Dealing with low self-esteem or pain due to a crossbite can take a toll on your health—mentally and physically.
Thankfully, there are many treatment options available for adults and children with crossbites to help you achieve perfectly straight teeth and a healthy bite.
This article examines the causes of crossbites and the most popular orthodontic treatments for the condition.
Dealing with low self-esteem or pain due to a crossbite can take a toll on your health—mentally and physically.
Thankfully, there are many treatment options available for adults and children with crossbites to help you achieve perfectly straight teeth and a healthy bite.
This article examines the causes of crossbites and the most popular orthodontic treatments for the condition.
Dealing with low self-esteem or pain due to a crossbite can take a toll on your health—mentally and physically.
Thankfully, there are many treatment options available for adults and children with crossbites to help you achieve perfectly straight teeth and a healthy bite.
This article examines the causes of crossbites and the most popular orthodontic treatments for the condition.
A crossbite occurs when your upper teeth fit inside your lower teeth when you bite.
The main types of crossbites are anterior and posterior.
Crossbites can affect one or both sides of your jaw
Crossbite treatments may involve braces, rapid palate expanders, or clear aligners.
Severe crossbites in adults may be rectified through jaw surgery.
A crossbite is malocclusion or misalignment of teeth involving the upper teeth or lower teeth extending past each other. Misaligned bites are sometimes referred to as underbites.
Crossbites can vary in severity from a simple cosmetic problem to significantly affecting your comfort and ability to chew.
There are various types of crossbites, including:
Crossbites are typically either dental or skeletal issues. These may be caused by [2]:
A crossbite is malocclusion or misalignment of teeth involving the upper teeth or lower teeth extending past each other. Misaligned bites are sometimes referred to as underbites.
Crossbites can vary in severity from a simple cosmetic problem to significantly affecting your comfort and ability to chew.
There are various types of crossbites, including:
Crossbites are typically either dental or skeletal issues. These may be caused by [2]:
Narrow palates are often hereditary, and a small upper jaw is the main cause of a crossbite related to your genetic makeup [3].
Breathing through your mouth, especially when sleeping, can affect jaw growth during childhood and adolescence. This altered growth pattern could leave you with either an anterior or posterior crossbite [4].
Tongue thrust swallowing, which involves pushing your tongue forward against your teeth when you swallow, can lead to the development of an anterior crossbite.
Thumb sucking or using a pacifier for an extended period can significantly affect jaw growth and commonly result in crossbites in children that stay with them into adulthood if untreated.
Baby teeth can become loose but, instead of falling out, just settle and tighten into the gums again. This can prevent adult teeth from erupting, and in many cases, the permanent teeth start moving as they try to grow out [5].
This misalignment most commonly affects the upper teeth and will result in a single tooth crossbite where one upper tooth fits behind your lower teeth.
If a severe crossbite is left untreated, it could lead to:
The best way to correct a crossbite is through a comprehensive orthodontic treatment plan. If you prefer at-home care, consider aligners.
An early posterior crossbite can be treated with a rapid palate expander, which could help widen your dental arch and correct your teeth’ alignment [9].
An anterior crossbite can be improved by orthodontic treatments like reverse-pull headgear, although palate expanders may also work if used in the early stages.
Most crossbite treatments will focus on aligning your top and bottom teeth or your lower and upper jaw, depending on the condition’s cause.
There are a variety of orthodontic treatment options for a posterior or anterior crossbite. The most popular options are:
Should you seek treatment to realign your teeth to their correct position and improve your oral health, you should discuss your options with a licensed dentist or orthodontist before proceeding.
Dental braces align and straighten teeth and help place them in proper bite formation, enhancing overall dental health. Gaps can also be fixed using braces for a crossbite before and after using palate expanders. To broaden the palate or jaws, where necessary, braces will be used in combination with other orthodontic appliances like orthodontic spacers and palatal expanders.
Clear aligners are a type of invisible braces that cover the biting surface of both the top and bottom teeth and allow a single tooth crossbite to be realigned without affecting the positioning of the opposing teeth.
Clear aligners work similarly to traditional braces and can be especially helpful for straightening your front teeth.
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Although some transparent aligner brands are FDA-approved, the American Association of Orthodontists does not recommend using these devices without professional oversight.
The most popular clear aligner brands include:
Price : $1,895
Byte clear aligners can help straighten your back and front teeth while simultaneously correcting a minor crossbite. Packages include an at-home impression kit, customized aligners, a whitening system, and an alignment accelerator.
For more information on this brand of invisible braces, check out our Byte Aligners review.
Price : $1,145
AlignerCo is an affordable clear aligner brand that includes customized aligners and a pair of retainers with each package.
If you’re interested in an AlignerCo set, take a look at our complete AlignerCo review. However, if covering your treatment, at least partially, with insurance is a dealbreaker, Byte may be the better option for you.
Price : $4,800 – $7,000
Invisalign is the best-known invisible braces brand around. Unlike the other aligners on this list, Invisalign can only be purchased through a dentist or orthodontist, and as a result, is more expensive than any Invisalign alternative.
If you’re looking for a more affordable option, Byte may be right for you.
Orthodontic treatment for early crossbites in children varies depending on the severity and type of malocclusion. The most popular treatment choices are:
Traditional braces are typically used to straighten crooked teeth but are also helpful in realigning a single tooth crossbite. If a unilateral or bilateral crossbite is present, an orthodontist may recommend using braces in combination with other applications like expanders or headgear.
Clear aligners, like those manufactured by Byte, are a great alternative to traditional ones, especially if the crossbite is only mild to moderate. The best invisible braces are covered in our detailed review.
Although a rapid palate expander can also be used for treating an adult crossbite, the appliance is most effective in treating the condition early on [10].
Palate expanders form part of a dental expansion procedure that widens your dental arch, reducing overcrowding and realigning your teeth in the process. A removable expander will generally be used on your upper teeth to achieve the minimal expansion necessary to align and straighten your opposing teeth.
Reverse pull headgear is one of the more invasive orthodontic treatments that work by pulling your upper jaw forward to align your bottom and top teeth. This option is most effective for children under the age of ten [11].
Jaw surgery to correct a severe crossbite is typically only recommended for adults in rare cases. Your orthodontist may choose to try at least one other option before recommending surgery, during which the upper jaw is either moved forward, widened, or both.
Below are the most commonly asked questions about anterior and posterior crossbites.
Crossbites can be difficult to deal with once they become too severe. Thankfully, treatments are readily available after consulting your orthodontist. Many appliances like braces, reverse pull headgear, or clear aligners like those manufactured by Byte can help you once more have a healthy bite.