A 6 year old female child reported with a chief complaint of proclined upper anteriors. Parents give a history of prolonged bottle-feeding and a persistent thumb sucking habit. Clinical examination reveals anterior open bite with proclined upper anterior and retroclined lower anterior teeth and associated tongue thrusting.
The tongue thrust seen in this case is:
Simple Tongue Thrusting
Simple tongue thrusting is also called teeth-together swallow. It is associated with well-circumscribed open bite in the anterior region. During swallowing in this type of tongue thrusting, there is normal contact in the posterior region. Posterior teeth also show good intercuspation. Tongue is placed forward to help anterior lip seal. Hyperactive mentalis activity associated with labioversion
of maxillary incisors will be seen.
Treatment of simple tongue thrusting: If there is excessive labioversion, the teeth has to be retracted first, if it is a case of simple tongue thrusting. Swallowing exercises should be taught along with the appliance to the patients.
Retained infantile swallow
Simple tongue thrust
Complex tongue thrust
Compound tongue thrust