Improvement in Jaw Motion Following Treatment of Unilateral Crossbite in a Child with Primary Dentition: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

This case report examines jaw motion during both habitual opening-closing and gum chewing in a young (3 years, 10 months) patient with unilateral crossbite at the primary dentition stage. Jaw motion was measured three times: 1. before treatment; 2. after active treatment; and 3. after retention. The abnormal habitual open-close pathway seen prior to treatment was improved after retention. Prior to treatment, movement of the affected-side condyle preceded movement of the non-affected-side condyle during opening. After retention, the movement of the condyles was better coordinated. The chopping type chewing pattern, with less lateral movement, before treatment changed to a more grinding type pattern on the affected side after activation. This study suggests that the prescribed treatment effectively improved both the patient's morphology and function. However, neither the open-close pathways nor the chewing patterns were completely normal after retention. The results in this case suggest that early treatment of functional unilateral crossbite can be effective.

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Notes on contributors

Issei Saitoh

Dr. Issei Saitoh received his D.D.S. degree in 1999 from the Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu University, Japan. He is now a junior at the Graduate School of Dental Science, Kyushu University (the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth, and Development). Dr. Saitoh's research interest is development of oral functions, especially chewing motion.

Haruaki Hayasaki

Dr. Haruaki Hayasaki received his DDS degree in 1987 and Ph.D degree in 1992 from the Faculty of Dentistry in Kyushu University. He received a Certified Pedodontist from the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry in 1992. He visited Baylor College of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics (Dallas, Texas, USA) as a visiting researcher from 1997 to 1999. He received the Award for Young Scientist from the Japanese Society of Stomatognathic Function in 2000. Currently, he is a research associate of the Section of the Pediatric Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth & Development, Kyushu University, Faculty of Dental Science.

Yoko Iwase

Dr. Yoko Iwase received her D.D.S. degree in 1997 from the Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu University. Subsequently, she worked in the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth, and Development, Kyushu University Graduate School of Dental Science from 1997 to 2001. Currently, she is working as an intern in the Kyushu University Dental Hospital. Her research interest is occlusal contacts during masticatory movement in children with primary dentition.

Minoru Nakata

Dr. Minoru Nakata is Professor of Pediatric Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth & Development, Kyushu University Faculty of Dental Science and received his DDS from Tokyo Medical and Dental University School of Dentistry (1964) and Ph.D.(1968). He was awarded the NIH Forgaty International Fellowship, USA and attended Medical Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine (1971–1973). His book “Occlusal Guidance in Growing Children” originally written in Japanese, has been translated into English and four other language versions. He is a member of Cranio-Facial Group of IADR and serves as an Expert on the Advisory Committee of WHO and also have served as a consultant, member, and vice-chairman in FDI (1979–1999).