How does it work?
ThumbGuard works by eliminating the vacuum that is created when your child tries to suck their thumbs. This vacuum, or suction, is what causes that pleasurable, soothing feeling that children seek when they want to relax. Unfortunately, that suction is also what is responsible for crossbite, malocclusion, and a host of other damaging conditions which develop when the habit is prolonged. You can read about the harmful effects of prolonged thumb sucking, and why children do it, by navigating to our “about thumb sucking” page.
When the child wears a thumbguard, a space, or gap, is present between the thumb and the tube part of the device, allowing air to pass through. Your child tries to suck his thumbs, but instead, will get air, as if they are sucking on a straw. No pain, no mess, no discomfort. More importantly, when there is no suction… there is no pleasure. After only a few days, you will notice the effects of treatment, because your child will forget why they put their thumbs in their mouths in the first place, and consequently, will do it less often. By the end of the treatment, they will not be thumb sucking any longer.
Will it work for my child?
Yes. A clinical study performed in 1995 showed that ThumbGuard was effective in 90% of cases[1]. In the 15 years that we have been supplying Dentists, Pediatricans, and Parents, we have seen that the success rate is even higher: it depends entirely on whether or not the device is used correctly. If the child can be prevented from thumb sucking for 4 weeks, without any lapse in the treatment, they will stop thumb sucking. Furthermore, we have received thousands of glowing testimonials, praising the effectiveness of our product.