Habit Appliances
Thumb and finger sucking are hard habits for a person to stop on their own. Such habits can cause dental issues such as open bite, overbites, and crossbites to name a few. There are orthodontic appliances to help stop these habits for good. Thumb and finger reminders can be placed in orthodontic appliances to discourage the habit. The younger the patient is when they stop the habit, the less affect it will have on tooth and jaw position. Dr. Cook will let you know when the right time to address the habit is and techniques on how to be successful.
Tongue thrusts can also have a similar effect. What is a tongue thrust? When a person swallows, the tongue should rest in the roof of the mouth. A tongue thrust means that the tongue pushes forward and puts pressure on the teeth. Evidence of this might be an anterior open bite where the back teeth touch but the front teeth do not or a posterior open bite where the side teeth don’t touch but the front might. Tongue reminders can be used to help train the tongue to stay back away from the teeth or a specialist called a myofunctional therapist may be recommended. Dr. Cook can advise the best solution for tackling a harmful habit.
Ready to take the next step?
Contact our Dublin, Ohio office today to schedule a consultation and learn more about what we offer our patients.
Ready For Special Cases
Dr. Cook and his staff’s combined years of education, training and experience in orthodontics have prepared them to excel in cases within a wide range in level of difficulty. Prospective patients seek out our knowledge and experience when they have been told from other offices that their case is too difficult to be treated at that office. Whether it is early intervention in children with severe overbites, underbites or crowding to adults with surgical or comprehensive restorative needs, we feel confident that we can find a solution together.