What is a Crossbite and How is it Fixed? PART 1
What is a Crossbite?
Normally, your upper teeth overlap on the outside of the lower teeth when you close your jaws together. When you have a crossbite, however, one or more of your upper teeth bite inside of your lower teeth. A crossbite can involve several teeth or a single tooth and it can occur in the front of the mouth, back of the mouth, or both. There are two main types of crossbites:
- Anterior Crossbite: An anterior crossbite, or front crossbite, is when one or more front top teeth sit inside of the front bottom teeth.
- Posterior Crossbite: A posterior crossbite, or back crossbite, is when one or more of the upper teeth in the back or on the side of the mouth sit inside of the lower teeth. A posterior crossbite can develop on one side of the mouth or, occasionally, both sides.
Dr. Krithika M Jayaram- your best orthodontist in Vasanth Nagar, provides specialized expertise in the treatment of crossbite cases.
What Causes a Crossbite?
- Genetics The most common cause of a crossbite in children is genetics, which, unfortunately, means that many crossbites cannot be prevented. Usually, it is a result of a small or narrow upper jaw and/or larger lower jaw, which can be inherited from one or both parents.
- Delayed Loss of Baby Teeth When the baby teeth do not fall out when they are supposed to and the permanent teeth are delayed in erupting, the other teeth may shift to compensate, creating a crossbite.
- Oral and Myofunctional Habits Oral habits like prolonged thumb sucking and pacifier use are another cause of malocclusion. The pressure from the thumb or pacifier can push teeth out of alignment and distort bone, resulting in a narrow palate and crossbite.
- Mouth Breathing Chronic mouth breathing in kids, which often happens at night, can impact jaw and facial development. It may lead to an elongated face and underdeveloped jaw, contributing to a crossbite.
- Cleft Lip or Cleft Palate A cleft lip and cleft palate happen when a baby’s lip or mouth does not properly form when they are in the womb. With a cleft lip, the sides of the lip do not fuse during fetal development, while a cleft palate is when the roof of the mouth, or palate, does not fuse completely, leaving an opening. Children with orofacial clefts are more likely to have dental issues like a crossbite.
Dr. Krithika M Jayaram- your best orthodontist in Cunningham Road, shall guide you in reading your child or your crossbite after carefully examining your case.
Why Does a Crossbite Need to be Treated?
While it depends on the severity and type of crossbite, an untreated crossbite can lead to:
- Excessive wear of the enamel and chipped or cracked teeth, because of the way the teeth come together when you bite down
- Increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease, as misaligned teeth are harder to properly brush and floss
- Gum recession, because certain teeth bear the brunt of the chewing forces. As gums recede, tooth roots are left exposed and vulnerable to decay and infection
- Difficulty biting and chewing
- Difficulty closing the mouth
- The strain on the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and chewing muscles, results in TMJ pain
- Headaches and toothaches
- Speech issues – crossbite can affect speech in children by altering the tongue position and making speech sound distorted
So now you know what is a Crossbite? Dr. Krithika M Jayaram- your best orthodontist in Bangalore will evaluate your diagnostic records and examine them to determine an accurate diagnosis, creating a personalized treatment plan to fix the crossbite and help you or your child achieve optimal oral health and function. Contact us today.
