What is a cross bite?

When the teeth come together in a normal bite, the upper teeth are a little outside to the lower teeth at the front and back of your mouth. But when the two rows of teeth don’t meet correctly as shown in the image, it is referred to as a cross bite and should be corrected as soon as possible.

When the bite is misaligned there is a risk that your teeth will wear badly and it will be difficult for you to clean them well. This may lead to tooth decay, gum disease and stress on the jaw joint and muscles, which causes headaches and joint, neck, shoulder and back pain.

If the condition persists in a growing child it can lead to the face growing asymmetrically. Causing the child to endure teasing at school and suffer from low self-esteem.

Treatment for the cross bite.

The best time to correct a misaligned bite is when the teeth are growing, but there are treatment options available to adults as well. Since the most common reason for the cross bite is a narrow upper jaw, to solve the condition we will need to guide the teeth to their correct relationship with orthodontic appliances. Here are some examples:

• Palatal or maxillary expander: Is an orthodontic device that is placed on the upper teeth that gradually widens the upper jaw.
• Removable expander: A device that can be worn at night to widen the upper palate when only minimal expansion is needed.
• Surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion: A surgeon conducts a surgical procedure to intentionally break the upper jaw bone to allow a custom-made device to widen the upper jaw.
• Braces: As a treatment by itself or after palatal expansion, braces straighten and fix the upper and lower teeth to achieve an aligned bite.

If you or your child have  misaligned teeth it is important to have the condition examined as soon as possible.  Left untreated the wrong bite can lead to severe wear of the teeth, problems with the jaw joint, gum disease and decay. If you would like more information about the right position of the teeth , please ask Dr. Kaufman or schedule an appointment for a consultation.