How bad is my crossbite?

[Anna5]

Hello!

I am in braces for 8 months now and I was wondering, how bad do you think my crossbite is? For me, it is still quite obvious, but for others it may not....I was recommended SARPE, but refused, and now we are going the braces and elastics route to get an as good result as we can. I have been in crossbite elastics for a month (but now my ortho put me off these elastics).
Still, I hope my crossbite can further be corrected the braces..... But I am not sure, because my lower molars are already tipped in a lot. Maybe the braces can still widen my upper arch a bit more or tip out my upper molars a bit?

I would love to hear your honest opinion about the severity of my crossbite. Would you think I need surgery for this (still contemplating this sometimes) or do you think it is not too severe? Is it very obvious to you that my upper jaw is too narrow?

Thanks for your honest opinions!

[Anna5]

And here are some pictures of my (very narrow???) upper arch.....

[oimysizex]

Hello.
I don't think your cross bite is TOO bad, it is noticeable, yes, especially the one thats close up with the gap. Your teeth look quite good, but there is only so much you can do with a crossbite, without surgery. You've done what you think is right for you, ( not going down the surgery route). What I'm trying to say you'll get good results with braces and elastics alone and it may well fix it, but you'll get great results with the use of surgery. I know it was an informative answer but, i didn't want to read and run. Don't forget you're only 8 months in!!!

[Anna5]

Thanks for your answer! The problem is that I don't know well what is good for me, going with the surgery or just waiting what improvement braces can still bring since I am only 8 months in.....

[sirwired]

It's hard to say from photos how bad it is. A lot depends on how much your teeth have to tip in order to meet, and that's awfully hard to see in photos (while it's pretty clear on models, and of course very obvious to an actual orthodontist looking in your mouth.) And how much of that is due to skeletal issues is something that can only be seen on x-rays (by somebody that knows how to read them properly.)

[Anna5]

Thank you for your wise answer, sirwired. I think I had best ask my ortho about his honest opinion....
For now, he seemed to be quite happy with the improvement I have already made (with the open bite and crossbite) and every time I ask about surgery, he says 'no surgery yet'. But still I keep worried whether I will get a good result without surgery.....

[bracesagain2]

Hi Anna - I saw your teeth - they don't look bad at all. It doesn't even seem like you have a crossbite, unless I'm missing something.

I think my crossbite looked worse than yours - mine was on the left side. My bottom left canine was totally sticking out and I would keep biting myself all the time when I ate certain foods.

Again, I didn't go the surgery route. I do have asymmetry as well. But I just figured, I'm not going to be a model or actress or something where looks are everything - so I didn't really want to go through all that surgery stuff. I'm just an average 'ol person.

What is the type of surgery your ortho recommended? I don't know what the name or type of surgery that was recommended to me, but I know that was one option he had presented to me - surgery plus braces.

[Anna5]

Hello Braceagain2,

Thanks for your encouraging message. I love your attitude, you are not going to be a model or actress or something where looks are everyting, so why going to surgery just for outward perfection? I hope and pray I can come to this point of thinking as well!
I was recommended SARPE (surgery to widen the upper arch) and for a perfect result also a second surgery (upper jaw surgery). But I was too scared to opt this route and thought it was a bit too extreme just for looks....
My ortho seems quite happy with my results so far, so I think I should also be happy with my progress and try not to be too self conscious about imperfections that probably only I and my ortho see.

Greetings from Anna

[kpw818]

It doesn't look that bad too me. If I had your bite, personally, I probably wouldn't go through surgery. BUT, everyone is different, and if it feels bad/off to you, do what you feel is going to work for you.

I'm a class III case that has manifested into an open and cross bite along with the underbite. My jaw swings over to the right, and my midline is off 4mm. I'm becoming hesitant to go through surgery myself.

[Anna5]

Thanks for your reply, kpw818.
I think I will talk with my ortho about it soon, what he thinks about my progress and how bad he thinks my crossbite is and how many further progress he is expecting.
I also have some problems that may be caused by my crossbite (jaw clicking, mouth breathing), but I am not sure about that.

[fosterp]

I must be missing something as I can't see the crossbite on your photos.

Are you referring to the left side as in - left from our point of view looking at the photos (the side that you took the 3rd photo from)? Because I don't see the crossbite, in fact in looks like you have the opposite problem. I do see the gap - but a gap is not the same as a crossbite?

If the problem is on the right side, I maybe see where you have the crossbite but the pictures aren't very good.

I know exactly what a crossbite is too, as I had one during my treatment. Mine was fixed with elastics - you can look at my sig to see photos.

Edit: are you missing a premolar on the left side? That would make things a lot more complicated.

[Lalaloo]

Edit: are you missing a premolar on the left side? That would make things a lot more complicated.

[chichi]

I'm not seeing a crossbite. I see that your teeth aren't quite lined up and your bite isn't perfect, but I don't see an actual crossbite.

[Anna5]

Thanks for your replies. I went to my ortho today and he also said my crossbite is not there anymore. He has corrected it with elastics.
Fosterp: The crossbite is on the left from your point of view on the pictures. And there is also a gap (open bite). I hope my ortho will be able to close this as well. And yes, I am missing a premolar on my left side (dentist extracted this when I was a child because of crowding/ too little space). I think that is the reason my midline is a bit off.

[Anna5]

Hello!

Today I had an appointment with my ortho to talk about my progress and he thinks surgery for my crossbite is not necessary anymore, or at least it is not worth the risk of complications ed. I hope he is right and then I should have peace with this (that I will never get a really nice wide smile). Or should I go for a second opinion?

Anna