Many children are sucking their thumbs. Such a bad habit spoils the child’s occlusion. Sometimes children do it for a very long time, up to seven years. They can do it all day long and even go to sleep with the thumb in their mouth. How does it spoil the occlusion?

First, it is a constant mechanic action on the forming teeth. The finger, constantly being in the mouth, exerts pressure on the teeth. Especially when concerns the teeth on the upper jaw. It forms a symmetrical or asymmetrical open bite. What does it mean? Normally when the jaws are closed, teeth must occlude. In the case with open bite, they do not. In addition, an overbite/cross-bite can form as the result of this bad habit. One of the jaws is narrowing and the lower jaw moves aside. The incisors may also protrude.

The problem with occlusion may even cause deformation of the face. As you can see, the problem is very serious and requires attention. The doctors recommend to get rid of this bad habit before the age of six. If action is taken in time, teeth can come back to their normal position on their own. The specialists call it self-regulation, or self-correction. But the older the child, the higher chance of needing help of

But the older the child gets, there is a higher chance of needing the help of an orthodontic specialist to solve the problem. It is very important to begin treatment after the bad habit is corrected. If it's not treated in time, then no treatment will help in the future.

There are several tips to help the child abandon this bad habit. Never rely on threats or violence! The motivation to quit thumb sucking must only be a positive one. You must praise and encourage your child for the slightest attempts to stop doing this. A nice way is to mark the “good” and the “bad” days in the calendar. In the “bad” days, when the child sucked on their thumb again, you must discuss it with him or her. What feelings made them want to do this? Was it something scary, disappointing or frustrating? If nothing helps, go to the doctor for habit therapy.

And if you didn't correct this habit in time and already have this issue, the orthodontic dentistry will help. Teeth braces can fix even a very difficult case. A Broadway Family Dental in Brooklyn offers excellent orthodontic services for your entire family and will correct any problems your child might have developed.