A tongue thrust is when the tongue pushes forward into the front teeth when a patient swallows. The human tongue is the strongest muscle in the body and teeth move when pushed or pulled. That's why orthodontics works.

          A tongue thrust can be so bad that it pushes the upper and lower teeth apart. A tongue thrust can cause an anterior open bite. The tongue thrust does not have to be straight forward, it can be to one side of the other. Sometime the tongue thrust can be to the lateral sides and prevent the back teeth from touching.

          The tongue is used for speech and a patient with a tongue thrust can have problems making some sounds. Because the tongue is not working well, a patient may not be able to swallow correctly and may have difficulty swallowing pills. Patients with a tongue thrust often have TMJ headaches and breathing problems.

          When a dentist attempts to close an open bite, the tongue will eventually open it back up. The tongue exerts much more pressure on the back of a patient's teeth that any orthodontic wire. It is best to retrain the tongue using tongue exercises and cleats behind the teeth before completing a patient's orthodontic treatment. The cleats bond to the back of the patient's front teeth and help the patient remember to not swallow with the tongue forced forward.

          Many patients that have a tongue thrust are mouth breathers and have nasal allergies that block their noses. The tongue has learned to stay low sort of like a dog's tongue while the patient uses the mouth to breath. Tongue thrusting is often only a part of a number of problems such as a mouth breathing, a forward head posture ( chicken neck ), neck problems and headaches.

          If you have a tongue thrust and would like to consult with Dr. Padolsky, please make an appointment by calling 404-874-7428