HabitAppliances

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Are your patient’s bad habits delaying your treatment time and profits?

Don’t let this tooth-moverinterfere with your treatment plan. Look insideto see how Johns Dentalcan help keep your treatment on schedule.

Retraining andTongue-Thrusting

© Copyright Johns Dental 2007

800/457-0504 • www.johnsdental.com© Copyright Johns Dental 2007

How long should a habitappliance be worn?Most habit appliances should be wornbetween six months and one year toensure the habit has been corrected.

Bluegrass HabitJohns Dental

Galella Habit ApplianceJohns Dental

Retraining Appliances

Galella Habit AppliancePoor swallowing habits can thrustthe tongue forward and create poordental arches. The Galella Habitappliance is effective because itchanges those poor habits. The spinner bead and large

omega loop encourage better posi-tioning of the tongue as well asimprove swallowing patterns. Thesetypes of “retraining” appliances canhelp keep your treatment on time.

Spinner BeadsSpinner beads added to an applianceare another great method to discour-age thumb sucking and retrain thetongue to function correctly.

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Bluegrass Habit ApplianceCreated by Bruce Haskell, DMD,PHD, the Bluegrass Habit appli-ance idea originated in part fromthe equine industry, where a bitwith rollers is used to distract irri-table horses. This appliance wasintended for those children whosethumb sucking habit is affectingthe mixed or permanent dentition.

The Bluegrass appliance hasproven most successful whenused in conjunction with a posi-tive reinforcement program usedto manage thumb sucking habitsamong children aged 7-13.

Patients are instructed to “turnthe roller” instead of sucking theirthumb. The habit normally disap-pears after approximately 8weeks, but the appliance is oftenleft in for up to 6 months toensure there is no habit relapse.

The Bluegrass appliance hasshown little affect during eating orspeech. Johns Dental has beenfabricating the Bluegrass appli-ance since 1994.

A portion of this description was taken from:PEDIATRIC DENTISTRYThe American Academy of Pediatric dentistryVolume 13, Number 2

What do I need to send toJohns Dental Laboratories?Send upper and lower models withappropriate bite along with your signedprescription to Johns DentalLaboratories. Be sure to wrap all modelsin bubble wrap. Call us for current prescriptions and shipping materials. Patient airway evaluationFor best results, your patient should bechecked for any airway obstruction.Here are a few points to consider:• Take lateral cephalometric or custompanorex.• During x-ray, make sure head is tippeddown with teeth in closed normal bite.• Evaluate adenoids and tonsils.• Evaluate patient’s growth direction.• Evaluate the skeletal and dental position• Make sure your patient is not anextreme case of skeletal vertical.

2014

Dr. Chris Baker utilizes a variety ofhabit appliance designs in her prac-tice. She recommends thumb ortongue habits treated at age 7 or 8,since patients older than 8 have ahigher rate of relapse. For all habitappliances, she recommends leav-ing the appliance in one year afterthe habit has been fully corrected.

Baker Habit with tonguebead from Johns Dental

Baker Habit Appliances

Baker Bluegrass habit with large single tonguebead and nance button from Johns Dental

Open Bites

Dr. Baker’s habit with bead, (shownabove), consists of both an anteriorbead and cage and is designed forpatients with a protruding tongue.This is also effective in treating openbite cases.

Dr. Baker Bluegrass Habit can bedesigned a number of ways, butalways consists of a large anteriorbead. These appliances are greatfor deterring thumb sucking andissues involving the tongue. TheBaker Bluegrass shown above consists of a nance button and asingle large anterior bead.

Appliances that fit right the first time!

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Blocking

Appliances that fit right the first time!

Blocking Habit Appliances

Closed-loop habit“3-Prong”

Johns Dental

The Bionator, Ortho Corrector andBioFinisher to Close from JohnsDental will correct most open bitecases. Horizontal tongue loops canalso be added to these active orthoappliances for more severe habitcases.

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Closed-Loop Habit This “blocking” appliance not onlymakes it difficult for a patient tosuck their thumb, it more impor-tantly eliminates a suction barrier.Continual pressure can createairway problems over time.

Lateral FenceJohns Dental

Palatal Distractions

Punitive

Active Ortho

Habit CageJohns Dental

Opened-Prong Habit For more severe non-compliantcases, the habit appliances withsharper edges can be effective.One word of caution, punitiveappliances increase the risk ofpuncturing the tongue and softtissue, which increases the riskof infection. These types of appli-ances can be effective, but weare seeing fewer of them inrecent years.

Doctors also have the option ofadding a “Sweet Spot” to thepalatal arch of many appliancesto keep the tongue distractedwhile you continue with treat-ment.

Bionator to CloseBionator to Open

Bionator to OpenJohns Dental

Many older techniques have beentried through the years, like mittensover the hands and poor-tastingchemicals, but most do not providethe long term success rates that adental professional does. Parentseventually turn to their dentist tohelp solve poor oral habits.

Closed-Loop Removable Habit

Johns Dental can also add a variety of habit-related featuresto many of our removable appli-ances. Removable appliances,however, may require additionalpatient compliance than ourmore popular fixed versions.We’ve added closed loops tothe standard hawley above todiscourage tongue thrusting orthumb sucking.

Lateral-Fence Habit Lateral fences can be added tomany appliances to prevent lateral tongue thrusts, whichcould create a posterior open biteor prevent teeth from eruptingnormally.

Hawley with closed loopsJohns Dental

Hawley with Habit HoleJohns Dental

Hawley with Habit Hole

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Palatal CageThe palatal cage with closedloops offers the same habit-cor-recting benefits as the “palatalcage” with the added feature ofreducing tongue thrusts.

BioFinisherBioFinishers have a long and successful history with Johns Dental.For years this appliance has thecapacity to close the bite as well aserupt teeth. This BioFinisher is shownwith a custom flag design and anoptional expansion screw.

BioFinisherJohns Dental

This removable appliance facilitatesthe opening of the bite. Coffin loopsdoubles as a tool to retrain thetongue.

Bionator to CloseJohns Dental

© Copyright Johns Dental 2007 Revised 2014

800/457-0504www.johnsdental.com

800/457-0504www.johnsdental.com

800/457-0504www.johnsdental.com