To Correct or Not to Correct a Crossbite...

[Princess Peach]

that is the question.

 

Hi! :seeya: This is my first new thread. :)

 

My kids had cleanings today at the dentist. They gave me a referral to an ortho for my DD. She has a bilateral crossbite. They want her evaluated for treatment. My younger son has it too and will need an eval once his front teeth come in.

 

I am really feeling uneasy about this. I am worried about changing the structure of her face, and I'm worried about the pain. My DD does not do well with pain at all. She desperately wanted her ears pierced, so I took her last week. She no sooner sat in the chair, that she started crying and refused to get it done. When she has shots at the dr., she screams bloody murder. Today, when the hygienist gave me the referral to the ortho, she started crying, saying she did not want braces.

 

A little background: I have a bilateral crossbite. I was taken to 2 different orthos who recommend expanders. My parents were not willing to put me through that and change my face. The second ortho even told my mom that if I were his daughter, he would not do it. I guess he figured it was for cosmetic reasons only and not worth it. My 2 front teeth are a bit crooked, nothing major. I have no medical problems with my jaw.

 

So my questions are: 1. What are your opinions/experiences with this? and 2. what could be the effects of not getting this done?

[kathkath]

I had extensive orthodontia as a child and ended up having orthognathic jaw surgery when I was 17 to correct an overbite. The rationale given to me at the time was that a proper bite would mean I would be less likely to need dentures when I was old. I've never been one for needles, but got used to eating yogurt and soup every few weeks. I was glad to have it corrected for a number of reasons.

[Snickerdoodle]

I knew someone who got expanders to fix an underbite. The face did change somewhat and it was all for the better.

[olan719]

I had a palate expander as a child, around age 8/9. I don't remember it fondly, but it wasn't that terrible and I'm glad my parents corrected by bite.

 

One of my daughters will have a palate expander for certain. She has a pretty severe crossbite, and we have already gone for two consults. She is only six, and some teeth need to come in first, but we plan to have this done when the time is right. I feel bad for any pain she will have to endure because I have been through it myself, but I feel as a parent I need to make decisions that will be best for her...both medically and cosmetically.

 

Also, for what it's worth, I think palate expanders have improved. Our ortho told us it will be placed, expansion will happen rapidly over a 2 to 3 week period, maybe more, and then it will be maintained for 3 to 4 months with no more key turning.

[Jennifer in MI]

We opted to treat an crossbite with ds when he was 7. His bottom teeth were actually chipping his top teeth. If it had gone on much longer, he would've needed a root canal. So, for him, it was a medical necessity. Could this be the case with your dd?

 

He is currently in a second set of braces. We are opting to put braces on all our children because, agree with it or not, our society judges people based on looks. Straight teeth look better in our society. So, we will pay for our kids' braces.

 

Now, my second son has been going to the ortho for years now. Eventually, he'll need braces. But, not yet. They just look in his mouth and tell us to come back in 4 months. Maybe the ortho will say that about your dd too.

 

If I were you, I'd go to the ortho. See what he/she has to say. My ds did not need extensive work. Just braces and rubber bands. No palate expander or anything. Most orthodontists now (at least the ones we visited) were trying to go with the easiest method for the child - not pulling teeth, etc.

[jewellsmommy]

My dd has an unusual crossbite. We saw an orthodontist in Oct. I was told that dd needs braces when her top incisors come down. The main reason is that her top teeth are putting forward pressure on the bottom teeth. This is causing gum erosion and will lead to bone loss, which is irreversible. These braces will not straighten her teeth, only realign them. She will then need a retainer. I was terrified that she would need a pallet expander, but thankfully that is not the case. We will do the braces within the next 2 months. I was surprised that my 8 yo would need braces, but I don't want to risk the bone loss. Hopefully she won't need braces later on as well. :glare:

[In the Rain]

My dd had a crossbite treated at age 8. We were told that every time she ate her teeth would be grinding across each other, causing permanent damage to the enamel.

 

I was really worried about how she would handle the discomfort of braces and having impressions taken. It went so much better than I expected! I think the key is a wonderful orthodontist. Ours was truly wonderful with children.

