If You’re Worried That Orthodontic Treatment Will Give You a Peanut-Shaped Face

Hello~

I’m Dr. Lee Ju-ri, the chief director of Seoul Vardi Dental Clinic!

When I listen to patients who visit for orthodontic consultations, I can tell that many of them are worried about their face shape.

Many people also start orthodontic treatment with the goal of improving their side profile.

Today’s post is for those who are worried about whether their face shape will change after orthodontic treatment.

If You’re Worried That Orthodontic Treatment Will Give You a Peanut-Shaped Face

I’ll explain it from two perspectives: symptoms and causes!

What Is a Peanut-Shaped Face?

Have you ever heard that orthodontic treatment can change the facial line?

In particular, some of you may have heard the term “peanut-shaped face.”

First, the image of a peanut has a narrow middle section~

A peanut-shaped face refers to a condition where, after orthodontic treatment, the jaw becomes slimmer and the cheeks appear sunken.

From the front, the cheek area looks hollow, and the chin tip appears more prominent, which is why it is called a peanut shape.

Because the cheeks are sunken, the cheekbones may also appear more prominent!

This can happen especially when the bite of the molars changes and the masticatory muscles (the muscles used for chewing) atrophy, or when the alveolar bone is resorbed.

Why does a peanut-shaped face occur after orthodontic treatment?

A slimmer jawline and the appearance of weight loss after orthodontic treatment would be nice...

But anything can happen when balance is disrupted.

(1) Atrophy of the masticatory muscles

When you undergo orthodontic treatment, the chewing function may change during tooth movement.

This is especially true in cases involving tooth extraction!!!

Muscles are attached next to the bone!

As the number of teeth decreases, the chewing muscles may also decrease, right?

If the masticatory muscles atrophy, the cheeks can become thinner and the jawline may appear more defined!

It may be easier to think of the reduction in chewing muscles as similar to the effect of Botox.

When you get Botox, the size of the muscle decreases, so the jaw temporarily looks slimmer.

(2) Facial shape changes caused by changes in occlusion

Before and after orthodontic treatment, the position of the teeth changes, which also changes the overall bite.

That is why even during orthodontic treatment, the face shape changes from moment to moment.

On 250228, many patients say improving the side profile is their top priority~

(3) Habit of eating soft foods

During orthodontic treatment, people often eat mainly soft foods to avoid putting strain on their teeth.

While wearing braces, you also wear rubber bands and sometimes have mini-screws placed,

which places restrictions on the kinds of food you can eat, and the reduced chewing activity can lead to atrophy of the muscles around the jaw!

https://blog.naver.com/implant_master/223765276137

What is important here is.. Orthodontic treatment itself does not create a peanut-shaped face.

During orthodontic treatment, it may temporarily~

because the teeth are moving and food intake is restricted, it can change temporarily!!

In most cases, over time,

after treatment ends, it naturally recovers~

Conclusion

A “peanut-shaped face from orthodontic treatment” may be a relatively common change,

and it can certainly appear during orthodontic treatment~

Because orthodontic treatment is not cosmetic surgery that shaves down bone, it does not dramatically change the face shape~

Instead, as the mouth moves inward, the lip line changes, which can create an aesthetic effect.

Rather than worrying about changes in face shape, if you continue to consult regularly with your attending doctor,

I believe you can achieve a more balanced face shape and a satisfying result.

Thank you for reading until the end~!

| This post was written directly by Seoul Vardi Dental Clinic for the purpose of providing medical information, in compliance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Advertising Act. The information provided is for reference only, and we recommend visiting a medical institution to receive guidance from medical professionals for symptom assessment and accurate management methods. All procedures / surgeries performed at the dental clinic may involve risks depending on the individual (such as inflammation, bleeding, swelling, etc.). Please make your decision after sufficient consultation with medical professionals in advance. The treatment cases in this post were photographed with the consent of patients who completed treatment at our clinic, and the before-and-after photos were taken under the same conditions. |

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