My dental midline is off! Can it be corrected with orthodontic treatment for tooth asymmetry? @ Daechi-dong Orthodontic Clinic, Yonsei Jeongwon Dental Clinic

Hello. I am Yoon Jung-won, the chief director of Yonsei Jeongwon Dental Clinic, an orthodontic clinic in Daechi-dong.

In cases with severe skeletal malocclusion, especially when the lower jaw is excessively developed or there is facial asymmetry, jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) must be performed along with orthodontic treatment. However, when the degree of skeletal disharmony is not severe, or when the asymmetry is not strongly skeletal even in an asymmetric face, or when there is no actual asymmetry in the facial bones and only the dental midline is misaligned, orthodontic treatment alone can be sufficient to correct it.

Shall we enjoy some eye candy for a moment? Haha. Tom Cruise is still such a handsome actor even as he gets older.

In fact, Tom Cruise is also the actor most often mentioned when orthodontists talk about dental midlines, haha. But because his handsomeness stands out so much, the tooth asymmetry is hardly noticeable! If you look at the next photo again, the asymmetry will be clearly visible.

Can you see the difference now? It is said that Tom Cruise injured his teeth when he was young after being hit in the mouth by a hockey puck while playing hockey. Because of that, one of his left front teeth was lost, and after orthodontic and prosthetic treatment, his current alignment was completed. Still, from an orthodontist’s perspective, the dental midline being shifted to the left is something that catches the eye.

This is a photo from when he was younger, probably before prosthetic treatment. Because there are also differences in tooth shape, the degree of asymmetry looks more pronounced than it does now! Still, because he is so attractive, the shifted dental midline probably would not stand out either :) If anything, it seems to add a bit of character to Tom Cruise’s charming smile.

Today, let’s look at cases where a misaligned dental midline was treated with orthodontic correction.

2019.7

This patient visited the clinic with the chief complaint that the dental midlines did not match. Looking at the smiling photo, the upper teeth were also shifted to the right (left side in the photo), and the lower teeth were also shifted to the left (right side in the photo). In addition, the activity of the muscles at both corners of the mouth differed, so when smiling, the left corner of the mouth rose less than the right, making the asymmetry look more pronounced.

2020.7

To improve the difference in the dental midlines and align the center of the face with the center of the teeth, only one lower right premolar was extracted. Using that space, the lower teeth were rotated to the right, and the upper teeth were moved overall to the left to align the midlines.

2022.6

The upper and lower dental midlines now match, and the left-right molar occlusion has also been well adjusted. Even though the difference in muscle activity at the corners of the mouth remained, the face center and the upper and lower dental midlines matched, so the smile looked much more natural than before treatment.

2022.6

The next case is also one where the difference between the upper and lower midlines made the face look asymmetric. In addition to the midline difference, a reverse bite was observed in the front teeth and molar areas (normally, the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth, but a reverse bite means the upper teeth bite in more inward than the lower teeth).

2020.2

The facial midline and the upper dental midline matched, and by extracting the lower right premolar and moving the lower teeth into that space, the midline and occlusion were improved.

2021.2

The next case also had a difference between the upper and lower dental midlines, and crowded teeth and a reverse bite were observed. The upper dental midline did not match the facial midline either and was shifted to the right (left side in the photo). In this patient, without extracting teeth, the teeth were moved backward to align the dental midline and also match the facial midline.

2020.1

After finishing orthodontic treatment, the upper dental midline matched the facial midline, and the upper and lower dental midlines also matched.

2022.7

Straightening crowded teeth is also a very interesting treatment, but improving asymmetry with orthodontics is not only genuinely interesting and rewarding for the doctor, it is also a treatment process with especially high patient satisfaction.

Some people may think that correcting tooth asymmetry is a much bigger project than ordinary crowding treatment, but since it is something that can be sufficiently treated with orthodontics, I recommend not worrying too much and visiting a dental clinic for a consultation :)

The orthodontic treatment at Yonsei Jeongwon Dental Clinic includes the diagnostic fee and monthly fees (except for the retainer cost), so you do not need to worry about additional expenses. In addition, because general dentistry is available in the same clinic, all treatment needed for orthodontics, such as extractions and cavity treatment, can be done in one place. We also offer installment payments to reduce the burden of paying a large amount all at once, which makes it even more attractive.

Director Yoon Jung-won, who oversees the orthodontic department, has specialized only in orthodontics for 16 years of clinical experience and has extensive experience with numerous high-difficulty cases. Therefore, she can effectively treat a wide range of orthodontic cases, including malocclusion, protruding mouth, and underbite.

If you visit Yonsei Jeongwon Dental Clinic, an orthodontic specialty clinic in Daechi-dong, you can get an accurate understanding of your current condition through a simple oral examination at no additional cost, and you can also hear explanations about various orthodontic appliances during orthodontic consultations, so please feel free to contact us for a consultation.

Yonsei Jeongwon Dental Clinic has all the latest equipment needed for orthodontic treatment, including the iTero Lumina 3D oral scanner, growth plate testing, and pre- and post-treatment simulations using the Morpheus facial scanner, allowing for more precise and systematic orthodontic treatment.

If you are considering orthodontics because of protruding teeth, crowding, malocclusion, underbite, or similar concerns, you may already have gathered a lot of information through online searches. Even so, comparing the different appliances in person and hearing detailed explanations will be very helpful in making your decision.

During the consultation, you can compare various appliances such as Clarity, Clippy C, and Invisalign in person and receive detailed explanations of their pros and cons, so we encourage you to call or visit for a consultation without hesitation.

Yonsei Jeongwon Dental Clinic is close to Samseong Station, Hakyeoul Station, Daechi Station, and Hanti Station, making it very convenient for visits from Samseong-dong, Daechi-dong, and Gaepo-dong.

Next to BMW at the Daechi-dong Woosung Apartment intersection

(Across from Starbucks / Samsung Store)

Yonsei Jeongwon Dental Clinic, an orthodontic clinic in Daechi-dong, offers convenient and free parking

Consultation and inquiries: 02-501-2879