Full Smile vs. Narrow Smile
Updated: Mar 10, 2022
Do you know orthodontic expansion can achieve a natural Full Smile/Wider Smile?
What is Narrow Smile?
Narrow smile means there are black/dark corners of your lips when you smile. In severe case, people look like they don’t have back teeth when they smile. On the controversy side, a Hollywood smile is a full and wide smile.
What is Right expansion?
A right expander can achieve true bony expansion resulting an attractive smile. In orthodontics, there are different types of expanders to treat mild, moderate and severe narrow smiles. Usually, Hyrax expander is used for mild cases. Bonded Haas expander is used for moderate cases. MSE or orthognathic surgery are for severe cases.
What is the Best timing of doing expansion?
Age 7-13: is the best age to achieve most bony expansion with less teeth tipping
Age 14-16: could achieve some bony expansion with some teeth tipping (teeth tipping is the side effect)
Above age 16: hard to achieve expansion unless MSE, MARPE and orthognathic surgery can be considered.