It is not uncommon
to see young infants thumb/digit sucking, but what are the implications of
these actions on the infants jaw
development and dental development?
A study carried
out by Wagner Y & Heinrich-Weltzien R published in BMC Oral Health (2005)
studied jaw and dental development of children at the age of 3, comparing those
who had no oral habits, and those that did (thumb and digit sucking).
The impact of oral
habits proved to have a significant effect on the infant’s baby teeth,
development of their upper and lower jaws, and if ongoing, effect on their
adult teeth. The long-term effects include:
- Formation of an
open bite between upper and lower teeth, where the front teeth are unable able
to meet together
- Cross bite, a
negative overlap between top and bottom jaws, which causes loss of protective
function in the bite
- A constricted and
high palatal vault
- Hindrance of the
lower jaw developing to its full capacity
So how
does this happen?
Normal development
of the jaw and the teeth have many contributory factors including genetics and
environmental factors. Environmental factors play a strong role in influencing
growth and development of children. For these environmental factors to
translate into clinical abnormalities, they must be present frequently over a
long period of time.
For this reason,
oral habits are a heavily influential factor, with infants thumb sucking, digit
sucking, or using pacifiers for prolonged times, over a period of days, months
and even years.
How can
we prevent this?
Firstly, recognising
the presence of an oral habit is the most important, with many parents and
children not realising the effects it may have. Since prolonged oral habits can
cause permanent damage, stopping the habit before any changes to the child’s
teeth and jaw development is noticed is ideal. If treated in the early stages
of development changes, there is a possibility of correction.
As a guide, if
oral habits cease by the age of six, there is a greater chance of correction.
An article
published by the International Journal of Clinical Paediatric Dentistry
discussed treatment options for stopping thumb sucking. Following is a brief
outline of management options:
- Age appropriate
explanations to the child regarding consequences of thumb sucking
- Positive
reinforcement, when child is not thumb sucking
- Digital
reminders (e.g. thumb guards, bitter
solutions on thumb, bandage on thumb)
- Fixing thumb to
other digits of the hand to prevent digit sucking
- Fixed/removable
appliances to be worn inside the mouth, to break the seal between the digit and
the palate, which normally brings pleasure to the act of thumb/digit sucking
Assessment of your
child’s bite and jaw development should not wait until your child has all their
permanent teeth. There are many factors that may be acting on their growth from
a much younger age, which if recognised and corrected, can prevent many dental
problems in the future.
Regular check-ups for your children is imperative for
their oral health, but also for their dental development. Our team at
Grandstand Dental are passionate about prevention,
and will monitor your child’s development, and communicate any issues that may
need addressing in the process.
Remember,
prevention is the best cure…
… and something so
simple as stopping your child from thumb sucking
may be all that it takes for your child to develop a perfect smile.
Wagner Y &
Heinrich-Weltzien R (2005), Occlusal characteristics in 3-year-old children –
results of a birth cohort study, BMC Oral Health, 15: 94
Shetty RM, Shetty
M, Shetty NS & Deoghare A (2015) Three-Alarm System: Revisited to treat
Thumb-sucking Habit, International Journal of Clinical Paediatric dentistry, 1:82-86
