Can anyone tell me how this happens? I have only had 1 consult so far but I do remember the ortho mentioning this. I never new I had such a thing how can I stop it? I don't understand how else to shallow can someone explain so I can stop. Is this something my ortho will address during treatment? Is it really possible to learn how to shallow differently? and will fixing my bite and overjet help?
Thanks Sharon
Tongue Thrust
Moderator: bbsadmin
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CanehdianGal
- Posts: 70
- Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:32 am
I have an open bite and my Ortho said in Jan that I'm going to need " Tongue Spurs" to correct it..Sharp nails/pins cemented in the back of my lower bottom front. OUCH!
I keep putting them off, he says in Aug they must come on .
Ps..My pallete is very narrow on top and there was nowhere for my tongue to go other then push forward. I had no idea and have been doing this my whole life I presume.
I keep putting them off, he says in Aug they must come on .
Ps..My pallete is very narrow on top and there was nowhere for my tongue to go other then push forward. I had no idea and have been doing this my whole life I presume.
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MetalMouse
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Mon May 21, 2007 8:42 pm
- Location: Ohio, USA
My ortho from years ago when I was a kid told me I had this. They tried to help me fix it, but I don't remember if I did. My new ortho hasn't mentioned it, so I'm not sure if it's an issue anymore or not.
I remember I had to learn to push my tongue to the roof of my mouth when I swallowed, but I sure didn't have sharp spurs in my mouth! Ouch!
I remember I had to learn to push my tongue to the roof of my mouth when I swallowed, but I sure didn't have sharp spurs in my mouth! Ouch!
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SandraJones
- Posts: 333
- Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:23 am
- Location: Chicago
I'm reviving this thread because I am a thruster ! I won't see the orthodontist for a couple of weeks, at which time my braces will be installed. I will seek her advice then. Until then I'm trying to figure something out ... what is a normal tongue position at rest ????
I have a wide and thick tongue. My upper palate is too narrow, the orthodontist said it will open up into a better arch (maybe not perfect, but better) with braces. With jaw slightly open, if I put my tongue up into the upper area and let it relax, my tongue is poking out underneath all teeth sides and front. When I smile you can usually see my tongue. With jaw closed and tongue at rest, my tongue is pressing against the front teeth. I have a very slight lisp with 's'. Words that start with 'l' are a bit difficult for me, not sure if that's related. I cannot for the life of me roll r's !! I also noticed that in true thruster fashion, I press my tongue against my upper teeth when swallowing. I wasn't so aware of this until the spacers were installed so my teeth are very sensitive to pressure, and every time I swallow I now feel my tongue pressure against the front teeth.
I am willing to try to learn a better tongue position. But I can't figure out exactly where it should be ! I will ask my orthodontist, but I'm so curious now. To any of you who do not have tongue issues, where is your tongue at rest ? Upper or lower ? Resting against a ridge or hanging in mid air ? When you swallow, where is the tip of your tongue ???
I have a wide and thick tongue. My upper palate is too narrow, the orthodontist said it will open up into a better arch (maybe not perfect, but better) with braces. With jaw slightly open, if I put my tongue up into the upper area and let it relax, my tongue is poking out underneath all teeth sides and front. When I smile you can usually see my tongue. With jaw closed and tongue at rest, my tongue is pressing against the front teeth. I have a very slight lisp with 's'. Words that start with 'l' are a bit difficult for me, not sure if that's related. I cannot for the life of me roll r's !! I also noticed that in true thruster fashion, I press my tongue against my upper teeth when swallowing. I wasn't so aware of this until the spacers were installed so my teeth are very sensitive to pressure, and every time I swallow I now feel my tongue pressure against the front teeth.
I am willing to try to learn a better tongue position. But I can't figure out exactly where it should be ! I will ask my orthodontist, but I'm so curious now. To any of you who do not have tongue issues, where is your tongue at rest ? Upper or lower ? Resting against a ridge or hanging in mid air ? When you swallow, where is the tip of your tongue ???
