Treatment of anterior crossbite using a myofunctional appliance: A case report

Abstract

Anterior crossbite is a common condition in the mixed dentition stage and caused by several factors, including a lingual eruption path of the maxillary anterior incisors, trauma to the primary incisor resulting in lingual displacement of the permanent tooth germ, supernumerary anterior teeth, an overretained necrotic or pulpless deciduous tooth or root, odontomas, crowding in the incisor region, inadequate arch length, and a habit of biting the upper lip. When left untreated, this type of malocclusion can cause undesirable consequences such as gum recession, temporomandibular joint disorders, and mandibular deviation. The choice of treatment is subsidiary to the cause of the crossbite, the goals of treatment, and the level of cooperation of the patient. Several methods are provided to treat anterior crossbite. This case report describes a 7-year-old female patient with anterior crossbite and associated poor oral habits, which was treated using a functional appliance (Myobrace). After 3 months of treatment, the anterior crossbite was successfully corrected with normalization of overjet and overbite. She also showed improvement in tongue posture, tongue-thrust swallowing habit, and lower lip posture.