Crossbite is a dental condition where your upper and lower teeth do not fit together properly. It is another form of malocclusion. It is usually a hereditary issue. It happens because of thumb chewing or natural teeth growing abnormally. It is a serious condition that needs to be treated at the right time, or you will face problems eating, smiling, and speaking, which can pretty much ruin your social and individual lives. A dentist in Springfield, VA, will inform you about it in detail.
Signs of Crossbite
When will you know that you are suffering from crossbite? There are some indicators given below to identify it.
- One of the common signs is uneven biting. You cannot chew your food properly because of misalignment, and some teeth overlap.
- It can cause excessive burden for some of your teeth because of misalignment, and some of your teeth will wear down way faster than our other teeth.
- Mild pain in your jaw.
- It will affect your speech, like lisps, mispronunciation, stuttering, etc.
- Crossbite will cause your jaw to deviate to another position, making your face asymmetrical.
Effects of crossbite
There are severe consequences to leaving the crossbite untreated. They will harm you individually and socially. They are as follows:
- It will lead you to various problems like tooth decay, cavities, and gum diseases, as it is impossible to clean properly because of misalignment.
- Crossbites can cause diseases like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, causing pain, clicking while chewing, and difficulty moving the jaw.
- It will gravely affect your smile appearance, thus affecting your self-esteem and self-confidence.
- Crossbite will cause difficulty chewing, which leads to digestive problems.
- It will cause speech impairments if left unchecked, especially in children.
Treatment for Crossbite
You have several options if you want to get your crossbite treated. A dentist may recommend the right option as per your requirements.
- Using braces or retainers is the most basic step in treating crossbites, but they are usually prescribed after surgery. They are used to move your teeth into alignment gradually.
- In cases of crossbite caused by a narrow upper palate, the Palatal Expander is the best option to widen your upper palate.
- If your crossbite remains unchecked for a long time or is because of a skeleton impairment, you would need surgery to reposition your jaw.
- Wearing retainers after surgery for some days is necessary to prevent relapse.
Contact a dentist today!
If you also feel some of the signs of crossbite, speak to a dentist!
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