Modified rurs' elbow guard: An extraoral appliance for the digit sucking habit

Abstract

Digit sucking is the most common oral fixation seen in children. Some situations that stimulate digit sucking are fatigue, boredom, excitement, hunger, fear, physical, and emotional stress. If these habits persist beyond the preschool age when permanent teeth start to erupt, they may be implicated as an important environmental etiological factor associated with the development of malocclusion. This article presents a case report of a 9-year-old female patient with thumb sucking habit since childhood and describes the steps in the fabrication of the modified RURS' elbow guard appliance for more efficient function.