 4 to engage in thumb and finger sucking, with most ceasing this habit on their own between 2 and 4 years old. However, if the habit persists, it can lead to significant damage to the teeth and jaw, including issues like open bites, horizontal overlap of front teeth, and crossbites. Similarly, the continuous pressure of the tongue against the teeth during activities such as swallowing, speaking, and at rest can force teeth and arches out of alignment.
Various oral appliances are available to help break finger sucking and tongue thrusting habits. Thumb sucking appliances are designed to discourage sucking habits, while tongue thrust appliances often involve a form of "physical therapy" to retrain the tongue muscles, preventing forward thrusting. When you bring your child to our office, our dentist will collaborate with you to break these harmful habits, promoting good oral health and a beautiful smile.
Apart from oral appliances, our dentist may suggest simple at-home measures, such as placing an article of clothing (like a glove or sock) over the thumb and fingers or introducing diversions during times when your child typically engages in finger sucking. If the finger sucking is linked to anxiety, identifying and addressing the source of anxiety may help alleviate the habit.
For additional information and to schedule a consultation with our dentist, please contact our office today.
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Middleborough, MA
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Middleborough, MA
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Middleborough, MA