tongue thrust treatment

[worried mom56]

My teen daughter had a device that looks like a spiked fence "installed" along with her braces four days ago. This device, which is used to correct tongue thrust, is very painful and has caused blisters, swelling, bruising, and loss of sensation on her tongue--not to mention that my daughter is able to eat only very soft foods--actually she's been living on mostly a liquid diet of smoothies. It is now also hitting her top teeth (since the braces are "doing their job" and moving her teeth). We want this device removed ASAP. A family member's dentist said that it needs to be drilled off. (It is glued to the metal "anchors" on her teeth that hold her braces). We called the orthodontist's office twice and after my daughter demanded that something be done to ease her pain, the dental assistant said that she would remove it on the next business day (the orthodontist is out of town). I am wondering if drilling is the only way that this appliance can be removed. I also question if a dental assistant can legally use a dental drill--especially since there won't be a dentist present. Does anyone have any experience or info on how this device is/can be removed?

[DrJasonKTam]

The appliance is designed to create all of these issues. It takes some time for the child's tongue to retrain itself to stop thrusting forward. When that behaviour stops, the issues will all go away. We often have parents who ask to have appliances removed within a day or two of being placed. They swear their children cannot eat, have headaches, pain, etc but after being told this is normal, we follow-up in a week or so, and there are no longer any issues.

Prior to the installation of the appliance, the doctor should have shown you what it looked like and what some of the sequelae would be. It is definitely not a kind looking appliance, but it definitely works.

I'd advise letting your daughter "tough it out" for a while longer, even though it is hard as a parent to watch your child in discomfort.

The use of dental drills is going to depend on your jurisdiction and the removal of the appliance is going to depend on the exact design and how it was installed.

Good luck!

[Crazy4Snow]

As much as it pains me to say it I'd have to agree with the above post. After all, kids AND adults have to go through the blisters, canker sores, sore painful teeth, headaches, food deprivation etc. just from wearing braces, we do what we have to do.

I've seen what a mouth looks like from untreated tongue thrusting and even if it were my child I would continue with treatment. Once she re-trains her tongue she'll be a lot better off and have a beautiful smile. It's worth it, it's tough at first but worth it in the long run. Just google image "tongue thrusting" and seeing those jacked up mouths should be enough to change your mind. I know it's tough having your child in pain, knowing she has to go through it since it's best for her, it makes you feel powerless, but you have to think long term. There's many things I did to ensure my child's future, not all of them were pleasant, think of this as "one of those times" that we as parents have to make tough decisions to help our kids.

Good luck.

[peckabel]

Are there other alternatives to treat tongue thrust? I do remember my dentist saying I have it on my first consult but so much was said to me that day I dont really remember the specifics. I vaguely remember him saying he is not sure if its because of my narrow palate and open bite or if this actually caused my open bite, he said its hard to tell what came first.

[dezlorelle]

I'm an adult with braces and I had no idea I had a tongue thrusting problem. But a few months into my treatment, I was advised I would need to re learn how to swallow. Even as an adult it is difficult to train yourself to do something different that you never had to consciously think of how to do. I too have the spikes on the back of my teeth and I remember how painful and irritating they were, but I stuck it out, and 20 months later I think i've finally re trained my tongue. However, the spikes will be there until I get my braces removed. I've learned to live with them, and at some point, the issues did go away. Once you figure out that you shouldn't stick your tongue on them to swallow, the issues go away.

Try to get her to stick it out. If she wears braces and never fixes her tongue thrusting, the teeth will go back to where they were before the braces. And what's the point in that?

[carolyndowdy]

[quote="dezlorelle"]I'm an adult with braces and I had no idea I had a tongue thrusting problem. But a few months into my treatment, I was advised I would need to re learn how to swallow. Even as an adult it is difficult to train yourself to do something different that you never had to consciously think of how to do. I too have the spikes on the back of my teeth and I remember how painful and irritating they were, but I stuck it out, and 20 months later I think i've finally re trained my tongue. However, the spikes will be there until I get my braces removed. I've learned to live with them, and at some point, the issues did go away. Once you figure out that you shouldn't stick your tongue on them to swallow, the issues go away.

Try to get her to stick it out. If she wears braces and never fixes her tongue thrusting, the teeth will go back to where they were before the braces. And what's the point in that?[/quote]

I have only had the spikes in for one day. I too am an adult and I am not sure I can stick with this. I can't seem to find a place in my mouth to put my tongue to swallow and not feel the spikes.

[klobird]

I thought I read somewhere about a fairly new device that has some kind of roller ball, so that when you go to tongue thrust your tongue just rolls off it and you can't tongue thrust--something like that. Anyway, I found it when looking online about tongue thrusting--maybe you might want to see if you can locate that info....just a thought...

[klobird]

OK--so I looked it up--it's called a Bluegrass appliance--it's for thumb sucking and tongue thrust--I would sure take the Bluegrass over spikes!!!

[dezlorelle]

Carolyn- I had a rough time with the spikes at first too. You really do have to make an effort to stick your tongue on the roof of your mouth to swallow. You will still slightly touch the spikes but it shouldn't hurt. If you attempt to swallow the wrong way and touch your tongue to the back of your teeth it will definitely hurt.

I am 5 months out of braces of which I wore spikes for almost two and a half years. I don't have to think about swallowing or make an effort to do it right. After all that time in spikes, I've got it down. So stick with it even if you think you can't. You have to retrain yourself while still in braces so you don't do any damage to the teeth once they are off.

[cavomington]

Ouch, these things look evil but effective. Hopefully I won't need one. The bottom version of the appliance looks much worse than the top version.

[carolyndowdy]

[quote="dezlorelle"]Carolyn- I had a rough time with the spikes at first too. You really do have to make an effort to stick your tongue on the roof of your mouth to swallow. You will still slightly touch the spikes but it shouldn't hurt. If you attempt to swallow the wrong way and touch your tongue to the back of your teeth it will definitely hurt.

I am 5 months out of braces of which I wore spikes for almost two and a half years. I don't have to think about swallowing or make an effort to do it right. After all that time in spikes, I've got it down. So stick with it even if you think you can't. You have to retrain yourself while still in braces so you don't do any damage to the teeth once they are off.[/quote]


Thank you Dez for the support. One side of my tongue is so sore that I am wearing wax on one of the spikes. I am just confused why it hurts so bad when i am swallowing with my tongue at the roof of my mouth. The bottom of my tongue still touches on the right side.

[ESR]

I realize no one has posted in here for nearly 5 years, but I had never heard of this issue until yesterday. I'm a 40-something in the US. I had braces as a teen for 3 years, but now my teeth are jacked up again. During my ortho consult yesterday, she said I have tongue thrust and they could apply "cleats" and that within six months, my tongue would be retrained. She also said it isn't painful. Reading this thread, I'm not so sure. Has anyone had the Bluegrass appliance instead? If so, did it work? I definitely plan to ask her about it. She said sometimes the cleats are permanently left in, and sometimes they're removed. She also recommended six months of Invisalign, but that would have to wait until my tongue thrust has been treated. Thoughts?