Hi,
my ortho told me my tongue thrust needs to improve if I want my treatment
to be successful. Therefor I saw a speech therapist about 10 times. I had to
do a lot of exercises to try to retrain my tongue. I had issues with the "d", "t"
and "n". I have a major open bite and everytime I spoke those letters, my
tongue was between my teeth. That is not good. It is best when the tongue
does not even touch the teeth. So I learned how to put the tip of my tongue
at the ridge just behind the top teeth. I had a lot of improvement when doing
those exercises. Now I have to try to speak always that way. Swallowing is
the same. The tip must be at this ridge and then, when swallowing, the tongue
has to go backwards. So, also in this case, the tongue should not touch the
teeth.
I think you already did a good diagnosis about where your tongue is. That is
indeed the first step. I would certainly advise to speak about this to your ortho.
Tongue thrust can make an orthodontic treatment fail and can be the cause of
relapse afterwards. The forces a tongue can put on teeth are way bigger than
braces do. So, it is very wise of you to try to tackle this issue now. Good luck !
my ortho told me my tongue thrust needs to improve if I want my treatment
to be successful. Therefor I saw a speech therapist about 10 times. I had to
do a lot of exercises to try to retrain my tongue. I had issues with the "d", "t"
and "n". I have a major open bite and everytime I spoke those letters, my
tongue was between my teeth. That is not good. It is best when the tongue
does not even touch the teeth. So I learned how to put the tip of my tongue
at the ridge just behind the top teeth. I had a lot of improvement when doing
those exercises. Now I have to try to speak always that way. Swallowing is
the same. The tip must be at this ridge and then, when swallowing, the tongue
has to go backwards. So, also in this case, the tongue should not touch the
teeth.
I think you already did a good diagnosis about where your tongue is. That is
indeed the first step. I would certainly advise to speak about this to your ortho.
Tongue thrust can make an orthodontic treatment fail and can be the cause of
relapse afterwards. The forces a tongue can put on teeth are way bigger than
braces do. So, it is very wise of you to try to tackle this issue now. Good luck !
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SandraJones
- Posts: 333
- Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:23 am
- Location: Chicago
Thank you SO much for the info ! I have no doubt my thrusting encouraged my upper arch problems ... front teeth are pushed forward and the arch is collapsed. The lower arch is near perfect.
I'm in my "better" phase of my life ... I can't be perfect, but I can be better. Even if I reduced my thrusting by 50%, my tongue will be pressing on my teeth only 50% of the time, which is a lot lot better than 100% ! So I am trying to be super conscious of it. I wonder if there's something I can wear at night. I will ask the doctor. But in the mean time, your info is super helpful and I will try to keep my tongue tip on the ridge.
I'm in my "better" phase of my life ... I can't be perfect, but I can be better. Even if I reduced my thrusting by 50%, my tongue will be pressing on my teeth only 50% of the time, which is a lot lot better than 100% ! So I am trying to be super conscious of it. I wonder if there's something I can wear at night. I will ask the doctor. But in the mean time, your info is super helpful and I will try to keep my tongue tip on the ridge.
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TexasAggie09
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:39 pm
- Location: College Station, Texas
Hey guys! I'm bringing this topic back up because I talked with my orthodontist about my tongue thrust today at my adjustment.
Towards the end of my first treatment in braces (8-6 years ago), I was told that I had a tongue thrust and needed to train myself not to do it. However, I wasn't really given any tips for how to stop it, and didn't understand the consequences of it!
So now, at 20, I'm back in braces again, due largely to my tongue thrust and crowding. My top arch was V-shaped, my front teeth stuck out and the teeth on either side of the front teeth were pushed back. My ortho (a different one this time, because I moved away for college) told me that there wasn't really much to do about it, especially as an adult, and so I would just have to be really, really diligent about wearing my retainer after the braces come off to counter-act the most powerful muscle in the body! The first time he talked to me, he asked if I had ever been told that I had a tongue thrust, and that he could tell in my speech.
