Upper teeth do not show when I smile. Is it possible to fix this? (Photo)

Question

My teeth don’t show at all when I smile/talk/laugh and don’t even know where to begin with what might help with this. I would love to have an aesthetically pleasing smile where my teeth show, as I’ve had braces so my teeth are straight but this has been of no benefit as you can’t see my teeth. I’ve never seen anyone else who seems to have this problem, including my family. A dentist suggested this could be a jaw issue. Attached show me “smiling” as far as possible for me to do.

David Bell, DDS, MD · Answer

Hi. The appearance of your face is consistent with maxillary anterior vertical hypoplasia (meaning that the front part of the upper jaw is very short in the vertical dimension), otherwise known as "short face syndrome".
With this kind of facial growth pattern, people typically do not show any upper teeth in a relaxed state, and display very little teeth when they smile.
Quite often, but not in invariably, the upper jaw has also not grown sufficiently far forward. Because of this, the nose may look disproportionally large when in fact, the nose is a normal size. It simply appears this way because there is a relative imbalance.
All of this is fixable in a highly cosmetically pleasing way, that is simultaneously optimally functional, and in a manner that can provide long-term stability.
This can be performed with the art and science of orthognathic surgery.

Eren Pera, DDS, MSc · Answer

Individuals with lower or upper jaws positioned more forward or backward than normal due to genetic characteristics often require orthognathic treatment and jaw surgery. This skeletal disorder is addressed through both orthodontic treatments and surgical procedures. Additionally, jaw surgery is a suitable treatment for those with overbites, underbites, crossbites, or open bites.While it may not be entirely accurate to diagnose based on the photos you provided, it appears that your upper teeth protrude significantly while your lower teeth are not visible at all. This may be due to a discrepancy between your upper and lower jaws. My suggestion is to consult with a jaw surgeon and orthodontist to consider the option of jaw surgery. Without a proper jaw relationship, achieving an ideal and aesthetic smile may not be possible. Best wishes

Upper teeth do not show when I smile. Is it possible to fix this? (Photo)

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Upper teeth do not show when I smile. Is it possible to fix this? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Jaw Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.