your child's teeth is a clue to their picky eating

Studies have shown that more than 75% of children present with some kind of malocclusion and between 57-59% of children need some kind of orthodontic correction. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a lot of time, money and pain! But, research has proven that the need for orthodontic correction actually is not hereditary or caused by big teeth or small jaws. Research has instead found that the real causes are incorrect myofunctional habits, such as mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, reverse swallowing, and thumb sucking. By addressing these underlying causes, the teeth are able to come in straight - often without braces! As a result, there may be another option to prevent the need for traditional braces: Myobrace®. 

Myobrace® is a preventative pre-orthodontic treatment that focuses on improving incorrect myofunctional habits which can cause crooked teeth and poor jaw development. It consists of a series of removable intraoral appliances that you wear overnight, while you’re sleeping, and for approximately 1-2 hours each day. There is an additional patient education program (Myobrace® Activities) which focuses on a series of breathing, tongue, swallowing, lip and cheek exercises that the child completes twice daily with the Myobrace ® appliance in place. Myobrace® treatment focuses on correcting poor oral habits, developing and aligning the jaws, straightening the teeth, optimizing facial development, improving overall health, and promoting healthy eating habits through four stages.

The first stage focuses on habit correction. This stage focuses on any poor oral habits the child engages in by teaching the child to breathe through their nose, retraining the tongue to correctly rest in the roof of the mouth, swallow correctly, and keep the lips together at rest. 

The second stage focuses on arch development. If needed, an appliance and technique can be used together to widen the upper jaw to allow sufficient space for the teeth and tongue in the mouth. 

The third stage looks at dental alignment. This stage does not occur until the last of the child’s permanent teeth are coming in. The appliance aligns teeth to their natural position. Depending on the child’s individual needs, it is possible that braces may be needed in conjunction with the Myobrace® for Braces for final alignment, although it’s typically for a much shorter period of time.

And finally, the fourth stage is all about retention. This stage ensures that your child continues to use good oral habits, which often prevents the need for a permanent retainer or wire for a long time. As long as the child continues to demonstrate a high level of compliance with the treatment process and engages in good oral habits, Myobrace® treatment leads to more stable orthodontic results. Plus, Myobrace® not only decreases the need for orthodontic correction by addressing incorrect myofunctional habits, but it can support your child’s health too. Myobrace® addresses issues related to airway dysfunction (resulting in better sleep and therefore, better overall daily functioning!) throughout treatment and teaches your child about good dietary habits via the nutrition program.

When can you start Myobrace®? The earlier the better! Myobrace® is best suited for children between the ages of 3 and 15 years old, but it’s important to note that the child must demonstrate compliance throughout the entire process and cannot be started until the child can engage in the exercises provided and is willing to wear the brace overnight and for a portion of the day. Because of this, the optimal range to start treatment is between 6-7 years old. So, what are you waiting for? If you’re interested in additional information about Myobrace®, visit this website: https://myobrace.com/en-us/what-is-myobrace or contact our office.

We evaluate and remediate myofunctional disorders for children and adults. Contact us to work with us directly, and if your child is a picky eater, you can also learn how to work with your child yourself using our proven strategies in our self-paced parent course.