I saw a patient that I am hoping you can give me some advice about: Female-50 years old. Had a recent family tragedy and now has developed the issues below: TMJ joint degeneration–she is seeing a specialist for this Open anterior & LEFT posterior bite–she is seeing an orthodontist for treatment. My piece of the puzzle is to help her with her LIP SUCKING habit. She does it ALL DAY while awake. I know that getting her tongue to stay on the spot is critical, but she works in an environment that she has to talk throughout the day. She desperately wants to stop this habit & I think it would give her a much better feeling about herself. Plus it will be critical to have success with the other treatments she is receiving. What would you suggest that I do to help her stop this habit?
I would need more information. My gut feeling is that the habit is somehow related to her structural/physical situation. Questions I have are: What is/has caused the TMJ degeneration, clenching/grinding or other? What caused her open bite? Is there another habit or was there one previously that contributed to the open bite? I suspect there was. What are the two “specialists” actually doing or planning to do with her? Are there any appliances being used; if so, when? Is she a class I, II, or III? If you truly rule out all of the above as well as any other possible physical causes, then you have to develop, with her help, a positive reinforcement program of some type, depending upon her schedule, etc. Just be sure that the bite itself or other factors are not setting the stage for lip sucking. Let me know the answers to the above and if it is purely functional in nature, I’ll try to help you develop an elimination program for her. My best, Sandra