Diagnosis and treatment of anterior dental crossbite

Abstract

Background. Anterior dental crossbite is a common problem in the primary and mixed dentition and needs early intervention to prevent further damage to occlusion. According to its origin,it can be differentiated into skeletal and dental crossbite. Dental anterior crossbite is a more localized problems and more easily managed. Simple dental crossbite show a frequency of 3% to 12% cases. Crossbite usually do not self-correct with age. As Tausche et al. reported anterior crossbite show progression in severity in the permanent dentition. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of early diagnosis and interceptive treatment of anterior dental crossbite removable Hawley appliance. Case report. In the study were included 10 consecutive patients according to the following criteria: mixed dentition, anterior crossbite, no extreme functional shift, no posterior crossbite, no previous orthodontic treatment. The patients with anterior dental crossbite in the mixed dentition were treated with a removable Hawley appliance with occlusal coverage and a sinfle finger spring. Patients were followed until a minimum of 6 months post-treatment. Results, Active treatment of the successfully treated cases lasted 2,5 months. Crossbite correction of central incisors were achieved by forward movement and buccal inclination of the crowns. Results remain stable during follow-up period without using any retention regime. No other important adverse events were reported by the patient except moderate to severe discomfort during mastication.Conclusions. Correction of dental anterior crossbite is a simple approach in mixed dentition, which has high success rates and requires minimum level of compliance. Based on the results, this approach can be suggested for anterior crossbite as an early orthodontic treatment in mixed dentition.