Before

A crossbite (depicted in the blue boxes) is when an upper and lower tooth or teeth are not in the correct in-to-out relationship to each other. Crossbites in young children impact the eruption of permanent teeth, result in excessive permanent tooth wear, and can result in bony defects. A crossbite should be corrected as soon as it is noted.

After

Crossbites come in many forms and are corrected with different types of orthodontic appliances. The length of time required to correct a crossbite differs with the age of the patient and the teeth involved and can be from a few months to two years.