Will Braces Help a Child to Stop Sucking His Thumb?

A Hard Habit to Break

• According to MayoClinic.com, thumb-sucking becomes a habit when kids use it to ease boredom, anxiety or sleepiness. It's also linked to holding another soothing item such as a teddy bear or security blanket. It's not usually a problem until your child reaches about 4 years old, when it can begin to cause dental problems such as tipping the upper front teeth toward his lip. Try to identify the triggers for your child. If it's stress related, try a hug or have him squeeze a stress ball or stuffed animal. Remember to remind your child gently if you see him sucking his thumb. If others are around, be subtle so he doesn't feel embarrassed.

Braces

• If your child needs braces, it's possible that thumb-sucking caused the damage. Have a dentist explain what thumb-sucking does to the alignment of her teeth. Learning that she's causing damage to her smile might be enough to put an end to the habit. If it doesn't discourage her, you might have to find another solution. Braces themselves won't stop a thumb-sucker. After all, the braces are lined against the teeth while your child is putting her thumb near the top of her mouth while she sucks it. If your child doesn't stop sucking her thumb after the braces are attached, you might want to consider talking to your orthodontist about adding an orthodontic device that was design to curtail thumb-sucking.

Orthodontic Solutions

• Orthodontic devices are available that are designed to disrupt the pleasure that your child gets from sucking her thumb. Most of the devices attach by wires to the rear molars. The device extends behind the front teeth, interfering with the thumb-sucking real estate. An example of this is the Hay Rake. It has sharp spikes that sit just behind the teeth so your child pricks his thumb if he tries to suck it. The palatal crib, or intraoral crib, uses the same premise but has bars. These aids are left in your child's mouth for months until he finds other methods of dealing with stress or anxiety.

Other Solutions

• Peer pressure often ends a child's thumb-sucking habit. Entering school and being teased tends to force kids to find another way to deal with stress and anxiety. If you've been fighting about thumb-sucking for a while, it's possible that your child might be using it as a way to get your attention. Sometimes it's as simple as not mentioning it. If your child can't get a rise out of you by sucking his thumb, he might stop by himself. If that doesn't work, MayoClinic.com recommends positive reinforcement. Reward him with stickers on a calendar when he doesn't suck his thumb. When he collects enough stickers, such as two or three days in a row, reward him with an extra trip to the park or extra stories at bed time.