Why Face Shape Changes After Orthodontic Treatment (Orthodontic Face Shape Change)

Orthodontic face shape change

About face shape changes after orthodontic treatment

Before-and-after orthodontics orthodontic reviews orthodontic side effects

One of the most common questions people think about when considering orthodontic treatment is:

“If I straighten my teeth, will my face shape change too?”

In fact, after orthodontic treatment,

My face became slimmer, My protruding mouth moved inward, My underbite-like appearance was eased

there are experiences like these involving orthodontic face shape change.

At the same time,

after orthodontic treatment, I look older, my jaw looks longer, my wrinkles became deeper

there are also cases of orthodontic side effects related to orthodontic face shape change like these.

So what is the conclusion?

Orthodontic treatment alone can change the face shape before and after treatment.

However, there are clearly “conditions under which it is possible.”

✿Check point✿ When face shape changes are possible after orthodontic treatment

A typical case where the face shape changes before and after treatment is when the cause of the face shape is largely concentrated in the oral structure (teeth, dental alignment, bite).

For example:

When protruding mouth appearance is made more noticeable by the forward inclination of the teeth When an underbite-like appearance is emphasized by tooth alignment rather than the actual skeleton When the mouth does not close easily, making the lips look pushed forward When a one-sided chewing habit and bite imbalance increase facial asymmetry

In such cases, orthodontic treatment alone can

improve the lip line, change the impression, and make the face shape change before and after treatment clearly noticeable.

✿Check point✿ When orthodontics alone has limitations

On the other hand, if the main cause of the face shape is more strongly influenced by factors such as

skeletal structure (jawbone size/position) muscles (development of the chewing muscles, habits of using the jaw muscles) skin fat (cheek fat, sagging, elasticity)

then there are limits to changing the face shape itself with orthodontic treatment alone.

Orthodontics is a treatment that moves the teeth and dental alignment.

It is not a treatment that shaves bone, directly reduces muscle volume, or changes skin elasticity.

Therefore, in this case,

it is important to choose a place that accurately distinguishes from the beginning between the changes that orthodontics can achieve and the areas that require a different approach.

✿Check point✿ Is double jaw surgery really necessary?

When people are worried about their face shape, some may simply conclude that double jaw surgery is needed, but double jaw surgery is an operation with significant risks and recovery burden.

And in reality, the cause of face shape concerns is not always only in the bones.

In other words, if the cause is the bone, surgery may be necessary.

But if functional problems are not severe and the focus is cosmetic, it is an area that should be judged carefully.

So proper diagnosis does not begin with quickly deciding between surgery and orthodontics.

It begins with accurately identifying what is causing my face shape.

✿Check point✿ What is important in double jaw orthodontic treatment

Malocclusion that affects the face shape (protruding mouth, underbite, underbite-like appearance) often does not end with simply straightening the teeth.

In particular, a protruding mouth or underbite-like appearance requires the following elements to work together in order to lead to positive orthodontic face shape changes:

The direction and speed of tooth movement Whether extractions are performed and how space is secured Adjustment of the front-to-back relationship between the upper and lower jaws The process of stabilizing the bite Fine bite adjustments and a maintenance plan after treatment

If these factors are not handled delicately,

undesired changes in appearance can occur, such as the lip line looking overly sunken, cheeks looking hollow, or the jawline appearing more emphasized.

✿Check point✿ Three things that determine face shape changes

In summary, face shape changes before and after treatment, orthodontic face shape change, are driven by these three key points:

Accurate diagnosis of the cause A treatment plan tailored to the cause Fine adjustments and aftercare after treatment (including retention)

When these three are balanced properly, orthodontic treatment can go beyond simply making the teeth look nice and become a treatment that also refines the lip line and overall impression.

Lastly, there is one more thing I would like to say!

What changes through orthodontic treatment is not just the face shape, but also the person’s atmosphere, confidence, and expression.

The moment the teeth fit together comfortably and the 부담 when smiling is reduced, that change begins to appear naturally in daily life before it even shows up in photos.

A new smile A new beginning

• This post was provided by a medical institution due to a third-party contractual relationship, including medical information.