teeth questions

**Kihluna** · 01-01-2012 07:25 PM

I`m 20 and I still suck my thumb. Mostly as a way to keep myself from eating, but I`ve been doing it all my life. My father never had me wear braces, but at my age I`m beginning to think about it. I`m wondering if I try to get Invisiline those invisible braces, if the work they do will be hindered by my thumb sucking.
I`m not concerned about people knowing I thumb suck really, my aunt still does it at 35, and I don`t really see the point of stopping since it`s not harming me.

Also what age do wisdom teeth come in? For the past 2 years I`ve had jaw pain on and off on both sides. I`ve had vertigo, headaches and sinus issues as well, and I just want it to end.

**CHANDLERS WISH** · 01-03-2012 01:15 AM

I read this comment elsewhere in three different situations of children up to 8 years of age:-

"The thumb action is inhibiting the normal action of the front teeth so there's a large gap between those"

I also read where in some instances by the children sucking their thumb until 8, 9 years of age, that they created for themselves, buck teeth as they continued to push those teeth forward.

The Jaw pain could be because you have pushed teeth out of place over all of these years...

Best to get things looked over now, regardless of your Aunt... I am not sure what her teeth look like but we are all different.

CW
See a orthodontist.. Braces may not be your ownly answer..and that you are actually continuing to do more damage which eventually may cost you thousands which you don't want.

**Beautiful Disaster** · 01-03-2012 07:36 AM

I don`t really see the point of stopping since it`s not harming me.

Incorrect. Thumb sucking as a baby, in moderation is harmless. Thum sucking for 20 years is not considering in moderation, and is not harmless. Long-term thumb sucking causes a gap between the maxillary incisors, or front teeth. When these teeth also project outward or upward, it is called proclination and protrusion. Thumb sucking also can cause the maxilla (the bone directly beneath the nose across the front of the jaw) to become displaced in the front, making it poke outward and cause changes to the upper lip. The molars can become displaced due to the abnormal spacing of the teeth, affecting the bite of the mouth. In extreme cases, the molars need to be removed. Here is a list:

The possible effects of thumb sucking for children after the age of three is:

Reshape the jawbone because their jawbones are still soft and pliable

Teeth grow out of aliment and position

Narrows dental arches which cause the next problem

Upper front teeth will flare out and tip upward

Lower teeth will move inward

Affect growth of child's palate (roof of the mouth) causing:

Poor tongue placement

Problems chewing

Problems with learning to swallow properly. The tongue plays a major role in swallowing. For people who don't suck their thumb or finger, their tongue goes up behind the roof of their mouth as they swallow and this causes a seal. But, when trying to swallow while sucking the thumb or finger, the tongue is thrust forward, in between the front teeth. This action makes swallowing difficult and will require re-training to correct
the tongue movement.

Problems speaking

Overbite or open bite

Make tonsils collapse to cause snoring

The skeletal deformities which can develop can lead to insecurities and self-image problems, particularly in children.

Cause infections to develop around fingernails to spread infectious diseases

All these things are harmful and could definitely be contributing to your jaw pain and sinus issues. If you do not plan to stop the thumb sucking, there is little point in getting braces because you will be continually working against the correction and eventually the jaw and teeth will go back the way they were before braces. And as for your aunt, there will ALWAYS be someone you can compare yourself to that is "worse off". But if your aunt was spending her days eating shards of glass, that would not mean it would be healthy for you to do so.

**grrrr** · 01-05-2012 09:31 PM

BD - that was so comprehensive! I printed this out for a friend whose daughter is a thumb sucker!

Kihluna - if you get the invisiline it probably won't help, and if you continue to suck your thumb after, you'll reverse the positive effects- it's like people who don't wear their retainers after they get their braces removed - it's not worth the investiment if you don't follow through.

**jamesmarshalls** · 04-12-2012 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by grrrr

BD - that was so comprehensive! I printed this out for a friend whose daughter is a thumb sucker!

Kihluna - if you get the invisiline it probably won't help, and if you continue to suck your thumb after, you'll reverse the positive effects- it's like people who don't wear their retainers after they get their braces removed - it's not worth the investiment if you don't follow through.

May be you are right but the reason is she will put a brace to stop that thumb sucking so if that thing will motivate her to stop sucking her thumb will that is not a problem I think. Motivate your self to stop thumb sucking it not bad but is not good to look at specially when you are in front of many people then you will suck your thumb? not good.