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Please Note: This Information Is About Kids. Not Adult Abnormal Swallowing Habits
Please Note: This Information Is About Kids. Not Adult Abnormal Swallowing Habits
If the front teeth are brought back into alignment, but the thrust habit
is not broken, the teeth may be moved back out after treatment. So,
what can be done to stop this habit? Habit correction (myo-functional
therapy) by a speech therapist may be necessary if the exercises
which we recommend during treatment are not followed. Finding a
knowledgeable speech therapist is very difficult. They all know what
it is, but few know how to effectively treat it.
In situations where the habit is severe, a removable appliance may be
used to block the tongue away from the front teeth. Unfortunately,
some thrusters are never corrected due to lack of parental support or
lack of cooperation (or denial) on the part of the patient. In either
case, orthodontic treatment is sure to be negatively effected.
See the page on oral habits of compulsion for additional information
on related habits which adversely effect treatment.
Some of the nicest people we know have abnormal swallows...!
The damage
done by the
tongue to the
skeletal
features and
teeth can be
seen in this xray which
shows the
back teeth in
full contact
while the front
teeth are
completely
wide apart and
forward. This
is an open bite
due to an
abnormal
swallowing
pattern.
Click the x-ray
to enlarge it.
Severe thumb
habit often
lead to an
abnormal
swallowing
pattern. The
distortions
caused by the
thumb or a
finger habit
will severely
distort the
teeth and bone
positions.
In the lower
photo, you can
see the
distortion
caused by the
thumb position
shown above.
This patient
has just had
the braces
placed to
move the teeth
back into
position
during a Phase
One treatment.