Do Braces Change Your Jawline – Will Brace Ruin Your Jawline?

Braces are a reliable orthodontic treatment option to correct issues with your bite, overcrowding, or misaligned teeth. Your lower facial features and jaw may look asymmetrical due to orthodontic issues.

Yes, wearing braces can alter your jawline, chin, mouth shape, and even your lips. Braces will help you resolve any long-term jawline problems you may be experiencing.

Depending on how old you are when you’re getting braces, certain facial aspects can be adjusted more than others. However, you might have specific concerns about how orthodontic treatments like Invisalign and adult braces will affect your particular appearance.

How Do Braces Change Your Facial Structure Or Shape?

A good bite relationship between the upper and lower teeth is another goal of braces treatment in addition to teeth alignment.

Whether fixed braces or clear aligners are used, straightening your teeth causes the soft tissues that cover them (like your lips and cheeks) to adjust to your new bite and dental alignment.

For instance, patients with severely protruding front teeth frequently have protruding lips and lip incompetency, which means their upper and lower lips are frequently apart at rest and the patient typically needs to make a conscious effort to keep their mouth closed.

To make room for braces or other orthodontic treatment, such patients typically need to have teeth extracted. Dental extractions help make room in the dental arch for the front teeth that protrude to move backward. As the protruding front teeth retract backward, the overlying lips move backward as well, thereby aiding in the improvement of lip competency. With braces, this change is usually a gradual one.

On the other hand, if you have an underbite and we bring your upper and lower teeth into proper alignment and bite, it can create the appearance of a “plumper” upper lip.

To summarise, braces can indeed change the position of your lips, but only as much as the teeth behind them change. In terms of your lips’ fullness, tone, and shape, braces will not be able to alter them.

Do Braces Change Your Nose Shape Or Make It Bigger?

Some people want to know specific details like, “Do braces change your nose shape?”

No. They do not. Even though braces can adjust the width of your upper jaw, they don’t extend into the structures that affect the shape and size of your nose.

However, if braces adjust your upper teeth and jaws enough that the shape of your profile in that area changes, it could potentially make it seem as though your nose looks a bit different, especially from the side.

Your overall facial profile will change right next to your nose, for instance, if your lips are pulled back in or pulled out more. As a side effect, it may give the appearance that your nose is changing shape.

Can braces increase the size of your nose? No, but if they pull your upper teeth back significantly, the completed treatment could create the illusion that your nose is protruding more than before. On the other hand, braces by themselves won’t enlarge your nose.

Do Braces Change Your Lips and Make Them Look Bigger?

Yes, braces can change the position of your lips, but only as much as the teeth immediately behind them change. Nothing about braces altering the shape or fullness of your lips is relevant.

For instance, correcting an underbite may give the appearance of a plumper upper lip if we align your upper and lower front teeth properly. If we move your top teeth back a few millimeters because they are protruding outward, your lip will also be able to reposition slightly.

The barrier of your lips covers your smile in protection. They protect you from broken teeth in the event of a mouth blow. Getting treatment like Invisalign or traditional braces will only change the “base” that your lips rest against.

Note: You might momentarily notice that your lips appear larger if you’re wearing conventional braces that use a bracket and wire system. This is a result of the extra space that your teeth and lips have created. Your lips aren’t bigger; rather, until the braces are removed, they can’t press all the way up against your teeth.

Does Invisalign Change Your Face Shape, Nose, Lips, Or Jawline?

Invisalign can change the position of your lips too in some circumstances. But with Invisalign, there isn’t as much of a “buffer” between your teeth and your lips. This means that during the procedure, you don’t notice many changes in your lip profile or size. However, Invisalign still has the ability to realign your upper teeth, which may indirectly affect the shape of your lips and your side profile.

Most of our patients prefer clear aligners over traditional braces because they don’t seem to have much of an impact on their appearance or daily activities.

Conclusions

What makes orthodontic treatment a complex and individualized service is having a thorough understanding of the delicate relationship between your teeth alignment, your jaws, and your facial features. Make an appointment to see your orthodontist for a personalized diagnosis and treatment plan right away if you’re thinking about getting the stunning smile you’ve always desired!

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