WILL ALIGNERS CHANGE THE SHAPE OF MY FACE?
WILL ALIGNERS CHANGE THE SHAPE OF MY FACE?
EXPECTATIONS From DIGITAL ORTHODONTICS - Solo Edition by Dr. Bak Nguyen
The use of aligners to straighten teeth will do just that, to straighten your teeth. It will improve your smile and may widen it, but within the actual perimeter of your face prior to treatment. In that case, your smile will simply occupy the free space between your teeth and your cheek, today empty and available.
Since most people prefer a wider smile, this will be a great improvement. But that is only seen as you will be showing your teeth. With your mouth close, your face will remain the same.
For those will severe protruding teeth, by pulling them back inside of the mouth, the exterior appearance will improve due to the fact that your lips are not forcing as much to cover the teeth, resulting in, over the time of treatment, a more harmonious face. Other than that, the use of aligners will not change drastically the shape of your face, especially at an adult age.
In a teenager, natural growth will change the face. The use of aligners might help push in the right direction but, once again, by themselves, aligners will not be changing a person's face. To see a change in a person's face, the treatment you are referring to is orthognathic surgery.
That will improve your face drastically. If you are okay with your face and only wish to see a better smile within that face, aligners can be of great help. If you are looking to change your face, well, you will have to explore surgery.
Warning: This is considering that you are under the care of a qualified attending. The aligners and orthodontics appliances, in general, are powerful tools that can worsen the face if not applied and used in the right way. To move the teeth in the wrong direction, to wear inadequate aligners can be of great consequences, both on the teeth and the shape of the face. Please take the time to consult, ask questions, and connect with your attending doctor.