Habits And The Role Of Interceptive Orthodontics

Tongue Thrusting And Thumb sucking

Tongye thrusting and thumb sucking are two of the most common habits that children get into and the ones that have the most impact on long-term development of the occlusion. Now, there are various theories which are put forward as to why children get into these habits at all, however that is not our concern at the moment. Whatever the reason may be, if this habit persists beyond an early age, it can cause a lot of damage to the teeth.

A child with uncorrected tongue thrusting will have sharply proclined upper and lower front teeth. This will also affect speech development and cause the child to not be able to pronounce certain sounds.

Thumb sucking is even more disastrous for the occlusion. The typical signs include an open bite, where the upper and lower front teeth remain open even after complete closure, incompetent and poorly developed lips, excessive loads on the posterior teeth and proclination of the front teeth as well.

The orthodontist will most likely use fixed intra-oral devices which prevent the tongue from protruding outwards or the thumb from being able to make contact with the palate. Parents should be aware that these appliances are extremely uncomfortable for children in the beginning. These habits are deep rooted and have a psychological component to them as well, so there is bound to be irritability at being forcibly denied to continue these habits.

The adjustment period varies from child to child and it can rang from a few weeks to a few months. It is however very important that these habits be controlled and intercepted as early as possible. Also, it is not possible for successful orthodontic treatment to take place until these habits have been eliminated. In some cases permanent retention has to be employed to ensure that the dentition does not relapse into a state of poor occlusion.

An Inability To Maintain Hygiene

Patients can have a hard time maintaining an acceptable level of oral hygiene thanks to minor crowding or discrepancies present in the occlusion. This acceptable level of hygiene is different from individual to individual and is viewed by the dentist as an absence of disease. The immune response of a particular individual makes it impossible to quantify what constitutes as an acceptable level of hygiene. 

Interceptive orthodontics actually works on the principle of recognizing the signs of disease caused by occlusal disturbvances early and correcting them even before all the permanent teeth have erupted into the mouth. Its significance and importance is being recognized by the dental profession and is being adopted as a practise in more and more clinics around the world.

READ How To Straighten Your Teeth Without Braces

Conclusion

Orthodontics is more than just about giving a person the perfect set of teeth. It is about encouraging the development of a healthy and easily maintainable occlusion that functions properly over a long period of time. Meeting your dentist at regular intervals can help early detection of these problems and allow them to be treated as soon as possible.