Oral habits such as finger sucking and thumb sucking impact jaw and tooth alignment. These habits cause flared and spaced maxillary incisors, crowded lower incisors, an anterior open bite and a narrow upper arch. These changes stem from the pressure of the thumb or fingers, as well as increased cheek pressure when sucking. Pacifiers have similar effects to thumbsucking although their use can be controlled more easily by parents. Daytime and nighttime sucking have the same impact. The amount of time and the pressure generated is what matters most. It is important to stop the oral habit early, especially before permanent teeth erupt around age 6.
 

There are home treatments to stop oral habits such as reward programs, gloves and bitter nail polish. Depending on the severity of the habit, these may be effective and it is always good to try these methods out first. When you are ready, we can help families kick the habit with an oral appliance termed a habit appliance. These appliances are glued to the upper back molars and have a fan on the root of the mouth where the thumb or fingers typically rests, blocking the neural feedback loop. These appliances usually stay in for a few months for full cessation of the habit. Depending on the amount of orthodontic problems created from the oral habit, the patient may require early orthodontic treatment after habit cessation.