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Executive | Lab Tech Talk
Habit Tongue Crib

Thumb Habit Appliance

Category:

Appliance Purpose / Function:

The Tongue habit appliance is designed serve as a reminder to help end tongue thrust habit. The appliance protrudes too or at least 2mm below the incisal edge of the lower arch to presents a barrier between the anterior teeth and tongue prevent the patient forward thrust of the tongue on the teeth or in that area. It consists of a base bent to an ideal lingual arch wire with a crib attached to it.
Attention: In order to achieve proper function of this appliance a lower model is required for manufacturing

 

Appliance Components:

  • Bands on the 1st permanent molars
  • .040 base arch extending mesial to the middle third of the cuspids
  • Habit crib soldered to the main lingual arch wire that is soldered to the bands

Suggested Materials:

  • Wire: Chromium Cobalt wire or Stainless-Steel
  • Solder: Silver Solder (Cadmium Free)

Options:

  • Laser welding (no solder)
  • Appliance may be made more aggressive for more persistent habits

 

Appliance Fabrication Standards:

  • The base arch slightly on the tissue
  • The base arch touches all the posterior teeth
  • The wire placed at the top 1/3 of the band and laying against the band for 4 to 5mm
  • The vertical arch 1 to 2mm above the height of the cuspids
  • Crib wire is adapted close to the tissue in the rugae portion of the palate
  • If you have no lower arch, the base wire extends no further than the mesial 1/3 of the cuspids If you have a lower arch, the crib will be as far forward as possible

Appliance Notes:

If the habit persists, it may be helpful to determine whether the habit is a simple habit or a mechanism to help the child cope with stressful events happening in his or her life.