Oral Habits

Question 1

Oral habits are

Answer 1

► Digit-sucking habit
► Tongue thrusting habit
► Mouth breathing habit
► Bruxism
► Lip habits
► Lip-wetting
► Lip-biting
► Cheek-biting
► Postural habit

Question 2

Oral Habits Definition

Answer 2

►Any repetitive behavior pattern which utilizes the oral cavity as a result of repetition and learning, strictly applicable only to motor responses

Question 3

GRABER (1976) Graber included all habits under extrinsic factors of general causes of malocclusion.

Answer 3

► 1. Thumb/digit sucking
► 2. Tongue thrusting
► 3. Lip/nail biting, bobby pin opening
► 4. Mouth breathing
► 5. Abnormal swallow
► 6. Speech defects
► 7. Postural defects
► 8. Psychogenic habits-bruxism
► 9. Defective occlusal habits

Question 4

Various etiologies implicated in compulsive habits

Answer 4

► • Rapid feeding patterns
► • Too little feeding at a time
► • Too much tension during feeding
► • Bottle-feeding
► • Insecurity brought by a lack of love and tenderness by the mother

Question 5

There are 5 sources of unconscious mental patterns in childhood which may lead to the development of a habit:

Answer 5

1. Instinct
2. Insufficient outlet for energy
3. Pain/discomfort or insecurity
4. Abnormal physical size of parts
5. Limitation/imposition by parents or others.

Question 6

Three considerations before treating a habit

Answer 6

Emotional significance of a habit for the child in relation to family and peer group.

Age

Existing or potential malocclusions associated with a force exerting habit.

Question 7

Thumb sucking Removable appliances

Answer 7

► Tongue spikes
► Tongue guard
► Spurs/rake

Question 8

Infantile swallow is characterized by:

Answer 8

► Active contractions of the lip muscles.

► Tongue is placed between the gum pads and tongue tip is brought forward into contact with the lower lip.

► Little posterior tongue activity/ pharyngeal muscle activity.

► Tongue-to-lower lip posture adopted by infants at rest.

► Contraction of lips and facial muscles helps to stabilize the mandible.

► Vigorous mandibular thrust.

Question 9

Clinical features of tongue thrust

Answer 9

1. Open-bite—anterior and posterior (lateral tongue thrust)
2. Proclination of upper anterior teeth.
3. Protrusion of anterior segments of both arches with spaces between incisors and canines.
4. Narrow and constricted maxillary arch—posterior cross-bite.

Question 10

CLINICAL FEATURES OF RETAINED INFANTILE SWALLOW

Answer 10

• Strong contractions of lips and facial musculature especially buccinator

• Massive grimace

• Anterior and lateral thrusting

Question 11

MANAGEMENT OF SIMPLE TONGUE THRUST

Answer 11

Three phases (Moyers):
► 1. Conscious learning of new reflex—cognitive approach
► 2. Transferring to subconscious level—reflexive approach
► 3. Reinforcement of new reflex.