Crossbite Question

nettlesoup

My dentist made me aware that I had a Crossbite. This has never caused me a problem and I am just wondering is it worth correcting? Are crossbites that big a deal?

The reason I am slow to have it corrected is because some of my teeth are not in great condition (most molars heavily filled) and to make room for the procedure the dentist suggested removing 2 eye teeth which are healthy. Given that i am trying to keep my teeth after years of neglect I hate the idea or removing 2 healthy teeth.

Any opinions welcome.

day dreamer

Hi there

It is not possible to give you reliable info or advice without examining you first. But orthodontic treatment is elective, no-one HAS to have it and if you dont want it then dont have it. Cross bites occur when the lower teeth bite outside the uppers, this can cause uneven wear on the teeth, cause a bad appearance or sometimes dysfunction in the jaw joint but not always.

It is not really possible to say if it is appropriate to extract your canine teeth but ask the dentist why it is being done or go elsewhere for a 2nd opinion. I am assuming you are an adult and adult extraction cases would usually be best treated by a specialist orthodontist.

georgieporgy

Are you sure the dentist means to extract the eye teeth? (number 3 from the front middle tooth)

Molar teeth in crossbite have high fracture rate. They are subjected to much more forces in chewing ( and if you grind your teeth in your sleep it gets worse). And if they are heavily filled as you say , the chances of fracture increase further. Crowns are often recommended to prevent this (note I haven't seen you and this may not apply to you...).

What daydreamer says is true, but if it really is the eye teeth i would be in favour of second (and third) opinions too.

crossbites vary a lot. they can be on one side only, or both sides, or can affect just one or two teeth. generally speaking though, I am in favour of correcting crossbites (and I refer pts to orthodontists to get it done:))

nettlesoup

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I fully understand that it is not possible to give me good advice without seeing me first. My dentist deals with orthodontic patients as he gets people referred to him but getting a second opinion is a good idea.

It was last year my dentist spoke to me about my crossbite and here is my understanding of it.
My upper and lower arch are more V shaped than half circle shaped
To get the arches shaped more like a half circle a wire brace would be placed in the inside of my arches which would push the teeth outwards.
Unfortunatley I did not have enough room for the procedure and the only solution was that some teeth would have to be removed. Either eye teeth or molars. If it were not for this fact I would go ahead the procedure.
My dentsit made models of my arches and showed how some upper and lower teeth were not meeting correctly. He said this was because of my crossbite.

The reason I asked if a crossbite was that serious was because i have been going to dentists a lot and none of them ever mentioned to me before that i had crossbite. How it came about was because was I have TMJ and I said to my dentist that I need to get it treated. He examined my bite and felt my TMJ was caused by my bite. This is actually not the case as my TMJ is a result of clenching in my sleep and a TMJ specialist has confirmed that my crossbite is not the cause.

My next question is can somebody pm me with the name of a good orthodontist in the kerry limerick cork area or further afield if you wish. A second opinion would be a good. Thanks.

kkth0360

You can find a qualified Specialist Orthodontist in your area at http://www.orthodontics.ie/find-an-orthodontist

You can also check if the dentist who recommended the treatment is a registered Specialist Orthodontist by searching the Specialist Register at http://www.dentalcouncil.ie/specialistregisters.php

If your crossbite is not causing you any problems and you are happy with your teeth otherwise, orthodontic treatment is probably not for you. Even if the crossbite was contributing to your TMJ problem, there is no guarantee that having it corrected orthodontically would solve the TMJ issues -orthodontic treatment does not, on average, either worsen or improve TMD, and should not be considered or recommended as a treatment for these conditions.