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Braces are sometimes needed to help straighten your teeth, fix your bite, and address oral health issues. You may also wonder about the potential effects of braces on your jawline and facial shape. Our orthodontists at Village Orthodontics provide insights into this question.
Understanding the Relationship Between Face Shape and Braces
Braces work by applying continuous pressure to your teeth, guiding them into their desired positions. This pressure also influences the surrounding bone, enabling it to adapt to the new tooth alignment and facial structure.
As a result, braces can potentially alter the shape of your face by improving jaw alignment and creating a more balanced facial profile. But it is important to note that any changes to facial appearance due to braces are typically subtle. They may also vary depending on individual factors like age and initial tooth positioning.
How Braces Affect Nose Shape
No, orthodontic treatments like braces do not directly modify the nose's shape or facial length. While braces can adjust the width of the upper jaw, they do not impact the structures affecting the size and shape of the nose.
Some people believe their nose looks different after braces or that their face seems longer due to angles. Shifting teeth and jaws, or bringing lips in or out more, alters the angles between the lips and nose and sometimes between the lips and chin. This creates the illusion that the nose has changed shape or grown bigger. But it has only adjusted the facial profile.
Impact of Braces on Jawline Transformation
Do braces change your jawline and affect your jaw bones? Orthodontic treatment can enhance the jawline, but its objectives extend beyond that. The focus also includes correcting misaligned bites, which can be achieved using various orthodontic tools such as expanders, functional appliances, elastics, surgery, and braces.
An orthodontist's ultimate goal is typically to help you achieve optimal outcomes and a beautiful smile that not only enhances the cosmetic appearance of the teeth, smile, face, and jawline, but also ensures a stable, comfortable, and functional bite and facial symmetry.
Influence of Braces on Lips and Mouth Shape
The specific malocclusion being addressed may lead to changes in mouth appearance and proper alignment. For instance, open bites can make it challenging to fully close the mouth, giving it a stretched look. Consequently, correcting the bite alters the mouth's shape when closed.
The lips may appear different after orthodontic treatment, too. This is due to the impact of the front teeth's forward position and alignment. As the front teeth move into better positions, the shape of the lips also changes. Orthodontists carefully assess the lips and facial features during the initial patient assessment, taking any expected changes into account. This ensures that the final treatment results leave the teeth, smile, lips, and facial structure as balanced as possible.
Maintaining Teeth Straightness After Braces with Treatment Plan for a Beautiful Smile
Here are some recommendations from our orthodontists to maintain a straight smile once your braces treatment concludes and to fix misaligned teeth. Follow the steps to achieve the perfect facial shape and youthful appearance.
1. Wear Your Retainer as Advised
After your treatment finishes, you will be fitted for a retainer. It is very important to look after and wear your retainer to keep your teeth straight and to improve your oral health.
2. Floss Every Day
Flossing removes food and plaque build-up between your teeth. By flossing every day, you'll keep your upper teeth clean and possibly avoid gum disease.
3. Practice Preventive Hygiene Routine
Brush your teeth regularly. A good rule of thumb is twice a day for two minutes each time. You may need to take extra time to brush to ensure your brackets, wires and bands are clear of food particles and bacteria. Make sure you visit your general dentist for preventive hygiene and cleaning appointments too.