Ayala

This 9 year old had a major thumb-sucking habit. Our first step was to help him stop, which we did through a motivational program. Total success let us move forward with therapy and correct his 80% lips-apart posture, 65% congestion, restless sleep and night drooling. He had an anterior open bite, and his poor tongue rest posture and tongue thrust swallow made it hard for him to take pills. He had areas of pain in his forehead, crown and back of the head, neck, elbows and TMJ. He habitually chewed with his mouth open and washed food down by gulping beverages, contributing to gas and stomach aches. He had poor habits of nail-biting, leaning and shifting his face to one side when upset.

His success is obvious: nice facial changes, bite changes and an end to all symptoms. Through the habituation phase of therapy, aside from some occasional nail-biting sneaking back in, he maintained his success.