If your teeth are misaligned, there are chances that you may have a crossbite. When you close your mouth or when your mouth is at rest, your upper teeth may fit behind your lower teeth, which indicates that you have a crossbite. This can impact teeth in the front of your mouth as well as teeth in the back. Crossbite is common, and a Drexel Hill dentist can help you learn more about it.
What is a crossbite?
A crossbite occurs when your teeth do not line up correctly when you close your mouth. It might affect one tooth or a group of teeth, such as your front or back teeth. Upper teeth are typically broader and sit on the outside of lower teeth. Each top tooth meets the matching lower tooth, distributing the force of chewing or clenching equally throughout your mouth. These movements may cause abnormal wear and damage to your teeth if you have a crossbite.
Generally, there are two types of crossbite:
- Posterior crssbite
This occurs when your upper back teeth lie inside your bottom teeth. Instead of being lined up correctly and fitting into each other, the teeth appear slanted toward your tongue.
- Anterior crossbite
This occurs when one or more of your upper front teeth overlap with your lower front teeth. This differs from an underbite, which occurs when all of your top teeth are positioned behind your bottom teeth.
What are the causes of a crossbite?
A crossbite is typically caused by a dental or skeletal issue or a combination of the two. These issues could result from habits, dental growth delays, bone structural issues, upper airway issues, or heredity.
Some of the more specific causes of a crossbite can be:
- Finger or thumb sucking, or pacifier that pushes teeth
- Mouth breathing
- Tongue thrust during swallowing
- Cleft lip
- Missing teeth
- Cleft palate
- Baby teeth are not falling out
- Teeth not fitting well for proper alignment due to being too big
- Teeth drifting due to early baby tooth loss
- All of the teeth not being able to fit due to a small jaw
Schedule an appointment today.
Your oral health is just as important as your physical and should not be neglected. If you have symptoms of crossbite, or even if you have not visited your dentist in almost a year, you should schedule an appointment today. Regular checkups with your dentist can help you stay on top of your oral health and can also help diagnose potential problems in their early stages.
