Orthodontics · single question

Which of the following does NOT cause posterior crossbite?

  1. Airway obstruction (mouth breathing)
  2. Prolonged pacifier use
  3. Microglossia (abnormally small tongue)
  4. Prolonged thumb sucking
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. Microglossia (abnormally small tongue)

A crossbite occurs when upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth. Common causes of posterior crossbite include: mouth breathing due to airway obstruction (which alters tongue posture and narrows the maxillary arch), prolonged pacifier use and thumb sucking (which apply abnormal lateral forces on the maxillary arch causing narrowing), and skeletal maxillary constriction. Microglossia (an abnormally small tongue) would actually tend to allow the maxillary arch to expand outward (since there is less tongue pressure to maintain maxillary arch width), potentially causing a crossbite in theory, but it is NOT a recognized cause of posterior crossbite in the dental literature. Macroglossia (large tongue) causes arch expansion and open bites.

Practice Orthodontics questions Orthodontics study notes

More Orthodontics practice questions