It is the incorrect positioning of the tongue during swallowing. In these cases the tongue is usually located between the incisors (front teeth) contacting the lower lip; When swallowing there is a forward movement of the tongue with the jaw open. At rest, the tongue is placed between the teeth without closing the mouth completely. It usually causes a bad position of the teeth and causes the displacement of the upper/lower incisors towards the outside or inside. It also causes open front or side bites, also affecting canines and premolars. In this way, people with a atypical swallowing They will have an open bite in the area where they place their tongue between their teeth (in that area the upper teeth will not come into contact with the lower teeth). It may be the cause of some other problem that has created an open bite (lack of contact between upper and lower parts), such as thumb sucking. It is often accompanied by mouth breathing.
It is important to know that if you do not learn and do correct swallowing, you will not be able to solve the malocclusion because it will be a struggle between the force of orthodontics to close the bite and the force of the tongue placed between the teeth that prevents it. We will need multidisciplinary treatment: orthodontic and speech therapy.