Breaking the Thumb-Sucking Habit
At Meyer Orthodontics, we understand that retainers are your best friends after braces. They play a vital role in keeping your teeth in perfect alignment, ensuring your beautiful smile stands the test of time. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at the purpose of retainers, explore the different options available, and share some friendly tips to make sure everyone, especially kids, wears their retainers with a smile.
Why Thumb-Sucking Shouldn’t Stick Around
Thumb-sucking is a common self-soothing behavior for infants and toddlers. However, when it continues after the permanent teeth begin to erupt (around age 6), it can interfere with proper oral development.
Prolonged thumb-sucking can lead to:
Misaligned teeth, including overbite or open bite by pulling the upper teeth out.
Changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth causing crossbites by pushing the back teeth inward.
Speech development issues caused by misaligned teeth or jaw.
Stopping the habit before the permanent teeth are fully developed is crucial to ensure your child’s smile grows straight and healthy.
Home Remedies to Help Break the Habit
Breaking the thumb-sucking habit can be challenging, but with the right tools and support, your child can succeed. Here are a few strategies to try at home:
Buy-in: The first step is making sure the child wants to stop sucking their thumb. If they understand the reason and are motivated then they are already on their way to breaking the habit.
Positive Reinforcement: Reward your child for going a certain amount of time without thumb-sucking. Use a sticker chart or small treats as motivation.
Identify Triggers: Thumb-sucking is often a soothing mechanism. Pay attention to when your child sucks their thumb and find alternative comfort items like a stuffed toy or blanket.
Gentle Reminders: If you notice your child sucking their thumb, gently remind them to stop rather than scolding them.
Thumb Covers: Products like thumb guards, bandages or a sock over the hand can be a physical reminder not to suck their thumb. Sour tasting nail polish can also be applied to the fingernail.
Offer Distractions: Keep your child’s hands busy with activities like coloring, crafting, or playing with a fidget toy.
When Home Remedies Aren’t Enough
If your child continues to suck their thumb despite your best efforts, it may be time to consider professional intervention. At Meyer Orthodontics, we offer habit-breaking appliances designed to help children stop thumb-sucking effectively and comfortably.
Habit-Breaking Appliance Options
Our orthodontic solutions are customized for your child’s unique needs:
Thumb Crib Appliance: A small, fixed device placed behind the upper front teeth. It gently discourages the thumb from fitting comfortably in the mouth, breaking the habit.
Bluegrass Appliance: This appliance includes a rolling bead that distracts and occupies the tongue and thumb without causing discomfort.
These appliances are safe, effective, and discreet, ensuring your child can transition away from thumb-sucking smoothly. Typically the appliance is in place for about 12 months. During that time the appliance is monitored with follow up appointments. While these appliances can work great, they do still require motivation of the child to want to stop sucking their thumb.
The Impact of Habit-Breaking Appliances: Before and After
Seeing the results of habit-breaking appliances can be incredibly reassuring for parents. At Meyer Orthodontics, we’ve helped many children successfully stop thumb-sucking and prevent long-term damage to their developing smiles.
Before and After: What to Expect
Before the Appliance: Children who suck their thumb regularly may develop an open bite (the top and bottom teeth do not meet when closing). This can also cause the roof of the mouth to become narrower than normal, which may affect speech and chewing. In the photo below we see a young individual who is sucking his thumb and preventing his permanent teeth from growing in and and touch when we he bites together.
The front teeth do not touch when the patient bites down. This is due to the thumb pulling the top teeth out.
After the Appliance: With consistent use of a habit-breaking appliance, the alignment of the teeth and jaw begins to normalize as the habit is stopped. The thumb-sucking behavior is eliminated, allowing the permanent teeth to erupt in a healthier position. The following photo is after 12 months with the habit breaking appliance:
After 12 months with the appliance the habit hast stopped and the teeth have been allowed to grow together.
Start with a consult
At Meyer Orthodontics, we understand how important it is to help your child develop healthy habits for a lifetime of smiles. Our compassionate team is here to guide you through the process, offering expertise and support every step of the way. A free exam will allow Dr. Paul Meyer to see if any effects have occurred to the permanent teeth from a finger habit and can discuss strategize the best step to help provide your child a healthy and wonderful smile.
Thumb-sucking may be common in young children, but prolonged habits can have lasting effects on their smile. By stopping the behavior early—through at-home strategies or professional solutions—you can help your child grow confident and healthy. Contact Meyer Orthodontics today to learn more about our habit-breaking appliances and how we can help!
