Orthodontic treatment using fixed braces or clear aligners is to correct teeth malalignment or malocclusion. Just as every parent will attest to the fact that every child is different, likewise every malocclusion or teeth malalignment is different and every treatment plan is different.
Generally speaking, the orthodontic treatment plan can be divided into 3 broad types with different aims and objectives.
- Early interceptive treatment (including growth modification)
- Orthodontic camouflage, orthodontic treatment only
- Combined orthodontic treatment and orthognathic/jaw surgery
For orthodontic treatment only, the most obvious change to the face will be the lip profile. The most common example will be a situation where teeth are protruding and sticking out. Orthodontic treatment with extractions of premolar teeth to create space for retraction of the teeth backward will allow the lips to retract and this will improve the lip profile. Conversely, if no space was created for teeth movement, and the plan was to push the lips forward (perhaps due to flat lips), orthodontic treatment will align the teeth through expansion and slight proclination thus pushing the lips forward.
However, if there is severe crowding, even if space is created through extractions, this may not change the lip profile. This is because all the space from the extractions has been utilised to align the rest of the remaining teeth. Hence it really depends on your individual case presentation, it is best to consult your dentist/orthodontist on what are the expected lip changes.
In my experience, some patients also experience other facial changes, perhaps due to the change in the diet after fixing braces. Patients on braces do tend to avoid hard foods as this can cause the braces to loosen, hence this may mean that their masseter muscles (muscles by the side of the jaw) are less active and may cause the muscles to get smaller. This may give the appearance of a more V-shaped face due to the reduced prominence of the masseter muscles. However, this does not appear to be a universal experience for everyone and is not a direct result of braces treatment per se.
Combined orthodontic treatment and orthognathic/ jaw surgery will usually have a positive impact on the face. To find out more, please refer to this article that I have previously written about this type of treatment plan.
https://www.human.com.sg/corrective-jaw-orthognathic-surgery