A month ago, my ortho started me in rubber bands, and today took some time to answer my questions about what they were accomplishing (he is such a great doctor!). He said that they were being used in hopes of fixing the overbite caused from the tongue thrust and properly align the teeth, but that it might not work and we would just have to give it a few months to see. We also talked about possibly seeing a speech therapist, and said he count refer me to one if we decided that was the best option. I don't notice my tongue thrust causing any speech problems, but being able to speak well is VERY important to me, for my hopeful future career and such. He hasn't mentioned the possibility of any kind of appliances.
So I guess we will just see what happens in the next few months! I read on the articles that KK posted about what causes a tongue thrust, and I honestly don't know what caused mine. I think I have a kind of small palate, but I also think it might have something to do with the speech impediment I had as a kid- I couldn't say R's properly until I had about 2 years of speech therapy from the ages 8-10. Whatever causes it, I really, really want it fixed so that I won't be in this situation (of braces) again!
Best of luck to all with their tongue thrusts!
Towards the end of my first treatment in braces (8-6 years ago), I was told that I had a tongue thrust and needed to train myself not to do it. However, I wasn't really given any tips for how to stop it, and didn't understand the consequences of it!
So now, at 20, I'm back in braces again, due largely to my tongue thrust and crowding. My top arch was V-shaped, my front teeth stuck out and the teeth on either side of the front teeth were pushed back. My ortho (a different one this time, because I moved away for college) told me that there wasn't really much to do about it, especially as an adult, and so I would just have to be really, really diligent about wearing my retainer after the braces come off to counter-act the most powerful muscle in the body! The first time he talked to me, he asked if I had ever been told that I had a tongue thrust, and that he could tell in my speech.
A month ago, my ortho started me in rubber bands, and today took some time to answer my questions about what they were accomplishing (he is such a great doctor!). He said that they were being used in hopes of fixing the overbite caused from the tongue thrust and properly align the teeth, but that it might not work and we would just have to give it a few months to see. We also talked about possibly seeing a speech therapist, and said he count refer me to one if we decided that was the best option. I don't notice my tongue thrust causing any speech problems, but being able to speak well is VERY important to me, for my hopeful future career and such. He hasn't mentioned the possibility of any kind of appliances.
So I guess we will just see what happens in the next few months! I read on the articles that KK posted about what causes a tongue thrust, and I honestly don't know what caused mine. I think I have a kind of small palate, but I also think it might have something to do with the speech impediment I had as a kid- I couldn't say R's properly until I had about 2 years of speech therapy from the ages 8-10. Whatever causes it, I really, really want it fixed so that I won't be in this situation (of braces) again!
Best of luck to all with their tongue thrusts!
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SandraJones
- Posts: 333
- Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:23 am
- Location: Chicago
I'm glad you revived this topic again because I have a comment to add ....
jt2lang had mentioned upper arch width as a tongue thrust contributing factor, and I think I agree ! During the decades since my teen braces experience, my arch had collapsed into an A-shape and my tongue could not fit into it. After less than 2 months in braces my arch has expanded and rounded out significantly and my tongue fits inside of it ... and my tongue now rarely presses against my front teeth ! I might still be a thruster, but my forward thrust seems to have been replaced by a more upward-into-the-roof-of-my-mouth thrust (which may be considered normal ?).
jt2lang had mentioned upper arch width as a tongue thrust contributing factor, and I think I agree ! During the decades since my teen braces experience, my arch had collapsed into an A-shape and my tongue could not fit into it. After less than 2 months in braces my arch has expanded and rounded out significantly and my tongue fits inside of it ... and my tongue now rarely presses against my front teeth ! I might still be a thruster, but my forward thrust seems to have been replaced by a more upward-into-the-roof-of-my-mouth thrust (which may be considered normal ?).