 

Dd had a quadhelix. It expands the palate without any key turning. At such a young age, their teeth move very fast. For various reasons, our 6 week appts were usually done at 2-3 week intervals. Her teeth had always completed the expected movement in that short time.

[QueenCat]

The first thing I would do is get an evaluation by an orthodontist, and then decide.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

when I was in my twenties. I required that I turn it with a key. It didn't change the shape of my face. I had a narrow bite and when I was through with my ortho, my smile filled more of my mouth but my face shape stayed the same.

 

BTW, I don't recall it hurting anymore than a very, very minor headache would. Much less than the "brain freeze" you get when you eat ice cream.

 

hth

K

[Princess Peach]

Thanks so much for your responses. I am going to wait until after the holidays to make an appt. Then I'll see what he says. I just wanted to be armed with some info to go in with. Thanks again! :001_smile:

[Susan in TN]

My dd had an appliance put in for a crossbite about 2 years ago at the age of 10 - she wore it for a year or so. I never noticed any change in her appearance.

[OregonNative]

My DD has a slight cross bite and we will be getting an expander first and braces later for crowding. In many cases if it's not corrected your child will end up needing surgery.

[Denise in Florida]

My youngest had an expander when she was little. The first few adjustments were uncomfortable but that stage did not last long. It made a world of difference,

her teeth were a real mess. I would do it again in an instant. Her face changed slightly but I think for the better (a little to narrow before).

 

Of course your situation could be different, but we had a very positive experience.

[Veritaserum]

I had a crossbite that I had corrected as an adult because my parents chose not to pay for treatment when I was a child. I would absolutely pay for orthodontic treatment for my children.

 

I'm really confused about the "it will change her face" comments. My face did not change after treatment.

[AnitaMcC]

I am not sure what a cross bite is but I had an open/over bite. I didn't receive proper ortho care as a child and by age 18 the damage was done. My TMJ was so messed up from the joint being mis-aligned. I had surgery when I was 20.

 

I had to have braces on for 18 months before surgery, then had to have my upper jaw broken in 4 places and lower jaw broken in 2 places and repositioned and wired (I still have wires in my jaws). My jaw was wired shut for 2 months (had to live on a liquid diet) and the next 6 months I was on a soft diet (mashed potatoes soft).

 

The damage is still there in my TMJ, and since the surgery I haven't had as much issues. Before surgery my jaw locked shut or open for days on end. I had massive headaches. Thankfully I was in the Navy and they did the braces and surgery at Bethesda.

 

I still have to be careful of what I eat (some things I can't chew without pain) and I have to wear retainers for the rest of my life (or until my teeth fall out-LOL).

 

Orthodontics is much more prefered than surgery!!!

[zaichiki]

Also, for what it's worth, I think palate expanders have improved. Our ortho told us it will be placed, expansion will happen rapidly over a 2 to 3 week period, maybe more, and then it will be maintained for 3 to 4 months with no more key turning.

 

This was my dd's experience. She had about 2 months of treatment and we're now in maintenance. As far as I can tell (with before and after photos) there is no change to her face. Her teeth are straighter and there is more room for the adult teeth that are coming in... She had no pain. (I asked her.)

[Cortana]

My 9yo just got his braces off last month. He had a pretty bad crossbite.

 

He had a pallate expander for the first few months, then they put on braces with brackets only on the first 4 front teeth. He had the braces for about a year, then had the pallet expander and braces completely taken out last month and a retainer put in. He'll wear the retainer for about a year and a half.

 

The best part of all this is it finally put an end to his thumbsucking. He may have to have braces again when he's older and all his permanent teeth are in, we just have to wait and see. It's no suprise, both myself and my brother had to have extensive orthodontal work done to correct major problems. My main problem has been major overcrowding, I have small jaws.

 

Between my son, me and my brother, none of it had any impact on the shape of our faces. If anything, I smiled much more after the braces than I did before. :) That would be the only change.

 

And as for pain, it was painful at first to get all the appliances and braces put in and then when they were taken out but not too badly. Course, I had full braces done compared to my son who only had one appliance and a few brackets. He said the most painful was the day he had his braces taken off and the retainer was put in and he didn't do too well that day, but that's keeping in mind that he has high functioning autism and has sensory issues with his mouth.

