My Child

Hello. This is Ceramic Dental Clinic, a Gangnam orthodontic clinic

located near Hakdong Station.

Children pushing their front teeth with their tongues and sticking their tongues out,

or the habit of putting a finger in the mouth and sucking it...

It is easy to think of these as habits that only happen briefly in childhood and then pass on.

Many children outgrow these habits as they grow, but in many cases they continue unconsciously into the teenage years or even adulthood.

Tongue-thrusting is not just a bad habit.

It can also have a negative effect on the teeth and facial health, so it is best to improve it as quickly as possible.

The negative effects of tongue-thrusting on the teeth

(1) Protruding mouth

A tongue-thrusting habit repeated over a long period of time can push the front teeth outward, creating a protruding mouth.

Protruding mouth

(2) Open bite

When the tongue is thrust forward and pushes the upper teeth upward, the upper teeth gradually move upward, which can cause the upper and lower teeth to separate and not meet properly, leading to an "open bite."

Open bite

(3) Interference with balanced facial growth

In addition, in children or teenagers who are still growing, a tongue-thrusting habit can interfere with the balanced growth of the teeth and jawbones, and may become a cause of facial imbalance.

Today, the before-and-after orthodontic case we will look at from Ceramic Dental Clinic, a Gangnam orthodontic clinic, is a case in which protruding mouth and open bite appeared together because of a tongue-thrusting habit that started in childhood.

Protruding mouth, open bite orthodontic before-and-after Patient profile

Age when orthodontic treatment started: mid-teens Reason for starting treatment: protruding mouth, open bite Expected treatment period: 18 months Treatment method: extraction of 2 teeth, ceramic braces Tongue-thrust prevention device (Tongue spur)

(1) Diagnosis of the problem

This patient had a tongue-thrusting habit since childhood. The upper teeth are severely protruded, and an open bite is also present, where the upper and lower teeth do not touch.

Protruding mouth, open bite

Protruding mouth

Open bite

Meanwhile, below there is no protrusion; instead, it is slightly rotated backward, and it shows a Class II malocclusion pattern, with the lower jaw smaller than the upper jaw.

Class II malocclusion

(2) Treatment plan

Because the upper front teeth were severely protruded, we first pull the protruded front teeth backward and then proceed with extraction. On the upper jaw, a tongue-thrust prevention device called a Tongue spur (Tongue crib) is attached to the inner side of the teeth, so that the tongue-thrusting habit is improved during orthodontic treatment as well.

Tongue-thrust prevention device (Tongue spur)

The lower teeth are generally fairly aligned, but the angulation of some teeth (the front teeth) is tilted, so we improve both the alignment and the angulation of the teeth and make sure the bite between the upper and lower teeth fits properly.

Tilted lower front teeth

(3) Treatment results

Correction of protruding mouth and open bite

These are the changes before and after 19 months of orthodontic treatment.

Protruding mouth before-and-after orthodontic treatment, 19 months

Open bite before-and-after orthodontic treatment, 19 months

Protruding mouth and open bite before-and-after orthodontic treatment, 19 months

The protruding mouth and open bite improved, and the upper lip, which had been turned upward because of the protruded upper teeth, also moved inward, so the smile became much more natural and refined.

If your child has a tongue-thrusting habit,

it would be best if it could be corrected with parental attention and encouragement, but it is not easy to change a habit that has formed unconsciously.

That said, forcing a child who dislikes it to wear a tongue-thrust prevention device or start orthodontic treatment unconditionally may also have a negative emotional effect, so it is also important to help them understand that this is a necessary part of becoming healthier and more beautiful.

Also, if efforts are made in parallel to understand and empathize with why the child thrusts the tongue and to redirect that need into something else, I believe you can improve both orthodontic issues and the tongue-thrusting habit well.

Ceramic Dental Clinic's orthodontic treatment is not limited to simply aligning the bite.

It also considers improving overall oral health and the balance of the entire face.

If you are thinking about orthodontic treatment, don't hesitate to get a consultation~!

(Click the image below!)

25 years of orthodontic know-how and Ceramic Dental Clinic, the Gangnam orthodontic clinic chosen by over 6,000 people, is located at [Exit 9 of Hakdong Station].

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