Habit Appliances

Thumb and Finger Sucking Habits are Common Among Children

If your child is struggling to overcome their thumb and finger sucking habit, Amedeo and Colonna, LTD. is here to help correct this before it begins to cause problems in the mouth. To name a few, some of the dental issues this habit can cause are open bite, overbites and crossbites. Luckily, there are a variety of orthodontic appliances to put an end to these habits.

Types of Appliances

There are thumb and finger reminders that can be placed in order to discourage thumb and finger sucking. It is important to start these appliances at an early age, as the earlier you start, it will have less negative effects on the teeth and jaw. Bernard Colonna DDS, Kevin Maloney DMD is here to help your child grow out of these habits and decide when the right time is to do so.

Another option our practice offers are tongue thrusts and have a similar effect as thumb and finger reminders. When you swallow, your tongue rests on the roof of your mouth. Instead, a tongue thrust pushes the tongue and puts pressure on the teeth. An example of this is an anterior open bite where the back teeth touch but the front teeth do not or a posterior open bite where the side teeth don’t touch but the front might. Tongue reminders are an excellent solution to train the tongue to stay away from the teeth or a specialist called a myofunctional therapist may be recommended.

We are here to help Chicago’s children with our Habit Appliances!

It is never too soon to call our helpful and caring team to address your child’s thumb or finger sucking habits. For years we have helped children overcome these habits to protect their teeth and jaw and help them mature properly. If you are ready to help your child overcome these habits or if you have any questions about our habit appliance offerings, please call us today at 847-696-2019.