[Catherine]

My middle ds had a crossbite and when his permanent teeth came in he looked kind of scrambled. Our orthodontist recommended pulling the remaining baby teeth in the front, because crowding was also a big issue. That alone corrected 75% of the problem. Given more room, the premanent teeth corrected themselves. At 13, he got braces to correct the overcrowding and he still has them. He has had some discomfort, but when I asked him if it has been wroth it so far, he was pretty clear that is was.

 

My oldest has some mild overcrowding that is most apparent with his lower teeth. The upper teeth are nice but not quite perfect. The same orthodontist recommended braces for him but we decided that the discomfort and expense, plus the lifelong retainer, were not worth it to correct such a seemingly minor cosmetic problem.

[Princess Peach]

I'm really glad to hear all the positive experiences with this.

 

When I was a child the ortho told my mom that my procedure would change my face. I guess maybe that is not the case always. I can understand that some change can be an improvement in extreme cases, though.

 

In my Googling, I've read that this can cause speech impediments. Has anyone heard of this? Maybe I should just stop Googling! :glare:

[In the Rain]

My dd's face did change. Several of my friends commented on it, but also said it could be due to "growing up". Dd's palate had fully expanded in two weeks, so that probably accounted for the change. It was okay though.

[East Coast Sue]

We are in the later stage of fixing both an severe underbite and crossbite. I'm not sure which one was causing her baby teetth to chip away but we knew that it was serious. She went into treatment as soon as adult teeth came into close contact (age 6.5). She is now 7.5. Everything has gone really well. She doesn't mind wearing the expander at all. We turn a key to make adjustments every 5 days- very easy. No pain. None.

 

She even got to pick the color of the appliance and add glitter. I think it also glows in the dark. So she thinks the whole thing is cool. The cost- well that is just a necessary evil.

 

Susan

[olan719]

Regarding facial change, you are only widening the palate a few millimeters. It is not a big difference. For most people, any change you see will be a wider and straighter smile due to the teeth aligning properly on the bite.

 

It's my understanding speech problems are only temporary and very minor...simply because you have something in the roof of your mouth. It obviously takes a little time to get used to that being in there when you talk.

 

OP, I completely understand feeling so concerned about your dd and needing to correct this crossbite. Even though I have had correction myself, it was scary to be taking my 6 year old for consultations. However, as she has started loosing teeth and her bite is actually worsening with these shifts, I am relieved we are getting help. DH and I were talking the other day about how we would forego vacations if needed to fix her mouth and smile. It is very important to us to make sure she won't have medical issues with her bite, and that she will not have a crooked smile.

 

:grouphug: If I were you, just go to the consult and see what they say. Honestly, we were able to get two additional free consults so we got more than one opinion. You will feel much more informed with professional advice rather than google. :D

[Princess Peach]

:grouphug: If I were you, just go to the consult and see what they say. Honestly, we were able to get two additional free consults so we got more than one opinion. You will feel much more informed with professional advice rather than google. :D

 

LOL, so true!

 

Unfortunately, I just got off the phone with our ins. and ortho is not covered at all! This is going to be rough for us financially and will be a factor in our decisions. :(

[Elisabeth in IL]

I'm 45 and having problems with my jaw. I'd take her in for a consult and see what the ortho says. I have very straight teeth for never having braces.

[Mosaicmind]

LOL, so true!

 

Unfortunately, I just got off the phone with our ins. and ortho is not covered at all! This is going to be rough for us financially and will be a factor in our decisions. :(

 

Three of my seven kids have severe crossbites. Oldest ds/18 has chipped his bottom teeth because of it and his two front teeth are overlapping each other, but we were on medicaid when we found this out and had no job. Medicaid doesn't pay for ortho and we just couldn't afford it. Now, that dh has a good job and some ortho is paid we still can't afford it because of trying to get back on our feet.

 

DD/15 is also missing 5 permanent teeth in addition. DS/9 is missing a tooth also in addition to the crossbite. I just can't afford to put them all in braces and expanders. We just don't have the extra money and we will not use "Care Credit" anymore, because we were burned by them. I feel as if we are such failures in this as parents. It's pretty bad when we can't provide them with the treatment they need to correct their teeth and smiles. It makes me sad.

