Habit Breaking Appliances
It is normal for the children to have unhealthy oral habits which include thumb sucking, nail biting, lip biting, tongue thrusting, mouth breathing.
In order to control such routines, separate appliances are designed and manufactured. These appliances are known as habit breaking appliances. These appliances can either be of removable or fixed type.
If such habits persist especially after the age of five years, it can result in
- Upper front teeth flaring outward and the lower ones moving back and inward.
- It can also hold back the growth of the lower jaw.
- Malformation of the upper palate while causing the upper jaw to be thrust forward.
- Misalignment of the teeth, an anterior open bite (where the front teeth fail to close together), collapse of the upper jaw causing other problems.
That’s why it is important to stop the behavior at an appropriate time, before damage occurs.
Some habit breaking appliances can help you to gently wean your child from such deleterious habits.