Thumb Sucking

Thumb sucking is a normal self soothing behavior for infants and young children.

If the habit continues after adult teeth have erupted thumb sucking becomes problematic. Thumb sucking can cause a child’s teeth to become pushed outward and change the shape of the roof of the mouth. This will cause the child to have poorly aligned teeth which can result in poor oral hygiene due to difficult to reach spaces, and problems with jaw pain. To assist a child in breaking the habit, a dental appliance can be custom made for your child that fits in behind his or her front teeth. The appliance will make thumb sucking less enjoyable for your child.