Common orthodontic problem – Cross bite

Dental arrangement in the mandible- lower jaw and maxilla- the upper jaw is very important for proper mastication, chewing food, apart from the aesthetic looks and smile. Teeth arrangement in the dental arches is very precise with proper alignment of opposite teeth in both the upper and lower dental arches. The relation between the upper and lower teeth as their surfaces come in contact when the jaw is closed is called occlusion. Abnormality in this relationship or misalignment of teeth is malocclusion and causes several orthodontic problems.

Often we come across conditions of misalignment of teeth either as hereditary aberration or because of some of the habits right from childhood to adulthood. Cross bite is one of the common orthodontic problems that need attention and early correction. When you close your mouth the teeth in the upper jaw should overlap the opposite teeth in the lower jaw. If it is reverse either in case of one teeth or group of teeth, where the upper teeth are behind the lower teeth the defective alignment is malocclusion called Cross bite.

Cross bite is broadly two types based on the region of the mouth where this misalignment or malocclusion occurs. 1. Anterior cross bite occurring in the front of mouth and 2. Posterior cross bite the one occurring in the back on either side of mouth. In anterior cross bite one or group of upper front teeth close behind the front lower teeth. In the posterior cross bite the upper molar teeth touch the lower molars at their inner part instead of outer part.

The condition of Cross bite may occur due to skeletal abnormality like congenital microgonathia where hereditarily one develops smaller upper jaw (maxilla) while the lower jaw is normal. This results in total cross bite where the malocclusion occurs both anterior and posterior. This condition needs early correction to avoid severe complications as the age advances.

The Cross bite may be dental in nature due to dental misalignment of teeth only. Habits like mouth breathing cause misalignment affecting the occlusion.

Both anterior and posterior cross bites warrant immediate attention and correction, lest it leads to severe complications like losing teeth, wearing of enamel of teeth, receding gums and the most painful jaw disorder, TMJD and also affect the facial structure.

The orthodontists at Dentist and Dontist dental clinic are specially trained in the modern methodologies of treatment to offer painless treatment for faster correction of the Cross bite for any age group retaining the natural aesthetic looks of facial features in the process of correction of this malocclusion.

Orthodontic problems – Severe crowding of teeth

Improper growth of teeth and dental arches causes Orthodontic problems. The irregularity in growth of teeth affects our bite, eating style and also our facial features. One of the common orthodontic problems found is malocclusion (misalignment of teeth) due to crowding of teeth. In this condition the jaw space is narrow and does not have enough room to accommodate the teeth. This could be due to extra teeth or improper position of teeth overlapping of one another in certain part of the dental arches. Mostly this problem becomes noticeable around the age of 6 years when adult front teeth are erupted after the milk teeth shredded.

Crowded teeth affect not only the esthetic look of the face and smile, but also leads to severe dental problems of tooth decay , plaque formation and gum disease as the access for dental care to these parts of teeth becomes difficult.

The obvious reasons for the crowding of teeth is insufficient space in the dental arches , not necessarily due to microganathia – small jaw, but in fact the space available in the arch is not adequate enough to accommodate the teeth erupted at improper position . This results in misalignment with opposing teeth- malocclusion. Some of the habits like thumb sucking after 3 years; mouth breathing cause the crowding of teeth as the palate- the upper dental arch, shape is affected by these habits. In some cases when the decayed milk teeth are removed to give way to permanent teeth the space retainers are not used. The new permanent tooth erupts at improper position leading to crowded teeth.

Catch them young - it is better certain orthodontic problems are detected early in the age group of around 4-6 years .Visits to our expert orthodontists would help you get the befit of identifying the defects much earlier and correction easier, painless and relieves from agony of self-consciousness of the defects as you grow.

Our orthodontists at Dentist & Dontist Dental Clinic evaluate the problem and plan the treatment after orthodontic and functional analysis including tongue movement, jaw function and other related activities. The modern techniques adapted at our clinic are very specific and tailored to meet each individual need. Our treatment is fast to get results with no pain or trauma.