If you seem to be questioning your smile or perhaps other features related to your smile like your jaw line or lip appearance, you should know that these kinds of “why” questions aren’t uncommon. Specifically, if you seem to question why your lower lip may stick out further, many individuals actually tend to share this feature with one another. Typically, if the lower lip seems to stick out further than usual, this can be a good indicator of a jaw misalignment, or “malocclusion”.
Most importantly, malocclusions tend to be treatable with proper dental or orthodontic treatment. If you seem to be unhappy with how your lower lip may look, it could benefit you to schedule an appointment with a dentist who can perform a thorough evaluation looking for signs that may point towards a specific type of malocclusion. Generally, an “underbite” is what tends to occur when the lower lip sticks out further than the top, which can cause the lip to jut out slightly. Other common misalignments a dentist can identify include overbites, crossbites and open bites.
If you do decide to schedule an evaluation with a dentist, he or she may recommend a variety of options depending on the severity of the malocclusion identified. Often, orthodontic treatments are successful when it comes to treating malocclusions. Some of the orthodontic treatment options available for malocclusions are as follows:
Traditional Braces: Typically, braces are used to treat patients with overbites, but in some cases a dentist or orthodontist may recommend braces for other forms of bite correction.
Upper Jaw Expander: An upper jaw expander is commonly used to treat underbites. It is a wire-frame appliance that fits across the palate in the mouth. It is adjusted periodically to widen the upper jaw so that the lower teeth do not close against the outside of the upper teeth.
Reverse Pull Face Mask: The “reverse-pull” face mask closely resembles headgear. However, it is not headgear. This appliance wraps around the head and pulls the upper jaw into the desired position using metal bands fastened to the upper back teeth.
Cosmetic Treatment: In mild cases, cosmetic dentistry can be used to reshape the lower teeth and use veneers for the upper teeth for an underbite to be corrected.
On the other hand, for much more serious malocclusion cases, it may be a possibility to discuss jaw surgery. Jaw surgery is usually only performed in extreme cases of jaw misalignments and would be performed by an Oral Surgeon. Either a dentist or orthodontist can give a referral to an oral surgeon for a consultation. Our friends and Austin, Texas dermatologists at Farady Dermatology Associates have stated that many potential dermatology patients are concerned with the look of their lips.
If you feel that you may have a misalignment, do not be alarmed! Rather, you should know that treatment is available and an evaluation could be scheduled before the New Year begins or any time in 2020 at Wells Family Dental Group! We have an excellent team of dentists who would be more than happy to perform an evaluation and discuss the results with you. For more information regarding scheduling or misalignments, please contact Wells Family Dental Group today.