Oral Habits & Parafunctional Behaviors Flashcards
7 cards from real CMT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Oral Habits & Parafunctional Behaviors flashcards as text
What is the most common parafunctional oral habit addressed by myofunctional therapists in pediatric patients?
Answer: Digit sucking (thumb sucking)
Digit sucking is the most prevalent parafunctional oral habit in children and is a primary focus of myofunctional therapy intervention.
Up to what age is non-nutritive sucking (thumb or pacifier) generally considered developmentally normal and not requiring intervention?
Answer: 3–4 years
Non-nutritive sucking is considered developmentally normal up to ages 3–4; after this period, persistent habits can significantly affect dental and orofacial development.
Tongue thrust is defined as an abnormal swallowing pattern in which the tongue:
Answer: Presses forward or laterally against or between the teeth during swallowing
Tongue thrust involves forward or lateral tongue pressure against or between the teeth during swallowing, which can cause or perpetuate malocclusion.
Prolonged thumb sucking beyond age 4 is most commonly associated with which dental malocclusion?
Answer: Anterior open bite
Prolonged thumb sucking typically causes an anterior open bite due to the physical pressure of the digit preventing normal vertical eruption of the front teeth.
A retained visceral (infantile) swallow pattern in older children is best characterized by which of the following?
Answer: Tongue pressing against lower incisors with visible mentalis muscle activation
A retained infantile swallow is characterized by the tongue pressing against the lower incisors, often with visible mentalis (chin) muscle activation and lip strain.
Which pacifier nipple shape is generally considered most favorable for orofacial development?
Answer: Flat (orthodontic) nipple
Orthodontic (flat) pacifiers are designed to better accommodate tongue and palate shape, exerting less deforming force on developing dental arches than round nipples.
What is the clinical term for the parafunctional habit of chronically biting or chewing on fingernails?
Answer: Onychophagia
Onychophagia is the clinical term for chronic nail biting, a parafunctional oral habit that myofunctional therapists may address as part of comprehensive treatment.