Can orthodontics help with thumb sucking?
Thumb sucking is a comforting habit that many children develop. It’s a great way for infants to relieve their stresses and make themselves feel better. For most children, it’s something that they are able to outgrow at an early age. But for others, more drastic steps may have to be taken.
Orthodontists understand how important it is to stop thumb sucking as early as possible. Continued thumb and finger sucking can lead to many dental problems as children grow and develop. Common problems include protruding teeth, crossbites, open bites, and teeth pointing towards the tongue.
To stop children from thumb sucking, it’s a good idea to explain the problems and risks and provide positive reinforcement as they move away from the activity. Don’t scold or punish a child, as this doesn’t work and may end up becoming a form of negative attention. Emotional support is always a key part of this because children, especially as they get older, often suck their thumbs to get some emotional reward they crave.
But if all of those things don’t work, kids orthodontics can help. Most orthodontists will provide a retainer that can provide the feeling of having something in the child’s mouth without causing any developmental damage. It may also discourage the child from placing their thumb in their mouth because the feeling with now be strange or different. If the habit continues, an orthodontist can place a habit breaking guard or crib to the retainer, essentially preventing the child from putting anything in their mouth.
Dr Bryan Hicks is an experienced practitioner of orthodontics for children and uses his skills and training to make any orthodontic program effective. The earlier you bring your child to see us, the better we can plan a treatment. Come and talk to us today and we’ll show you how we can help children’s smiles look brighter and happier.
