A habit is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur unconsciously.

Habits are one of the major etiologic factors which will leads to malformation in dento-facial

structures. Habits are the most frequent cause of these malformations mostly seen in the early

childhood and mixed dentition stages.

Oral habits may be a part of normal development; a symptom with a deep rooted

psychological basis that may be the result of abnormal facial growth. Digit sucking lip and

nail biting, bruxism, mouth breathing, tongue thrusting may be considered as normal habits

seen in children. These habits bring about harmful unbalanced pressures to bear upon the

immature, highly malleable alveolar ridges, the potential changes in position of teeth and

occlusion, which may become decidedly abnormal if these habits are continued for a long

time.

CLASSIFICATION

(1) Acquired oral habits: Include those behaviours which are learned and could be stopped

easily and when the child grows up, he or she can give up that behavior and start another one.5

(2) Compulsive oral habits: Consist of those behaviours which are fixed in child and when

emotional pressures are intolerable for the child, he or she can feel safety with this habit and

preventing the child from these habits make him or her anxious and worried

THUMB SUCKING

CLASSIFICATION

Nikhil Marwah

Normal Thumb Sucking

The thumb sucking habit is considered normal during the first one and half years of life. Such a
habit is usually seen to disappear as the child matures.
Abnormal Thumb Sucking
When thumb sucking habit persists beyond the pre school period then it could be considered as
an abnormal habit. If
the habit is not controlled and treated during this stage, it may cause deleterious effects on the
dentofacial structures.
Psychological
The habit may have a deep-rooted emotional factor involved and may be associated with neglect
and loneliness experienced by the child.
• Habitual: The habit does not have a psychological bearing, however the child performs the act.
• Nutritive sucking habits: Breastfeeding, bottle feeding.
• Non-nutritive sucking habit: Thumb or finger sucking, pacifier sucking.

SUBTELNY
Type A: More common Whole digit is placed inside the mouth with the pad of the thumb pressing over the

palate and thumb contact with max. and man. Anteriors is maintained.

Type B:

Thumb is placed into the oral cavity without touching the vault of the palate and thumb

contact with max. and man

Type C:

Thumb is placed into the mouth just beyond the first joint, contacting the hard palate and

thumb contact is maintained with only maxillary anteriors

Type D:

Little portion of the thumb is placed into the mouth

THEORIES OF THUMB SUCKING

Fredian theory :it is believed that the mouth is the erogenous zone. During this phase
the child takes anything and everything to the oral cavity. It is believed that any kind of
the deprivation of this activity will probably cause
an emotionally insecure individual

strength of the oral drive is in part afunction of how long a child continues to feed by
sucking. It is not the frustration of weaning that produces thumb sucking but in fact it is
the prolonged nursing that causes it.
The rooting reflex is movement of the infant’s head and tongue towards an object
touching its cheeks. He suggested
that thumb sucking arises from the rooting and placing reflexes common to all
mammalian infants during the first 3 months of life.

The process of sucking is a reflex occurring in the oral stage of development and is seen
even at 29 weeks of intrauterine life and may disappear during normal growth between
the ages of 1 to 3½ years. It is the first coordinated muscular activity of the infant. Babies who are
restricted from sucking due to disease or other factors become restless and irritable. This
deprivation may motivate the infant to suck the thumb and finger for additional gratification.

This theory advocates that non-nutritive sucking stems from an adaptive response. The infant
associates sucking with feelings like pleasure and hunger and recalls these events by sucking
the suitable objects available, which is mainly thumb or finger.