The 411 On Crossbites

Cavities and decay, gum disease, and stains are usually priorities when it comes to your child's oral health. However, ensuring their bite is aligned and properly developed should also be of importance. Overbites are the most common issues that affect children's bites, but crossbites are problems that affect an estimated 1 to 16 percent of children before their permanent teeth erupt. While common, most people are not familiar with this type of malocclusion. This guide will help you understand the development and treatment options for your child's crossbite.

What Exactly Is a Crossbite?

Before you can understand a crossbite, you need to understand what a normal bite looks like.

Normally, the upper teeth should rest a little outside the bottom row of teeth at the front, back, and sides.

A crossbite is basically a misalignment of the upper and lower rows of teeth that cause one or more teeth to be positioned either closer to the cheek or tongue, rather than their normal position.

Crossbites affect the look of your child's smile, but this type of bite misalignment can affect other areas, too.

Without proper correction, a crossbite may lead to a lisp when speaking, discomfort in the jaw, and even decay and gum disease, since brushing and flossing misaligned bites is more challenging. Many children also suffer from headaches due to the excess pressure crossbites placed on the jaw.

Treating Your Child's Crossbite

The type of treatment will depend on a few things, mainly your child's age, dental development, and severity of the crossbite. In most cases, your child's dentist will recommend consulting an orthodontist. In addition to applying braces for kids, orthodontists offer many other types of treatment, too.

As a parent, you may feel your child is too young to begin orthodontic care. However, it is important to remember that correcting the crossbite before permanent teeth erupt is smart, since the correction will ensure their permanent teeth come in properly aligned.

Orthodontists may suggest treatment involving a palatal expander first. This appliance is fixed to the top of your child's mouth and connected to teeth on both sides of their jaw. A tool is placed in the expander each day, allowing you to turn the expander. The appliance widens the upper jaw and teeth, which helps the upper and lower set of teeth align normally.

Because the expander can create a small space in between the teeth of the upper jaw, braces may also be recommended to pull the entire smile together in a manner that is aligned and straight.

A crossbite is not a life-threatening medical condition, but this misalignment of your child's bite can affect their appearance and quality of life.

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