Open Bite - Tongue Thrust
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 10:01 pm
My six year old daughter has a tongue thrust which has caused an open bite. She is also a tongue sucker (yes, that's right, TONGUE sucker - NOT thumb sucker), though this had reduced significantly. She had issues with hypomineralisation/hypoplasia on her back molars and required stainless stell crowns. When the crowns were put on (December 2017) the bite opened up even more. The dentist/ortho are deciding what to do about that - but no decision will be made until her 6 year old molars have fully come through. She has been checked by an ENT.
There are no Orofacial Myofunctional Therapists where we live, however, I have been doing some swallowing exercises with her, tongue exercises and she has been using a myomunchee (both for chewing during the day and at night. Most nights she is able to keep it in her mouth but sometimes I do have to put it back in). Since I started this her open bite has reduced by 2mm (it is 3-4mm on one side and 1.5mm on the other side so still quite open though). Her tongue resting posture has improved a bit - especially when she knows I'm watching. However, it hasn't habituated. When I am not around, she sometimes reverts back to sitting it between her teeth.
We have seen two professionals in regards in what to do. Both suggested different options and I'm really not sure which way to go:
Option 1: Myobrace
Option 2: Wait for 6 yr old molars to fully erupt then place an appliance such as a tongue crib anchored to her 6 year old molars.
Here are my concerns about both options.
Myobrace - Apart from what is published on their own website, it is difficult to find information about its effectiveness. Why are most practitioners general dentists and not orthodontists? If it works so well, wouldn't orthodontists be using it?
Tongue crib: again, hard to find good studies about effectiveness. I have read that many children just simply push their tongue against the crib (instead of their teeth) and when the crib is removed, their tongue goes forward again against the teeth. Tongue spurs seem to have a better chance of working but I don;t know if they can be even used in young children (what if the child falls over for example and cuts their tongue?) and seem a bit barbaric.
I realise with both of these solutions that braces is still a possibility in future and I'm fine with that. I just want the most effective way to stop this tongue thrust for once and for all because I know if it is not corrected, the chance of relapse is extremely high.
Interested to hear what methods other parents have been advised to do and if they have been effective. Any advice or stories of personal experience welcome!! I'm open minded!
There are no Orofacial Myofunctional Therapists where we live, however, I have been doing some swallowing exercises with her, tongue exercises and she has been using a myomunchee (both for chewing during the day and at night. Most nights she is able to keep it in her mouth but sometimes I do have to put it back in). Since I started this her open bite has reduced by 2mm (it is 3-4mm on one side and 1.5mm on the other side so still quite open though). Her tongue resting posture has improved a bit - especially when she knows I'm watching. However, it hasn't habituated. When I am not around, she sometimes reverts back to sitting it between her teeth.
We have seen two professionals in regards in what to do. Both suggested different options and I'm really not sure which way to go:
Option 1: Myobrace
Option 2: Wait for 6 yr old molars to fully erupt then place an appliance such as a tongue crib anchored to her 6 year old molars.
Here are my concerns about both options.
Myobrace - Apart from what is published on their own website, it is difficult to find information about its effectiveness. Why are most practitioners general dentists and not orthodontists? If it works so well, wouldn't orthodontists be using it?
Tongue crib: again, hard to find good studies about effectiveness. I have read that many children just simply push their tongue against the crib (instead of their teeth) and when the crib is removed, their tongue goes forward again against the teeth. Tongue spurs seem to have a better chance of working but I don;t know if they can be even used in young children (what if the child falls over for example and cuts their tongue?) and seem a bit barbaric.
I realise with both of these solutions that braces is still a possibility in future and I'm fine with that. I just want the most effective way to stop this tongue thrust for once and for all because I know if it is not corrected, the chance of relapse is extremely high.
Interested to hear what methods other parents have been advised to do and if they have been effective. Any advice or stories of personal experience welcome!! I'm open minded!