At Fresh Pediatric Dentistry, we understand that habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking, and prolonged pacifier use can affect your child’s developing smile. Our gentle, proactive approach to oral habit correction in Montclair, NJ, helps protect your child’s teeth, jaw alignment, and speech development.
While many oral habits are normal in infancy, they can become problematic if they persist as your child grows. Prolonged thumb or finger sucking can cause the front teeth to push forward or interfere with proper jaw growth. Similarly, tongue thrusting may affect speech and lead to open bites.
Seeking help early allows for simple habit correction without the need for complex orthodontics later. Our team uses a kind, understanding approach to empower kids to overcome habits with confidence—without stress or shame.
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Kids can usually start brushing their teeth on their own around the age of 5-6, or whenever they can tie their shoes on their own.
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At Fresh Pediatric Dentistry, we take a supportive and educational approach to helping children break unwanted oral habits. Our team builds trust with your child to explore why the habit exists, offering custom solutions such as positive reinforcement, habit appliances, and myofunctional exercises.
We understand that every child is different. That’s why we work closely with families to track progress, offer encouragement, and celebrate success—helping your child achieve a healthier, more confident smile without pressure.
Supportive habit correction without shame or fear.
Behavioral plans and appliances as needed.
Focused on long-term speech and bite health.
We work with you every step of the way.
See real patient success stories.
Breaking harmful oral habits allows teeth and jaws to grow naturally, reducing the risk of open bites, overbites, or narrow palates.
Tongue and lip habits can affect how a child speaks or swallows. Habit correction supports normal muscle function and speech clarity.
Early intervention may eliminate or reduce the need for future orthodontic treatment, helping save time, money, and complexity down the line.
We assess the type, severity, and frequency of the oral habit, as well as how it’s affecting your child’s teeth, jaw, or speech.
We create a custom plan that may include coaching, positive reinforcement, or a gentle appliance to discourage the behavior.
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We follow up regularly to monitor success, adjust the plan as needed, and cheer your child on as they build healthier habits.
If it continues beyond age 3–4, it may begin affecting oral development. Earlier intervention is easier and more effective.
It’s a swallowing pattern where the tongue pushes forward against the teeth, often leading to bite and speech issues.
Only in some cases. We always start with behavioral techniques first before recommending any appliance.
Yes. Persistent habits like tongue thrusting or lip sucking can contribute to lisping, delayed speech, or swallowing challenges.
Not at all. We make it a positive experience focused on encouragement, growth, and fun progress tracking.
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