 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Oral Habits Oral habits are very common in children ages 3 to 6 years old. In this section we will go over various habits such as nail biting, bruxism, tongue thrust, mouth breathing, lip habits, pacifier habits and self mutilation. We will also discuss their adverse effects and how to deal with them. early on. |
|||||||||||
The presence of oral habits is common in toddlers and young children. Usually the habits will surface sometime between the age of 2 and 6 years of age. Identifying an oral habit early on can be a very important finding. Ideally a habit that has resulted in movement of the primary (baby) teeth or has inhibited the eruption of teeth should be eliminated before the eruption of the permanent incisors. If a habit that causes dental changes is not eliminated before the permanent incisors erupt, they too will be affected. However, these changes are reversible. If the habit is stopped during the mixed dentition years, the adverse dental changes will begin to be reversed naturally. Some appliance therapy may be required, but generally, the teeth will move toward a more neutral position with the absence of the forces of the habit. If no dental changes have occurred, no treatment can be advocated on the grounds of dental health, but some patients and parents may want to seek treatment because digit or pacifier habits become less socially acceptable as the child becomes older. One study has shown that school age children consider thumb suckers significantly less intelligent, less attractive, and less desirable as friends (Friman et al., 1993). Efforts to discourage the habit may involve as little as a conversation between the dentist and the child, or they may involve more complex appliance therapy. The most important thing to remember about any intervention is that the child must want to discontinue the habit for treatment to be successful. |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
©Copyright 2005 Virtual Dental Center All Rights Reserved |
|
|
|