Thank you for your question. As the lips lie directly over the upper and lower teeth, the position of the teeth and the underlying jaw bone can have a direct influence on the lip position. The lip position can either be too flat/ dished inwards or too protrusive/hard to close.
If the lip position is too flat/dished inwards and the teeth are also inclined inwards and crooked, orthodontic treatment to align the teeth and pushed the teeth outwards can have a positive impact on the lip support.
If the lip position is too protrusive/hard to close, and the teeth are proclined or sticking outwards, orthodontic treatment to retract the teeth and push them backwards can improve the lip position and make it easier to close the lips more comfortably.
However, there are other factors such as age, muscle tone, the thickness of the lips and the underlying jaw bony structure that also have a direct impact on the lip support. It would be best to have a face to face consultation and discuss your concerns about the lip support with your dentist/orthodontist.
Hope this helps and all the very best,
Dr Priscilla Lu
Orthodontist at the Orthodontic Clinic
