Many children who continue to use a pacifier or have a finger or thumb habit past the age of 4 years old are more likely to experience obstruction of normal palatal and anterior tooth development. These children are prone to a buck-tooth appearance which can affect the eruption patterns of their permanent teeth as well. Some children with this habit may also have an “open bite” which occurs when the upper front teeth are flared outwards and do not touch the bottom teeth when biting down. Pacifiers and thumb habits should be stopped by age 4 to avoid problems with permanent teeth development. Your children’s dentist can provide you with suggestions to help stop this habit. To read more about this topic, follow our blog by clicking the link below.