Thumb sucking and braces

leasmom · #1 (**permalink**) 08-25-2003, 07:55 AM

Does anyone else have a child over 5 who still sucks their thumb? My dd is going on 7 and still does. Her dentist said she had a significant overbite. It's not very noticeable but my sister who is a dentist assistant spotted it immediately-(she hadn't seen dd in 3 yrs). When I took dd to the dentist on Friday, he suggested that she have a habit appliance placed in her mouth. It would be wire attached to her teeth with a ball in the middle to prevent dd from sucking her thumb. If dd doesn't stop she may need braces. She still may need a retainer, my sister said.

Has anyones child stopped sucking their thumb and doesn't need braces?

Does anyone have a child that needs or does have braces?

amfit4life · #2 (**permalink**) 09-07-2003, 12:29 PM

I know this can be a habit that is hard to break. I would like to add that according to my company nutritionist putting fingers in mouth, biting nails, etc, can indicate a need for calcium. Good luck

Linda Pickle
http://www.ams.myvoffice.com/amfit4life
http://picklesplace.amsonline.com

Vjumpstart · #3 (**permalink**) 09-07-2003, 12:30 PM

I have a 13 yo ds, a 7 yo dd, and (possibly) a 3 yo ds who all need/will need braces. The 13 yo and 7 yo both have crooked teeth, and the orthodontist said that since the 3 yo has such perfectly straight teeth now it is almost guaranteed that he will need braces when he gets older.

I myself have braces (at 32 yo!), and my dh needs them but refuses to get them.

If you have any specific questions, either post them here, or pm me, and I'll be happy to try to answer them.

See you on the frugal and WFD threads!

Vicki

grandmaw Karen · #4 (**permalink**) 09-07-2003, 01:43 PM

I'm 50 now and have straight teeth.Sucked my thumb until I was 7 and never wore braces.On the other hand neither my brother or sister sucked their thumb but had crazy teeth and wore braces for years.I wouldn't worry to quickly.Peer pressure will kick in .

lawnangel · #5 (**permalink**) 09-07-2003, 03:30 PM

I have to agree with grandmaw Karen. My sister, now 37 was a thumb sucker, she never had or needed braces, and to this day, when she is sick, she will rub her little shred of a piece of left over nylon from a windbreaker (who knows where that came from) AND suck her thumb, at 37! It is comforting. I guess most kids grow out of it, I know you probably have lost your patience but something in your daughters mouth will only upset her and may even hurt her if she tries to get it out and can't. She will eventually grow out of it.

Don't sweat the small stuff - - - It's all small stuff

MmeMoxie · #6 (**permalink**) 09-07-2003, 03:33 PM

Me, too!!! 60 years old and sucked my thumb, until I was 9 years old. My dear Mother, literally tried EVERYTHING to get me to quit, to NO avail. As an adult...NO braces, ever...perfect straight teeth. My dearest friend, hated me. She never sucked her thumb or fingers and had to suffer with braces.

However, I DO have a very *high roof* on the upper part of my mouth, due to my sucking my thumb. But, this does not affect my bite or teeth, in any way.

I just stopped, on my own. I remember the day, I made my decision...it was just, time to stop.

There are just some kids, who suck their thumbs or fingers or twist their hair or have their blank-ie, so on and so forth.

To my knowledge, having these habits, is not necessarily an indication of lack of vitamins, usually it is a *security* issue, especially when they are older. Listen, I drank milk, ate cheese and had plenty of calcium and was a healthy kid...mine was a *security* issue. I also, bit my nails until I was 18 years old. I suddenly decided one day, to stop. My nails are strong and healthy, to this day and I haven't bitten them since, that day.

Infants who suck thumbs and fingers, frequently just need to suck more, that is why I am not opposed to pacifiers.

All my daughters, I gave them pacifiers. None of them, sucked their thumbs or fingers and only my oldest daughter had to have braces. Now, this was due to genetics. The size of her mouth, came from her father's side and the size of her teeth, came from my side...needless, to say, her teeth were TOO large, for the size of her mouth. Had NOTHING to do with the use of a pacifier.

So, make your own determination. My Orthodontists told me, that the need for braces, usually is due to the teeth and jaw not being the right size, for each other.

**Bilby** · #7 (**permalink**) 09-07-2003, 03:51 PM

Both my sons had dummies/pacifiers when they were babies. Their teeth are perfect. My youngest was a thumb sucker once he started getting his double back teeth. When he was 5 I got a leaflette from the dentist that had a picture of crooked teeth on it and told my youngest if he kept sucking his thumb that's what his teeth would look like too.
He carried that leaflette everywhere and he'd stopped sucking his thumb with in a week and very occassionally it would slip in at night but that didin't last long either.
We've never looked back but HE said he wasn't going to look like that picture.
You'll find something that works .............. the leaflette did!

leasmom · #8 (**permalink**) 09-07-2003, 05:04 PM

We had a boy that had extremely crooked teeth that lived down the street from us. I told her she would look like that and she never stopped. I even told her how braces cut your gums and hurt, that still didn't do the trick I even told her that her finger would turn black and fall off when she was about 5...that almost worked but despite the fact that I and other adults (who went along with me) told her that, she never believed us adults. I guess she thought we were stupid, she knew better-LOL!!!

The dentist said that dd has a significant gap and that she will need to stop now or else she will damage her teeth, that's why I'm going forward with the habit appliance. Its suppose to stop her in a way that she can't right now. Dd sucks on her hair as well, usually when she is tired or has gotten into trouble, or wants what I call "Mommy-time"-which is snuggle time. I'm hoping this device will work and get her to stop so she doesn't ruin her teeth. I have a small bite in the front teeth that isn't very noticeable because I sucked my thumb as well. My mom put hot sauce on my thumb and thats why I'm a hot sauce junkie now.

Dd's appt. for the casting of the mold is on Wednesday. So, we shall see once the mold is cast and they fit it into her mouth what she does. She may only need it a few months or up to a year. She'll talk funny for a little while but she'll get used to it and everytime she reaches to put the thumb in her mouth, it'll block it. So, hopefully this will work. I'll let you know.

Miss Kitty · #9 (**permalink**) 09-07-2003, 05:05 PM

My dd sucked her thumb from the time she was placed with me at 3 months old. Tried to get her to take a pacifier to no avail.
At nine the dentist referred me to an orthodontist because of the severity of her overbite, it was starting to cause TMJ.
When he took an impression you could literally place her thumb in the impression of her roof. The palate had curved around her thumb!!!!!
Anyway they put in a bar attatched to her front two molars and it went across the roof of her mouth right behind her front teeth. Everytime she would try to put her thumb in her mouth while sleeping it she couldn;t get past the bar. This went on for about 4-5 months.
Then we had to do the Herpes device, it fit in the roof of her mouth and I had a key I had to turn it once each night. We had to give her tylenol because it hurt her sinuses so bad.
Now we are on the braces.
I have to tell you though, I always know when things are bothering her or she is under stress (dd is now 14), she will be sucking her thumb in her sleep. I just go in and pull it out.

Hope some of this info is helpful Leasmom.

leasmom · #10 (**permalink**) 09-07-2003, 05:08 PM

I appreciate everyones comments. Thank You.