The Habit Corrector (HC). By: Dr. Nishita Ondhia

The Healthy Start Habit Corrector is a soft, removable, silicone appliance worn by children at night to eliminate harmful oral habits like mouth breathing, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and incorrect swallowing.

The key functions of the this functional device are:

• eliminates harmful habits
• encourages proper breathing
• works towards correcting jaw/dental development while guiding jaw growth
• improves sleep quality
• promotes proper tongue posture

This device is often used between the ages of 2-8 and is designed to be worn for a few hours daily; ideally, overnight wear gives the best results.

Patient A:

• thumbsucker
• mouth breather
• crowding, retrognathic mandible
• restless sleep
• tongue thrust swallow with low tongue posture

After 8 months of nightly wear

• no longer sucks his thumb
• no longer mouth breathes, has his lips closed at rest
• lower crowding has been resolved (airway has increased and arch length has been gained)
• mom repots patient is sleeping better, no more tossing and turning
• proper swallow is being initiated, ideally myofunctional therapy is needed to fully correct the swallow

NOTE:

**COMPLIANCE IS KEY

 

**Great option to be proactive if waiting fortonsil and adenoids surgery

**The HC is the fist line of treatment, early interventional orthodontics  is recommended if signs and symptoms of sleep disordered breathing continue to persists

By: Dr. Nishita Ondhia