A 17-year case report: Smile-clenching-swallowing exercise treatment to control tongue behavior and posture of anterior open bite

This case report emphasizes the importance of tongue habit control and careful monitoring in the treatment and stability of anterior open bite. An 8-year-old girl sought treatment for a severe open bite. On clinical examination, the patient was diagnosed with a dental open bite with infantile swallowing. Attempts for habit control using tongue crib and spur were unsuccessful, resulting in prolonged treatment and relapse of the open bite. Tongue habits could only be eliminated by the patient actively performing the smile-clenching-swallowing exercise after renewed motivation. The treatment, retention, and retreatment lasted for 12 years and focused on the closure of open bite with mechanotherapy and habit control, and the treatment results were stable even after 5.7 years. Hence, when treating an anterior open bite accompanied by tongue habits, focusing on habit control is essential.