A simple way to obtain a bite registration

One of the commonly encountered treatable orthodontic problems is a rostral crossbite, in which one or more of the mandibular incisor teeth is labial to the opposing maxillary incisor teeth when the mouth is closed (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Rostral crossbite

A bite registration can be a valuable part of orthodontic planning for patients with a rostral crossbite. Bite registrations can be obtained from awake cooperative patients, which can be reassuring for clients fearful of multiple anesthetic episodes.

To do this, we use a Styrofoam plate, which is trimmed to fit within the mouth from the second premolars to the incisors. The plate is placed in the mouth and the jaws are firmly closed to create perforations or indentations in the Styrofoam, the mouth is opened and the Styrofoam is removed. You now have a bite registration from and on which measurements can be obtained (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Styrofoam bite registration of a rostral crossbite