Tongue Thrusting And Orthodontics

When a patient visits our office for their initial consultation, there are a number of factors we check to determine if orthodontic care is needed. We look at the placement of the teeth and we also check the jaw placement and learn if you suffer from conditions such as TMD, sleep apnea, have a speech impediment or other issues. One issue in particular that we look for is tongue thrusting. Tongue thrusting occurs when the tongue is in an incorrect position during swallowing. It can also be called a reverse swallow or an immature swallow. It is cause for concern because it can reverse the corrections made by orthodontic treatment and move teeth out of alignment.