TGuard is the brand name for a
medical device
A medical device is any device intended to be used for medical purposes. Significant potential for hazards are inherent when using a device for medical purposes and thus medical devices must be proved safe and effective with reasonable assura ...
used to stop chronic
thumb sucking
Thumb sucking is a behavior found in humans, chimpanzees, captive ring-tailed lemurs, and other primates.Benjamin, Lorna S.: "The Beginning of Thumbsucking." ''Child Development'', Vol. 38, No. 4 (Dec., 1967), pp. 1065–1078. It usually involv ...
among children and young adults. It is manufactured in the USA by MED et al., Inc. Referred to commonly by dentists as a ThumbGuard, the company claims that it is the most effective removable appliance therapy used to stop and prevent thumb sucking.
Theory of operation
The device works by breaking the
suction which is present during
thumb sucking
Thumb sucking is a behavior found in humans, chimpanzees, captive ring-tailed lemurs, and other primates.Benjamin, Lorna S.: "The Beginning of Thumbsucking." ''Child Development'', Vol. 38, No. 4 (Dec., 1967), pp. 1065–1078. It usually involv ...
. This suction causes not only damage
["Damage to the primary dentition resulting from thumb and finger (digit) sucking” In: ''Journal of Dentistry for Children.'' Nov-Dec 1996] to the teeth and jaws, but also is responsible for the pleasure that the child seeks when engaging in the
habit
A habit (or wont as a humorous and formal term) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously. . By breaking the suction, the child ceases to receive pleasure, and thus, after 3 to 4 weeks of continuous use, stops thumb sucking altogether. The product is made out of a soft, flexible, U.S.
Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...
(FDA)-listed plastic, and thus, is not designed to guard the thumb, but rather, to provide a means for air to flow which can then interrupt the habit.
Effectiveness
A research trial conducted in 1995 demonstrated a 90% success rate among children.
["Unique Thumb with Lock Band to Deter Child from ThumbSucking” In: ''Clinical Research Associates Newsletter.''Volume 19, Issue 6, June 1995] Since then, the company has claimed success rates higher than this, through data collected empirically from users of the product.
Alternatives
The
American Dental Association, or ADA, does not endorse painting
bitterant
A bitterant (or bittering agent) is a chemical that is added to a product to make it smell or taste bitter. Bitterants are commonly used as aversive agents to discourage the inhalation or ingestion of toxic substances.
Examples of use
*The add ...
s, piquants, or otherwise unpleasant substances on children's nails to inhibit the habit. Fixed intra-oral devices, such as hay-rakes, fixed habit appliances, or the bluegrass method, are dental appliances which are physically attached to the child's dentition and used to disrupt the habit.
[{{Cite web , url=http://wikisites.mcgill.ca/Dentalpedia/index.php/Habit_Appliances , title=Habit Appliances - Dentalpedia , access-date=2013-02-05 , archive-date=2016-03-14 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314200045/https://wikisites.mcgill.ca/Dentalpedia/index.php/Habit_Appliances , url-status=dead ]
References
Medical equipment