Author Topic: Upper lip curls under when smiling - fixed with jaw surgery??  (Read 759 times)

crookedfaceblues

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Hi everyone!
I'm currently just beginning to look into ortho treatment and possibly jaw surgery to fix the issues that my previous camouflage ortho treatment didn't address (and made worse).

One of the many issues I have is that my upper lip curls under when I smile with teeth. I don't have a gummy smile (in fact, my upper lip lies LOWER than normal when I smile), but it still curls up and gives the illusion of a very thin lip.
In terms of my jaws + teeth, I had 4 biscupid extractions before wearing braces with elastics for 3 years. My maxilla and mandible are retreated. My teeth feel too far back from my lips on the inside of my mouth.
Does anyone have any insight on a possible connection between the two?
Is the upper lip curl simply a facial muscle issue, or can it be linked to teeth/jaws which are pushed too far back?
When I look at my mother who has stellar posture and jaw development, her upper lip stretches across her front teeth while smiling (it doesn't seem to curl under at all). Her teeth and upper jaw seem to be in a more forward position.
Am I pointing to the wrong possible cause? Please let me know if you have any knowledge about this, or if your jaw surgery affected your upper lip movement when smiling.
Thanks so much !   :)

kavan

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Re: Upper lip curls under when smiling - fixed with jaw surgery??
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2018, 02:57:14 PM »
Hi everyone!
I'm currently just beginning to look into ortho treatment and possibly jaw surgery to fix the issues that my previous camouflage ortho treatment didn't address (and made worse).

One of the many issues I have is that my upper lip curls under when I smile with teeth. I don't have a gummy smile (in fact, my upper lip lies LOWER than normal when I smile), but it still curls up and gives the illusion of a very thin lip.
In terms of my jaws + teeth, I had 4 biscupid extractions before wearing braces with elastics for 3 years. My maxilla and mandible are retreated. My teeth feel too far back from my lips on the inside of my mouth.
Does anyone have any insight on a possible connection between the two?
Is the upper lip curl simply a facial muscle issue, or can it be linked to teeth/jaws which are pushed too far back?
When I look at my mother who has stellar posture and jaw development, her upper lip stretches across her front teeth while smiling (it doesn't seem to curl under at all). Her teeth and upper jaw seem to be in a more forward position.
Am I pointing to the wrong possible cause? Please let me know if you have any knowledge about this, or if your jaw surgery affected your upper lip movement when smiling.
Thanks so much !   :)

Was somewhat confusing with your use of words. You say in one line that your lip curls UNDER and the next line that it curls UP. Curling up is opposite of curling under. Assuming you MEAN that the upper lip rolls under when you smile, that would because your teeth might have been pushed BACKWARDS with the braces. When people get 4 pre-molars plucked, (2 from top arch, 2 from the bottom) and they get that done for BRACES to make the 'bite right' but NOT actually in preparation for jaw surgery, it's done to push the teeth BACKWARDS. Forward position of the teeth SUPPORT the upper lip. Backward position of the teeth don't support it. So, it's not a muscle problem. What you have is the muscles FOLLOWING the backwards ORIENTATION of the teeth.
Please. No PMs for private advice. Board issues only.

crookedfaceblues

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Re: Upper lip curls under when smiling - fixed with jaw surgery??
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2018, 07:02:03 PM »
Right sorry, I meant curling under.
Very helpful response though, thanks so much! I hope my new ortho can help fix this.