What causes a thin upper lip?

[Sanj87]

As the title suggests. What is actually the cause of a thin upper lip? Is it a narrow palate? Or is it that the maxilla is too back and has to be more forward? Or could it just be the lip size is just genetic?

[Lefortitude]

Multiple factors, including but not limited to

1) age
2) collagen expression
3) Bone support or lack thereof
4) Surrounding tissue
5) genes

[april]

- Poor lip support.  If your upper teeth are retracted or retroclined inwards your lip will follow. If you've had childhood extractions your lips are probably thinner than what they could've been.

[jusken]

- Poor lip support.  If your upper teeth are retracted or retroclined inwards your lip will follow. If you've had childhood extractions your lips are probably thinner than what they could've been.

Just as an anecdotal example, I had extractions and a retruded maxilla and don't have any thinness in my lips... though my eyes are super hollow and recessed!  So, maybe this has to do more with individual genetics?

[kavan]

Lack of lip filler injections is the 'answer'. 

[april]

Just as an anecdotal example, I had extractions and a retruded maxilla and don't have any thinness in my lips... though my eyes are super hollow and recessed!  So, maybe this has to do more with individual genetics?

You do have nice lips. Did you notice any changes in their volume after surgery?

I think genetics would influence the starting point i.e if you start off with fuller lips and have bicuspids removed you won't notice the thinning as much, there's like a better tolerance for it. But if you start off with thinner lips you will notice it more

I read that every 1mm the upper incisors go back the lip retracts 0.5mm. When there is less support the lip curls under. Every case is different though (the reasons for extractions, the amount of original crowding etc) so this is just like a blanket statement from the extraction stories online and from my own experience too.

[cambree]

I can also attest to the fact that my upper lip looks thinner after impaction

[Post bimax]

I think I have more vermillion show in my upper lip after LF1 advancement.

Although I also have more ‘lip show’ in general so who knows lol

[jusken]

You do have nice lips. Did you notice any changes in their volume after surgery?

I think genetics would influence the starting point i.e if you start off with fuller lips and have bicuspids removed you won't notice the thinning as much, there's like a better tolerance for it. But if you start off with thinner lips you will notice it more

I read that every 1mm the upper incisors go back the lip retracts 0.5mm. When there is less support the lip curls under. Every case is different though (the reasons for extractions, the amount of original crowding etc) so this is just like a blanket statement from the extraction stories online and from my own experience too.

Yeah, I have no science backing me up - only intuition.  Like you're saying, I think the support of your mouth totally influences the shape of your lips, which could create the illusion of thinner lips.  I don't think jaw surgery would influence the volume, but the added support definitely makes my mouth more relaxed and flush, which would make more lip area visible..

[beautyislife]

Does CCW/forward movement of the maxilla help with making the lips appear larger?

[Lefortitude]

Does CCW/forward movement of the maxilla help with making the lips appear larger?

These are not good questions. They cant be answered with a simple yes and no.

A: sometimes, but it depends.

[kavan]

Does CCW/forward movement of the maxilla help with making the lips appear larger?

For the part of the question that can be isolated to only the CCW displacement, the answer is 'YES' when:

a: 'CCW' refers to posterior downgraft

b: the rotation point is around the ANS point

[GJ]

As the title suggests. What is actually the cause of a thin upper lip? Is it a narrow palate? Or is it that the maxilla is too back and has to be more forward? Or could it just be the lip size is just genetic?

Before or after surgery?
Before surgery it's simply genetics.

After ortho/surgery it's many of the answers already given. I had full lips before ortho/surgery; after they're still fuller than average but have thinned.

[Post bimax]

For the part of the question that can be isolated to only the CCW displacement, the answer is 'YES' when:

a: 'CCW' refers to posterior downgraft

b: the rotation point is around the ANS point

Interesting, I never paid attention to the axis.  Looks to me like I'd want to rotate around the incisor tip.

[kavan]

Interesting, I never paid attention to the axis.  Looks to me like I'd want to rotate around the incisor tip.

Yes. Assuming your aim would be to bring the ANS backwards and not to bring lips forwards.

Just to say, my answer to the question was to pin point which one would bring the lips forward.