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Weak Chins And Invisalign Braces: It Is Not What You Would Expect

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Overbites tend to cause your chin to look like it has receded into your neck. More commonly known as "weak chin," people tend to subconsciously associate this facial feature with someone who does not stand up for others, a coward, or someone with cognitive developmental delays.

Bizarre as that sounds, even you may be tempted to find a way to correct your "weak chin" by correcting your overbite. As an adult, you may want to know if Invisalign braces are the key to changing your overbite and your profile at the same time. Here is what you need to know.

The Braces WILL Correct Your Overbite

While it is most assuredly true that invisible braces will correct your overbite, you should know that most overbites are not extreme enough to cause a dramatic change in your profile. What your dentist will do is attempt to pull your overbite back a little while slightly moving your bottom jaw forward a little. Both upper and lower jaws may move only a few millimeters each to meet each other perfectly in the middle. That is not enough of a change for your chin.

The Braces Will NOT Fix Your Chin

Unless your lower jaw is more than an inch behind your upper jaw, invisible braces will not fix your chin or your profile. Even so, bringing your lower jaw forward and your upper jaw back means that each will only move about a half inch to meet in the middle. The most noticeable change is more likely to appear in the middle of your face just around the upper lip and nose area. Yes, your profile in this extreme case may look a little better, but it cannot be done without some minor surgery to your muscles in the lower jaw.

Surgery Is a Better Option for Chin Issues

While invisible braces can give you perfect teeth, your chin and profile may be best served through cosmetic surgery. A chin implant can help, as well as surgery to relax and lengthen the muscles in your lower jaw. Your dentist can assist you with the braces either before or after you have had the facial surgery.

In extreme cases where your overbite is excessive, your dentist may first refer you to a maxillofacial surgeon. The surgeon will help release your lower jaw somewhat before moving forward with the braces. If all you really need is straight teeth and a chin implant, complete your orthodontic treatment first. Contact a dentist, like Dr. Johnny Smith DMD, for more help.


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