Nov 1960: born
1973 ?: palate expander
1973-1977: braces
Aug 1981: Le Fort I, posterior impaction to correct anterior open bite and class II malocclusion
Aug 2007: braces again to correct various alignment issues and class II malocclusion
1973 ?: palate expander
1973-1977: braces
Aug 1981: Le Fort I, posterior impaction to correct anterior open bite and class II malocclusion
Aug 2007: braces again to correct various alignment issues and class II malocclusion
I would tend to agree with the fact that if the palate is to small and the tongue has no place to go that it can then thrust forward. I had upper and lower jaw surgery to correct a skeletal open bite. Along with the upper jaw surgery my palate was widened. I did have a tongue thrust before surgery but now that my jaws and teeth are properly aligned and my palate is wider, no more tongue thrust. So orthodontic treatment alone may correct thrusting problems. Good luck 
Tongue thrusting
I recently noticed that I tongue thrust. And well, That has resulted in protruding upper jaw and a receding lower jaw, I believe! I am seriously considering correcting tongue thrusting because I could really feel the pressure on my front jaw teeth. Are tongue thrusters usually mouth breathers?
@ Gary I, like you have been consciously thinking about the way I swallow & where my tongue sits when resting (heaven forbid where it sits when sleeping!!!)
The whole placing the tip of your tongue on the ridge of your pallate and then swallowing feels like I'm trying to swallow horrible cough syrup or something. However I can definately feel the difference in that my lips and face seems more relaxed if I do it the 'proper' way.
As for the resting position, it seems as though the tip of your tongue is more relaxed if it gently rests on the roof of your mouth then when it rests at the bottom of your mouth. (I don't know if this is the whole reason behind why the tongue is supposed to rest at the roof of your mouth) In saying that however it feels sometimes that my tongue only slightly touches the roof of my mouth and feels more like it's resting in the middle of my mouth.
I was talking to a lady at work today who seemed to think that once my teeth fall back into a more reasonable allignment, then the swallowing should also change. Here's hoping.
The whole placing the tip of your tongue on the ridge of your pallate and then swallowing feels like I'm trying to swallow horrible cough syrup or something. However I can definately feel the difference in that my lips and face seems more relaxed if I do it the 'proper' way.
As for the resting position, it seems as though the tip of your tongue is more relaxed if it gently rests on the roof of your mouth then when it rests at the bottom of your mouth. (I don't know if this is the whole reason behind why the tongue is supposed to rest at the roof of your mouth) In saying that however it feels sometimes that my tongue only slightly touches the roof of my mouth and feels more like it's resting in the middle of my mouth.
I was talking to a lady at work today who seemed to think that once my teeth fall back into a more reasonable allignment, then the swallowing should also change. Here's hoping.
8/Jan/10 Wired up, but no place to go
4/May/10 Full upper & lower brackets put on
4/May/10 Full upper & lower brackets put on
See again, I don't find this in the least bit. I feel like I am forcefully pushing my tongue up towards my roof if I try to keep it there. There is absolutely no relaxed feeling whatsoever. Very frustrating. Maybe I'll talk to a speech therapist. I'll see what my ortho says at my first adjustment....nuttynat wrote:As for the resting position, it seems as though the tip of your tongue is more relaxed if it gently rests on the roof of your mouth then when it rests at the bottom of your mouth. (I don't know if this is the whole reason behind why the tongue is supposed to rest at the roof of your mouth)
So I had my first adjustment today and told the doctor that I am pretty sure I have been tongue thrusting all of my life. I showed him how I used to swallow (before recently trying to correct it myself) and he said yeah that is not the proper way to swallow. However he told me that I exhibit none of the effects of tongue thrust (open bite, flared out top teeth). My bite problem has to do with my bottoms being too far forward (I bite tip to tip currently). He said there is no need to see a speech therapist at this point as long as I continue to swallow correctly. I also asked him about how my tongue is supposed to rest when I am at rest. He said consciously pushing my tongue against the roof of my mouth is kind of ridiculous, being that that is not "at rest". I asked him if my tongue resting on the bottom of my mouth is fine and he said yes because there is no force going on, it is just sitting there. So that's where I am at, I just needed to vocalize it. Or type it, whatever......