Oral Habits & Parafunctional Behaviors Flashcards

Awake (diurnal) bruxism is classified as which type of parafunctional activity?

Answer: Conscious awake parafunctional oral habit

Awake bruxism occurs during waking hours and is classified as a conscious parafunctional oral habit, often linked to emotional stress, concentration, and arousal states.

Which parafunctional oral habit(s) are most consistently associated with causing or maintaining an anterior open bite?

Answer: Tongue thrusting and digit sucking

Both tongue thrusting and digit sucking create persistent anterior pressure that prevents normal vertical eruption of the front teeth, thereby causing or maintaining an anterior open bite.

When assessing the severity and clinical impact of a parafunctional oral habit in a child, which factor is considered most clinically significant?

Answer: The frequency, duration, and intensity of the habit

The frequency, duration, and intensity of a parafunctional habit determine the cumulative magnitude of orofacial forces exerted, making these parameters most clinically significant for assessing developmental impact.

In myofunctional therapy for tongue thrust correction, what is the correct sequence of skill development?

Answer: Nasal breathing establishment → correct tongue rest posture → swallowing retraining

Myofunctional therapy for tongue thrust follows the sequence of establishing nasal breathing first, then correcting resting tongue posture, before retraining the dynamic swallowing pattern.

Object biting (chewing pencils, pens, clothing) is classified under which category of parafunctional habits?

Answer: Biting and chewing parafunctional habits

Object biting is classified under biting and chewing parafunctional habits, a category that also includes onychophagia (nail biting), cheek biting, and lip biting.

Which of the following is NOT a typical orofacial consequence of prolonged digit sucking?

Answer: Class III skeletal relationship

Prolonged digit sucking typically causes anterior open bite, maxillary arch constriction, and proclination of upper incisors, but does NOT typically produce a Class III (mandibular prognathic) skeletal relationship.

In treating parafunctional oral habits in pediatric patients, positive reinforcement is most effective when it is:

Answer: Provided immediately and consistently following the desired behavior

Positive reinforcement is most effective when delivered immediately and consistently after the desired behavior occurs, reinforcing the neural association between behavior and reward according to behavioral learning principles.