jawsurgeryforums.com

General Category => Aesthetics => Topic started by: disabledmaxilla on August 06, 2016, 09:33:35 AM

Title: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: disabledmaxilla on August 06, 2016, 09:33:35 AM
Are there really any effective ways to shorten a long midface? I'm pretty certain it can be done through maxillary impaction but I've read it can only be done in patients with a gummy smile.

Would it be an effective solution for someone with a healthy smile to get maxillary impaction and then get a lip lift for the teeth to show?
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: Vic on August 06, 2016, 11:11:23 AM
Yes, that can be done.
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: disabledmaxilla on August 06, 2016, 02:17:57 PM
Yes, that can be done.

Thanks for the reply.

Do you know anyone here having it done?
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: PloskoPlus on August 06, 2016, 02:40:10 PM
Yes, that can be done.
That would mean shortening the nose. I don't see how.
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: disabledmaxilla on August 06, 2016, 03:12:33 PM
That would mean shortening the nose. I don't see how.

Doesn't that depend on where the cut is done to the maxilla ?

It would be interesting to know how and if the soft tissue is going to shorten as well.
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: PloskoPlus on August 06, 2016, 03:15:48 PM
Doesn't that depend on where the cut is done to the maxilla ?

It would be interesting to know how and if the soft tissue is going to shorten as well.
The only shortening that can be done is impaction with lip lift. The nose does not get shorter
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: baldguy83 on August 06, 2016, 03:18:18 PM
Going for a maxillary impaction without a gummy smile sounds like a recipe for disaster. Don't underestimate the scarring that will result from a lip lift, not to mention any other soft tissue issues.
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: disabledmaxilla on August 06, 2016, 03:25:16 PM
The only shortening that can be done is impaction with lip lift. The nose does not get shorter

Sounds like a good solution for a long midface with an average nose in terms of length but as baldguy83 wrote, you can not be sure how the soft tissue is going to match with the shortened skeletal structure.
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: disabledmaxilla on August 19, 2016, 01:56:19 PM
Has anyone actually ever seen before-and-afters from maxillary impaction where there was noticable shortening of the middle third of the patient's face?

Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: meepmeepmeep on August 19, 2016, 04:27:58 PM
you can't really shorten the middle third of the face by impaction or lip lift because from the chin point to the sub nasal is the bottom third. i think people are more concerned with shortening the distance between the pupils and the mid lips.
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: Lostfaith on August 20, 2016, 04:24:55 AM
Pls don't do it , I've just had a impaction and have gone from having a lovely smile to seeing hardly any top teeth, when I speak you see more bottom teeth than top, I have less support in mid face. It's been a disaster and I need my jaw bringing back down with a graft. Unless you have a very gummy smile which I didnt  then don't do it
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: diculo on August 22, 2016, 10:30:04 AM
Would maxillary impaction of 3mm make a big difference in shortening the middle third of the face?
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: drizzlesome on August 23, 2016, 12:46:47 AM
Pls don't do it , I've just had a impaction and have gone from having a lovely smile to seeing hardly any top teeth, when I speak you see more bottom teeth than top, I have less support in mid face. It's been a disaster and I need my jaw bringing back down with a graft. Unless you have a very gummy smile which I didnt  then don't do it

Hi, I hope you already found a solution. How many mm did your surgeon impact?
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: baldguy83 on August 23, 2016, 06:29:47 AM
impaction without gummy smile is big mistake and I've been warned about this several times. I'd like to know tough, how could this move degrade your midface?

Think on it, where does all the extra soft tissue go? All you address is the bone underneath.

In the case of a very gummy smile, you actually have a 'shortage' of soft tissue (or rather, an excess of bone!). Hence, an impaction could work well in that case.
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: Lynnwood on August 23, 2016, 07:26:50 PM
Drizzlesome,

I sent you a PM, was hoping to a\talk to you... Did you miss it?
Title: Re: Shortening the middle third of the face
Post by: disabledmaxilla on August 25, 2016, 06:40:12 AM
Would maxillary impaction of 3mm make a big difference in shortening the middle third of the face?

Now that's an interesting question.

What would be the threshold to not end up with the teeth burried under the upper lip if one with no gummy smile has maxillary impaction ?

I'd guess 5 millimeters of impaction would make a noticable difference if the length of the midface but such a big amount of impaction should never be attemped on a non-gummy smile.