Crossbite Treatment

A crossbite is when some of your upper teeth sit inside your lower teeth instead of outside them like their supposed to. This can happen on one side or both sides of your mouth, and it can affect just one tooth or several. If you have a crossbite, you might not even realize it unless its causing problems, but left untreated it can lead to uneven tooth wear, jaw issues, and facial asymmetry.

At Stillwater Dental Bend, we diagnose and treat crossbites in patients of all ages. The earlier we catch it, the easier it is to fix, but we have good treatment options for adults too. If you or your child has a crossbite, were here to help you understand your options.

In a normal bite, your upper teeth should slightly overlap your lower teeth when you close your mouth. With a crossbite, one or more upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth. This creates an abnormal bite pattern that can affect your front teeth, back teeth, or both.

There are two types of crossbites. An anterior crossbite affects the front teeth, where some upper front teeth are behind the lower front teeth. A posterior crossbite affects the back teeth, where the upper back teeth bite inside the lower back teeth.

Crossbites are usually genetic. If your jaw is too narrow or your teeth are positioned abnormally, a crossbite can develop. Sometimes its caused by delayed loss of baby teeth or early loss of baby teeth, which allows permanent teeth to come in crooked.

Childhood habits like thumb sucking, pacifier use, or mouth breathing can contribute to crossbites. These habits affect how the jaw and palate develop. Cleft lip and palate can also cause crossbites.

Treatment for a crossbite depends on whether its affecting one tooth or multiple teeth, and whether the problem is skeletal or just dental. For kids, we often use palate expanders to widen the upper jaw. The expander gradually pushes the two halves of the palate apart, creating more room and correcting the crossbite.

Expanders work best before the jaw bones fuse together, usually before puberty. The process takes several months, and once the palate is wide enough, we use braces or aligners to fine tune the tooth positions.

For adults or for crossbites that only affect a few teeth, braces or clear aligners can move the teeth into proper position. Traditional braces give us the most control, especially for complex cases. Clear aligners work well for mild to moderate crossbites.

If a crossbite is caused by a single tooth being tipped the wrong way, we might be able to fix it with braces alone in just a few months. More involved crossbites take longer, typically one to two years of treatment.

In severe cases where the jaw is too narrow and cant be expanded, jaw surgery might be needed. This is rare and only for the most extreme crossbites in adults. We’ll work with an oral surgeon if surgery is necessary.

During your oral health exam at Stillwater Dental Bend, we carefully check your bite from all angles. We look at how your teeth come together and whether any are in crossbite. We measure your jaw width and take x rays to see the position of your teeth and jaw bones.

We also check for signs that a crossbite is causing damage, like uneven tooth wear, gum recession, or jaw joint problems. If we find a crossbite, we’ll explain the severity and discuss whether treatment is needed now or if we should monitor it.

For kids, we track how their bite develops over time. Regular exams let us catch problems early when treatment is simplest.

A crossbite can make certain areas harder to keep clean because the teeth dont line up properly. Professional teeth cleanings help remove plaque and tartar from these hard to reach spots.

If your getting orthodontic treatment to correct a crossbite, cleanings become even more important. Braces and expanders create more places for food and bacteria to hide. Our hygienists at Stillwater Dental Bend have special tools and techniques to clean around orthodontic appliances.

We recommend cleanings every six months at minimum, or more frequently if you have braces or other appliances. Good oral hygiene during treatment keeps your teeth and gums healthy.

If a crossbite has caused significant tooth wear or damage, dental crowns can restore the affected teeth. We typically correct the crossbite first, then restore any damaged teeth with crowns so they dont keep getting worn down.

Crowns bring worn teeth back to their proper size and shape. This improves both function and appearance. At Stillwater Dental Bend, we create custom crowns that match your natural teeth and work with your corrected bite.

At Stillwater Dental Bend, we take a holistic approach to treating crossbites. We look at your whole bite, jaw function, and facial symmetry, not just individual teeth. We understand how a crossbite affects your overall health and quality of life.

We’ve been serving the Bend community for years and have helped many patients correct their bites. We catch crossbites early in kids and have effective treatment options for adults too.

We’ll give you honest advice about whether your crossbite needs immediate treatment or if monitoring is appropriate. Not every case needs urgent intervention, and we’ll help you make the right decision.