Most people are familiar with overbites or underbites, two of the most common orthodontic issues. But you may not have heard of a crossbite. They’re common, too, and they can cause all kinds of dental issues, from improper chewing to jaw pain to excessive tooth wear.
We treat crossbites often, and we know how important it is to fix them as soon as possible, so it doesn’t cause more problems later. To show you what we do for crossbite treatment, we have three case studies of patients who came to us needing to fix their orthodontic problems. You’ll see crossbite before and after photos, and we’ll tell you how we correct them. We helped these patients, and we can help you, too!
A crossbite is when one or more of your lower teeth sit outside or underneath your upper teeth rather than just inside them. There are two types of crossbites, anterior and posterior.
An anterior crossbite means the front lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth. When this happens with the back teeth, it’s called a posterior crossbite. You can have one or the other or even both simultaneously.
You might think having one isn’t all that bad. After all, you’ve lived with it up until now, right? The truth is that they can cause damage over time, and repairing that damage later could be more costly than repairing it now. It can also be far less painful because the issues a crossbite can cause could create a lot of discomfort.
They can cause toothaches, excessive tooth wear, jaw pain, and even sleep apnea. They can also cause headaches, speech issues, and problems with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), where your lower jaw connects to your upper jaw.
Many of these issues are caused by excessive stress being put on your teeth, jaws, and joints because of your teeth being misaligned. Our teeth are designed to connect in a certain way, and when they don’t line up, problems like these can arise.
What do they look like, and how can we help fix them? Let’s look at three patients who came to us with this issue and what we did to help them.
Patient “GP” wanted to improve her smile because she never liked that her teeth didn’t touch in the front. She had a complex case with several co-occurring dental issues, including a posterior crossbite, open bite, and severe tooth crowding.
To correct her crossbite and other issues, we recommended an expander and myofunctional therapy before beginning braces. The expander widened her palate and upper jaw and gave her teeth more room to move to their proper places. The myofunctional therapy stopped her tongue thrusting, which had been pushing her teeth forward and had caused an open bite.
After six months with the expander and myofunctional therapy, GP started braces treatment. In just 14 months, we finished correcting her crossbite and straightening her crowded teeth.
GP left with a beautiful, straight smile that she’s proud to show off!
Patient “KD” told us she never thought her bite felt right. During her free consultation, we discovered a crossbite and misaligned lower jaw, likely caused by the crossbite.
KD only needed the expander for about three months, and then she was ready for braces. With just 15 months of braces treatment, we could straighten her teeth, repair her crossbite and fix the shift in her jaw. By the end, her bite finally felt normal, and she left us with an amazing smile!
Patient ZC had multiple dental problems she needed to fix. She never liked her posterior crossbite, but she also had an underbite that needed repair. In other words, her front lower teeth were situated in front of her upper teeth rather than just behind them.
As is often the case, ZC’s posterior crossbite was due in part to a narrow palate (roof of the mouth). We needed to expand her upper jaw to repair the crossbite and make room for the other teeth to be realigned properly. ZC spent nine months with an expander, which gave us the room we needed to repair her smile properly.
After 18 months in braces, ZC had the beautiful straight teeth she had always wanted. She loves her new smile!
Do you have a crossbite that you need to have corrected? Do you live in the Dallas, TX, or Rockwall, TX, areas? We can help correct your crossbite just as we did theirs! Start with a virtual consultation, or call for a complimentary evaluation to discuss your treatment options. You can have a beautiful new smile just as GP, KD, and ZC have! Let Woodhill Dental Specialties help you get a smile you’ll love!
This site’s strategy, design, photo & video were created by the marginally-above-average folks @ Clear Partnering Group.
