Being able to take away pacifiers may work in theory, but many parents of prolonged pacifier users have a hard time simply taking them away.
Some experts also argue that 'orthodontic' pacifiers are less likely to cause dental problems, however the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry states that "thumb, finger and pacifier sucking all affect the teeth essentially the same way."
Also, using a pacifier is no guarantee that your child won't become a thumb sucker. Rosemarie Van Norman, in her book 'Helping the Thumb-Sucking Child,' found that 34% of prolonged thumb suckers "began habitual sucking behavior on a pacifier."
I have always had some concern that parents who constantly put a pacifier, which is often clipped to their shirt, in their child's mouth every time they cry, actually contribute to prolonged pacifier habits.
Many experts do report that thumb sucking habits are harder to break and thumb suckers are more likely to develop prolonged habits.
Most importantly, the new SIDS recommendations have just been about pacifier use. There haven't been any studies to show that finger and thumb sucking offers the same benefit in reducing the risk of SIDS, which would be a big reason to prefer pacifier use.
And the fact that thumb sucking and pacifier use can turn into prolonged habits, sometimes into first grade or beyond, may lead you to think that you should avoid both, but remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics does recommend that you 'consider offering a pacifier at nap time and bedtime' to reduce your infant's risk of SIDS.
And keep in mind that the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry states that sucking on fingers, thumbs, and pacifiers, "is completely normal for babies and young children" and that most children stop before and "no harm is done to their teeth or jaws."
So remember that using a pacifier, or finger/thumb sucking if that is what your baby prefers, is normal in a baby's first year and the majority of kids give it up easily. The 'problem' isn't really thumb sucking or using a pacifier, it is when they become prolonged sucking habits.
