All orthodontists have experienced the frustration of taking a young patient through treatment, developing a beautiful, straight smile…and then having the aligned teeth become mis-aligned due to tongue thrusting issues.

Extremely common in young children, tongue thrusting is, in fact, the reason so many kids end up at your office in the first place. As an orthodontist, you’ll want to search for indicators of tongue thrusting in all patients before starting treatment. Early detection makes alternative or combined treatment possible…and can significantly mitigate straight-smile frustration.

The two most popular forms of tongue thrusting treatment are MyoFunctional Therapy or use of an oral appliance. If the child is not responsive to the MyoFunctional Therapy, an oral appliance may be the way to go. Contact SML today for more on the advantages and effectiveness of appliance therapy – and for a lab near you.