[Princess Peach]

Three of my seven kids have severe crossbites. Oldest ds/18 has chipped his bottom teeth because of it and his two front teeth are overlapping each other, but we were on medicaid when we found this out and had no job. Medicaid doesn't pay for ortho and we just couldn't afford it. Now, that dh has a good job and some ortho is paid we still can't afford it because of trying to get back on our feet.

 

DD/15 is also missing 5 permanent teeth in addition. DS/9 is missing a tooth also in addition to the crossbite. I just can't afford to put them all in braces and expanders. We just don't have the extra money and we will not use "Care Credit" anymore, because we were burned by them. I feel as if we are such failures in this as parents. It's pretty bad when we can't provide them with the treatment they need to correct their teeth and smiles. It makes me sad.

 

I'm so sorry. I really feel for you. :grouphug: You are not a bad mom, you are doing the best you can.

 

I have really been thinking a lot about this. And I really think in our case, this is largely cosmetic and it bothers me. Why does everyone have to have perfect teeth? I'm not talking about extreme cases, I'm talking about the teeth are a little crooked-not perfect. :confused:

 

I also know that the dentist told me my oldest would need braces. This was when he was 4 or 5 yo. They could tell from the pano xray. Anyway, he is now 11 and has most of his permanent teeth in and they are perfect.

 

So, they I'm thinking maybe we'll wait with my dd and see what time does. She has no problems at this point and her teeth are actually perfect so far.

[Alenee]

My youngest dd (7yo) has a very noticeable crossbite, at least when you're looking for it. Our dentist is very laid-back about treatments on the whole. He will definitely recommend work to be done when it is really needed but as for braces and the like, I've asked about it but he hasn't made it a big issue yet. After reading this thread, I guess it could be taken one of two ways: either it really isn't a big deal yet, or he's TOO laid back?

 

I'm curious though, what would cause a need for surgery in a child who had a crossbite that was left untreated? What types of problems (not necessarily requiring treatment) would she might have if we didn't go with correction?

[Elisabeth in IL]

 

She has no problems at this point and her teeth are actually perfect so far.

This was me as a child. Straight teeth, no problems but there was an unseen problem and at 45 I'm having jaw issues (and back teeth breaking). Make sure it isn't just cosmetic........... Her jaw will thank you later in life.

[3littlekeets]

DH had an open bite that was left untreated as a child b/c his parents thought it was just cosmetic. By age 35, he could only eat soft food and only 4 teeth touched! His TMJ was so bad he would miss work regularly.

 

$30,000.00 surgery (thankfully insurance covered 80%) 3 months of painful recovery, and $5000 braces later, DH is a new man! Yes, he looks bit different, but his was LONG gone, and quite frankly, symmetry always looks better :D.

 

His parents could have prevented it all. They feel rotten now...but they just didn't know :grouphug:.

 

DD9 has a palate expander now, DS8 will get his this summer. DD says it is annoying, but not painful. ;)

[zaichiki]

Dentists and orthodontists told us that correcting jaw issues/use of expander is MUCH quicker, easier, and cheaper when they're younger and they are still growing somewhat quickly. As they get older treatment will take more time and therefore more $. Also, untreated for a long time, the problem can get worse (affecting more teeth). These are the reasons we chose to go ahead with treatment for dd now rather than later. Her issues were medical and cosmetic, with the cosmetic part beginning to severely affect her self-esteem.

 

After only a few months we are on the tail-end of this stage of treatment and dd smiles big in public all the time now. The cost was a big struggle for us, but I am SO glad we went ahead with it.

[katemary63]

Get the teeth fixed. It's so important to health AND appearance. Nothing improves one's appearance more then straight teeth. And when the ortho "changes the face" it's virtually always for the better. I don't consider it an option for our kids.

[Truscifi]

I had the TMJ issues as a child and had to have the jaw surgery and braces and everything due to the severe misalignment. I discussed this with ds7's dentist because I want to do everything possible to avoid him having the same issues - he has a visible crossbite already, though it is not as bad as the underbite I had at his age. His dentist says when his front teeth come in he will refer us to an ortho for a consult and probably an expander, and that if we can correct the alignment now it will reduce the chance of major problems requiring surgery later.