Your Habit Appliance
Before
Initial placement of Habit appliance with anterior openbite.
After
Three months following initial placement and activation showing spontaneous bite closure.
What is a Habit Corrector?
A habit corrector is an appliance that helps stop certain repeated body motions (habits). Some correctors help stop tongue thrusting (pressing the tongue against the front teeth) while others correct finger and thumb sucking. These habits can adversely affect the bite and change the position of your teeth and growing jaws.
Types of Correctors and What They Do?
There are many types of correctors. Shown below is a crib appliance used to expand the palate and close the anterior openbite. The patient responded dramatically within six months, without surgical assistance.
Tips for Wear and Care
Some habit appliances are removable; others can only be taken out by Dr. Cardarelli.
Here are some tips for wearing and caring for any type of habit corrector:
- • No gum, candy, or soda. Also, avoid sticky, chewy, or hard foods, as they can break the corrector.
- • Brush your corrector whenever you brush your teeth, morning and night, especially after eating.
If your habit appliance is removable, also be sure to:
- • Keep it in the case when not being worn to prevent loss or breakage.
- • Wear your corrector to bed and around the house, unless otherwise instructed by Dr. Cardarelli.
Learning Healthy New Habits
Learning to stop a bad habit may take some time, but is worth the effort. An expert in speech and swallowing (a myofunctional therapist) can help, too. Adopting healthy new habits will allow your teeth to function properly and look their best for a lifetime.