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Usually, the upper-jaw teeth should be outside of the lower ones. If one or more lower-jaw teeth is on the outside, this is what you would call a crossbite.
What causes crossbite? It can either be genetic or habits such as thumb sucking, or sever tongue thrusting. A genetic type of crossbite can be identified by the lower jaw wider than the upper. If left untreated one side of the jaw will grow longer, the nasal airways get too narrow, and jaw joints don’t work well. Adults with this kind of condition can only be corrected with surgery.
In order to avoid this, have the dentist check your children’s teeth as soon as possible. At an early age, this can be corrected by a simple fixed appliance.
