Habits that involve manipulation of the lips and peri-oral structures are termed as lip habits. These include lip sucking, lip wetting and lip biting.
Mentalis habit vs lip sucking habit
- In mentalis habit, the lower lip is everted and only involves the vermillion border, with its lingual aspect elevated into the mouth.
- In lip sucking, entire lip including the vermillion is pulled into the mouth.
Etiology
- Malocclusion: Angle's Class II Div I with a large overbite and overjet (adaptation to provide oral seal).
- Habits: Lip sucking may occur in conjunction with other habits such as thumb- or digit-sucking (result in a large overbite and overjet situation).
- Emotional stress: Children in stressful situation have an increased salivary output, thus increasing the number of swallows and lip seals required.
Manifestations
Dental Effects
- Retraction of teeth depending on whether upper or lower lip is sucked.
- Protrusion of the maxillary incisors in lower lip sucking.
- Flattening and crowding of lower anterior segment.
Effect on Lips
- Vermillion border becomes hypertrophied and redundant during rest.
- Reddening and chapped area below the vermillion border.
- Flaccid lip due to lengthening caused by frequent habit.
- Accentuated mentolabial sulcus.
- Chronic herpes infection with areas of irritation and cracking of the lip.
Management
Treatment of lip sucking habit should be directed initially towards the etiology of the habit.
Correction of Malocclusion
- Class I with increased overjet
- Class II Div I.
Treating the Primary Habit
- Lip over lip exercises.
- Playing bass instruments.
- Lip bumper or shield.
- Oral screen: Useful in Class I malocclusion, helps to stop the habit and also in the incisal alignment (addition of a small loop to the oral shield improves the lip tonus by helping in lip exercise).
References
- Textbook of Orthodontics (2nd Edition), Gurkeerat Singh, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.
*This article is an excerpt from the above mentioned books and Medical Sutras does not make any ownership or affiliation claims.