Clinical signs of a patient who has a tongue thrust habit. This patient consulted with our orthodontist about the increasing gaps between her front teeth. The photos on the left show the patient’s tongue at rest (incorrectly against her front teeth) while in the comparable photos on the right the patient was asked to retract her tongue. Treatment must account for the tongue thrust or it will fail.

This patient used her porcelain veneers to open her bobby pins. Don’t use your teeth to open a bobby pin. It can break your teeth, bonding or porcelain veneers. Try to avoid this common habit.

Recurring mucocele associated with a lip biting habit. The first photo shows the initial mucocele that was completely removed surgically by an Oral Surgeon. The biopsy confirmed that it was a mucocele. The second photo was taken 18 months later when the patient returned with another mucocele in the same location. This was also surgically excised and a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. The lower two photos show before and after incisal adjustment focusing mostly on the sharp lower canine teeth.

Oral surgery excision and biopsy of a soft tissue lesion that developed after cheek biting. How to pictures. The oral pathology diagnosis was minor salivary gland lobules exhibiting focal, chronic sialadenitis. 1) Extra oral photo. 2) & 3) Enucleating the lesion. 4) The excised soft tissue lesion. 5) Sutures placed. 6) One week later.

An eyeglass biting habit caused dramatic tooth movement. The patient was not aware of it. The diagnosis was made while listening to the patient and noticing that she held her eyeglasses while speaking and seemed to want to put them between her teeth. When she was encouraged to follow through with her arm motion the biting location exactly matched where her teeth moved.
The lower left photo shows her temporary crowns and the lower right photo shows her final crowns. Much more dentistry is still needed. The patient was taught how to stop biting her eyeglasses.

Parafunctional oral habits like bruxism teeth grinding clenching can cause serious damage to the teeth. Dental Reconstruction of a phobic Wall Street executive. Total treatment time was about nine hours in two visits during one business week: Monday (four hours) and Friday (five hours). This patient hid his dental condition for over a decade by never smiling.

In the first row of photos, note that the bite was over-closed due to a prior history of an eating disorder, now controlled, and a current tooth grinding habit.

An Oral Surgery consultation with panoramic x-ray (second row) was performed prior to treatment to evaluate opening the bite.

The third row shows x-rays taken after the Endodontist completed eight root canals on the first day on tooth #’s: 6 – 11 and 14, 15.

The fourth row shows the lab-processed 11 unit (11 tooth) temporary bridge and the cast gold post/cores (with Kaitlyn loops) for the root canal treated teeth.

The fifth row shows the cast gold post/cores cemented.

The sixth row shows the lab-processed temporary bridge in place after the surgeon extracted tooth #’s: 3 – 5 and 12, crown lengthening gum surgery was performed on tooth #’s: 6 – 11, and a distal wedge was performed on #15.

The patient will have a final porcelain-metal bridge made after the gums heal. Implants may also be placed in the upper right posterior. A bite plate is also necessary to try to mitigate the force of tooth grinding. Referral for pharmacological management of anxiety is also worthwhile.

Fixed orthodontics teeth braces used to retract severe labial inclination – teeth pushed outward towards the lips – in a patient who had a significant tongue thrust and thumb sucking habit. 1) & 2) Pre-operative pictures. Note the upper and lower central incisor teeth. 3) & 4) Following six months of braces treatment. Again, note the upper and lower central incisors.

Fixed orthodontics teeth braces used to retract severe labial inclination – teeth pushed outward towards the lips – in a patient who had a significant tongue thrust and thumb sucking habit.

Braces move teeth through bone like moving a basketball pole through wet cement using anchorage and elastics. Note the three teeth connected with wire are being used as an anchorage unit while one tooth is being pulled by the elastic band.

Oral habits, like lip biting, should be diagnosed and eliminated before initiating orthodontics or cosmetic dentistry.

Lip biting is one of many oral habits that are seen in dentistry. Other habits include: teeth grinding clenching or bruxism, tongue finger or thumb sucking, a tongue thrust and cheek or nail biting.

A nail biting habit associated with the creation of a tooth gap space between the upper front teeth. Placing a tiny amount of clear tape on fingernails can help break this subconscious habit.

Oral mouth habits can cause tooth movement. A nail biting habit causing dental protrusion – pushing out – of the upper front teeth.

A nail biting or thumb sucking – or finger sucking – habit can cause dental protrusion – pushing out – of the upper front teeth. This patient came to our office seeking help with a tooth that was moving outward but she did not understand why. Her thumb kept going to the same exact spot on the tooth in question whenever she began thinking.

A tongue crib in place to stop a tongue thrust habit in an adolescent male. Note the anterior open bite and the labial displacement of the upper central incisor #8. The tongue crib is custom made and cemented onto the upper first molars.

A cheek biting habit associated with orthodontic brackets used in teeth braces.

Cheek biting is one of many oral habits that are seen in dentistry. Other habits include: teeth grinding clenching or bruxism, tongue finger or thumb sucking, a tongue thrust and lip or nail biting.