My 8 yr. old daughter has a crossbite and crowding what should i do? at our last dental appointment her dentist said she had a crossbite and crowding. she is only 8. what should i do? should i wait until she is older? she still has baby teeth and sucks he

If : If your daughter has a crossbite and crowding your dentist should recommend an orthodontic consult. Orthodontist are specialists who can treat crossbites caused by harmful habits like sucking a thumb. Most crossbites are corrected between the ages of 7 and 11 and can correct both the crossbite and crowding within 6-12 months. This is called phase i interceptive and preventative orthodontics. The orthodontist may recommend a fixed expander, removable expander or even a few braces depending on where the crossbite is. These appliances work really well and can often prevent extractions or extensive braces in the future. The best place to start however, is with a consult. Good luck.

I : I would recommend a consult by an orthodontist. Usually the recommendation is to start the expansion of the upper jaw and the right time to start is about that age. It is better not to wait with the cross bite.

Usually : Usually children receive orthodontic treatment around 12 years old. However some of them have server crowed or crossbite, they may need to receive a pre-treatment of orthodontics. I would suggest you take your daughter to see orthodontics. He/she may give you advices.

Correct it now: Crossbite probably means upper jaw too narrow. Should be corrected asap to aid development of upper jaw and provide more room for eruption of permanent teeth. Please take your daughter to orthodontist to help fix the problem and control the thumb habit that distorted her jaw. Kudos to your dentist for diagnosing the problem. Ask him for name of the orthodontist he prefers.