Dental Health....CROSSBITE

Dental Health….CROSSBITE

Sep 25, 2016 News

By Dr. Neromini Fagu

Last week I spoke about malocclusions. I would like to elaborate some more and discuss a condition call Crossbite. A crossbite is also sometimes referred to as a reverse bite. It is a form of malocclusion where any or all of the upper teeth bite on the inside of the lower teeth. It can occur in the front (anterior) or the sides (posterior) of the mouth.

A crossbite may be caused by a number of factors. If either of your parents has a crossbite, you may inherit it. This is the genetic or hereditary factor. If your jaws are mismatched in size or your lower jaw is larger than your upper jaw you may develop a crossbite.

Children who have retained baby teeth may have their adult teeth erupt behind these teeth leading to a crossbite. Also, the development of large tonsils and adenoids may force a child to mouth breathe. Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose affects proper jaw growth. When we breathe through our nose, our tongue is normally placed at the roof of our mouth and this helps our jaws to grow properly.

Anterior Crossbite

An anterior crossbite is similar to an under bite. It occurs when your upper front teeth fall inside of your lower front teeth when you bite down. It is mainly due to a lack of space for the adult incisors or if the lower jaw is in a more forward position as compared to the upper jaw.

Your orthodontist will conduct a thorough exam to determine the proper course of treatment. For simple cases, springs may be used to realign the upper teeth. In more complicated cases the patient may have to wear a reverse pull headgear or a face mask.

Posterior Crossbite

A posterior crossbite occurs when we bite down and the upper teeth at the side of our mouth fall inside the lower teeth instead of over them. This can occur on one side (unilateral) or both sides (bilateral) of the jaw. It may involve both the molars and premolars.

It may be caused by a combination of dental, skeletal and neuromuscular factors. Pressure due to habits such as finger sucking or pacifier use causes the upper jaw to narrow making it mismatch with the lower jaw.

If the condition is caught at an early age, certain palatal devices could be employed to expand the jaw.

If a crossbite is not corrected, it may lead to other dental problems including:

Early wear of the enamel of teeth which may lead to sensitivity
Mobility of the lower front teeth
Gum disease
Bone loss
Improper chewing patterns
Asymmetrical development of the jaws
Temporomandibular joint issues
Less esthetically pleasing or unattractive smile

A crossbite will not self-correct or resolve on its own. Early correction of the condition is crucial to avoiding problems later. Once skeletal and muscular development has reached adulthood, treatment may require both an orthodontic and surgical approach.

For more information contact OMNI DENTAL at 295 Quamina Street, Georgetown Tel: 227-0025, Parika Tel: 260-3133 or send emails to [email protected].