By kkhealthcarecentre 
If you’re like most people, you might have a hard time fully understanding what a crossbite is or why it might be common in your family. If “crossbite” is a new term for you, it actually comes in two main types: posterior crossbite, which happens in the back of the mouth, and anterior crossbite, which occurs in the front. Both types can lead to issues like jaw pain, receding gums, and loose teeth.
A crossbite can affect just one tooth or several. It typically happens when a tooth bud isn’t pointing in the right direction or doesn’t have enough space to grow out properly. When someone with a crossbite closes their teeth, it’s not the usual occlusion, where the top teeth slightly overlap the bottom ones. Instead, the top teeth end up inside the bottom teeth — that’s a crossbite. Although this can cause problems like difficulty chewing, it is indeed treatable.
A crossbite is basically a problem with how some of your teeth in one arch line up with the teeth in the opposite arch, often due to the jaw or tooth positioning being off. In orthodontic training, you learn that this kind of misalignment can be hereditary, but it could also develop later. If it doesn’t get addressed, new teeth might not grow correctly, leading to more misalignment.
The main causes of crossbites usually stem from hereditary factors, abnormal tooth eruption, or a delay in teeth coming out. Other studies suggest habits like mouth breathing and thumb sucking could also contribute to crossbites.
When adult teeth don’t come in as they should, or if their eruption is delayed, the teeth on the opposite jaw won’t align properly, leading to abnormal eruption. As for hereditary reasons, if your lower jaw is naturally wider than your upper jaw, misalignment can easily occur.
While the best time to fix misaligned bites is during childhood or teenage years, there are treatment options available for adults too. Treatments often use orthodontic devices to adjust the teeth, jaw, or palate. Some common treatments include:
1. Braces: These are widely used to straighten teeth and realign both the lower and upper sets.
2. Removable Expander: Adults might wear this device at night to gradually widen the upper palate, suitable for minimal expansion.
3. Maxillary Expander: An orthodontist might suggest this for children. The device is attached to the palate and upper teeth and is slowly adjusted to expand the upper palate as children grow.
A crossbite can make chewing difficult, but there are ways to address it. Your best bet is to find an experienced orthodontist, do a bit of research, and then decide on the treatment option that suits you best.