What a crossbite is, and why it matters
Normally the upper teeth sit a little outside the lower ones all the way round, the way a lid sits over a box. In a crossbite that relationship is reversed somewhere: one or more upper teeth bite inside the lowers, either at the front or along the side. It can involve a single tooth or a whole segment, and it often traces back to a narrow upper jaw or a tooth that came through in the wrong spot. Even a single tooth in crossbite is worth treating, since it can wear and chip against the tooth it clashes with.
Left alone, a crossbite does more than look uneven. It wears the enamel of the teeth that clash, it can irritate the gums, and in a child it can nudge the growing lower jaw off centre, because the jaw shifts sideways to find a comfortable bite. Over years that uneven position can become the way the face grows, which is exactly why orthodontists are so keen to catch a crossbite while a child is young.
Correcting a crossbite at the right age
In a growing child the cause is frequently a narrow upper jaw, and the gentlest answer is often a palatal expander. It widens the upper jaw a fraction at a time so the teeth meet correctly, and because a young jaw is still forming, this is comfortable and effective. Addressing it now is a good example of why an early check around age seven is worth the trip.
In teens and adults, whose jaws have finished growing, the teeth are guided into the right relationship with braces or clear aligners, sometimes with a little help from other appliances. The right method depends entirely on what is causing your crossbite, which is the first thing Dr. Catherine McLeod works out before she recommends anything. Caught in time, many childhood crossbites are corrected in a single, straightforward phase.
What to expect at Embrace Orthodontics
Start with a free consultation, no referral required. As a specialist orthodontist on Spring Garden Road in Halifax, Dr. Catherine McLeod examines the bite, takes a comfortable iTero digital scan instead of putty impressions, and tells you honestly whether a crossbite needs treating and when. If it does, you receive a written plan and an exact quote before anything starts, with interest-free monthly plans available if that helps.
Because every child grows differently, she will give you a realistic sense of timing rather than a one-size promise, and she treats wherever clinically possible without removing adult teeth. If you have noticed your child's jaw shifting to one side as they close together, it is well worth having looked at sooner rather than later. There is no waitlist, so once you get in touch a consultation is usually only a week or two away, and you are welcome to bring any records or X-rays from your family dentist.