The dentist says you have a crossbite – what does that mean? It’s a common dental issue. While it won’t straighten out on its own, treatment options are available to correct it.
A crossbite, sometimes called an underbite, is a form of malocclusion. It means your teeth don’t line up correctly when you close your mouth. It can affect one or two teeth or a group of teeth, like your front or back teeth.
Best Dentists in St. Louis. Really a great dental experience. I have used this office for regular dental care, cavities, crowns, and cosmetic dentistry. Teeth look great.
Response from the owner:Christopher we apologize for the belated response. We are very pleased to hear you have a great dental experience with our office! Thank you for your kind words. We look forward to seeing you at your next dental appointment!
Dr. Behl!
I cannot recommend Dr. Maris Behl enough. If you have dental anxiety, she is truly the kind of dentist you hope to find. If teeth could be wrapped in pillows and protected by flying unicorns, Dr. Behl would somehow make it happen.
I have significant anxiety around dental procedures and have needed deeper sedation for dental work in the past. From the beginning, Dr. Behl took the time to listen to my concerns and made me feel genuinely heard rather than dismissed or rushed. She created such a sense of trust and safety that I was eventually able to have my dental work done with only nitrous instead of full sedation, which is something I honestly didn’t think I would be comfortable doing.
During my crown placement, she explained what she was doing throughout the procedure, which made an enormous difference in keeping me calm. She also took the time to address a filling that had been bothering me for what felt like forever — and she actually fixed the problem.
What stands out most about Dr. Behl is how safe I feel in her care. She is compassionate, patient, communicative, and incredibly attentive to how her patients are feeling. For someone with dental anxiety, that combination is invaluable.
Finding a dentist I trust this much has completely changed my experience with dental care. I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Behl and would recommend her without hesitation, especially to anyone who has dental anxiety or has struggled to feel comfortable receiving dental treatment.
Response from the owner:Thank you for such incredibly kind words! We’ll be sure to pass this along to Dr. Behl. We’re pretty sure the flying unicorns are going to be the part she remembers most! 🦄💙 We’re so glad our team could help make your experience a more comfortable one.
Dr Thoms and his team are phenomenal. No question, the absolute best possible option for my child when he needed work done while sleeping (age based). While this option is not inexpensive, this set up of have anesthesiology in-house allowed us to get his mouth healthy when a traditional pediatric dentist could/would not. I am a parent that asks a lot of questions on behalf of my toddler’s care and at no point did I feel judged for this, nor was I rushed during my evaluation process during the consultation. Although the procedure is not one I would like to repeat for my child, my husband and I were both so pleased with how well Dr. Thoms communicated and how he clearly cared for our son’s wellbeing (both physical and emotional during a less than comfortable visit). Cannot recommend the back of house team more highly.
My one detraction is the FOH staff (not everyone) were not nearly as pleasant. I would like to communicate that while their day-to-day is very routine for them, being in that office as a parent is very scary for some people in their office and a little bit of kindness goes along way. I do recall, having a very pleasant conversation with Rebecca, but otherwise everyone else was on the apathetic side, in my personal opinion. That said you’ll notice that I still am leaving a five star review because the dental staff really just knocked out of the park, but as a parent I want to encourage you to look past any rudeness you may experience over email or on the phone because Dr. Thom’s is really that excellent.
Response from the owner:Thank you for taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback. We’re grateful to hear that our team provided compassionate, attentive care and took the time to answer your questions throughout the process. We also appreciate your comments regarding your experience with our front office team and will certainly share your feedback. Your kind words mean so much to us!
There are various treatments for crossbites and underbites. At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we can help you understand what causes it and how to treat this dental problem.
Types of Crossbites
With a normal bite, your upper teeth should be wider and sit on the outside of your bottom teeth. Each of your upper teeth touches the matching lower teeth so that the force when you chew is evenly distributed across your mouth.
If you have a crossbite, movements such as chewing and clenching cause irregular wear and damage to your teeth and jaw. There are two main types of crossbite:
Posterior crossbite – This occurs when your upper back teeth sit inside your bottom teeth. It may happen on only one side of your mouth or both sides. This type of crossbite affects a more significant percentage of the population and is relatively easy to correct.
Anterior crossbite – This is when one or more of your upper teeth sit behind your lower front teeth. This is unlike an underbite which occurs when all of your top teeth are behind your bottom teeth.
Causes of a Crossbite
There are various causes of a crossbite. They are typically caused by skeletal or dental issues or a combination of the two. Tooth growth delays, habits, upper airway problems, problems with bone structure, or genetics can cause it.
Specific causes of crossbites include the following:
Our teeth and bones can be pushed and twisted out of shape for various reasons. When teeth are missing or come in late, other teeth shift and drift, which causes alignment and structural issues.
How a Crossbite is Treated
The earlier the treatment, the better. A crossbite doesn’t straighten out on its own, so treating it early on, if possible during childhood, is suggested. However, a crossbite can be corrected at any age.
If your child has a crossbite, you’ll want to get them into an orthodontist as early as age 7 or 8 to begin treatment. The type of treatment used will depend on the severity and cause of the crossbite. Common crossbite treatments include:
Braces
Palatal expander
Clear aligners
Fixed palatal crib
Removable appliances
Myofunctional therapy
If you have questions about your teeth or treatment, contact The Dental Anesthesia Center. We value our patient relationships, making it our priority to deliver the gentle dental care you deserve from sedation dentists in St. Louis.
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The first two board-certified Dentist Anesthesiologists in the state of Missouri.
