Lip Lift - Candidate or do I need a different procedure? (photos)

Question

Am I a candidate for a lip lift with this small of space between my nose and upper lip? My upper lip covers my top teeth. Not even necessarily the lip itself, but the tissue above my lip is covering my teeth too. If I would be a candidate for a lip lift, what technique would be best? I almost have to scrunch my face and sneer when I smile so my upper teeth show.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

A lip lift does 4 things: shortens the distance between your nose and upper lip, increases the mucosa of the upper lip, increases the incisor show and pulls up the corners.  You may be a candidate.  I would need a photo with your mouth relaxed.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Jonathan Cabin, MD · Answer

Hi there, A lip lift primarily reduces the space between the base of the nose and the upper lip (also called the "cutaneous upper lip") and improves tooth show with soft opening of the mouth. Depending on how the procedure is done, it can also - but does not necessarily - improve the eversion/height of the upper lip (also called the "mucosal upper lip"). If your issue is tooth show with smiling, this will likely not be improved with a lip lift as a lip lift does little to impact this. But to assess candidacy for a lip lift requires at least a photo from the front at rest and with soft mouth opening. Hope this helps! Best, Dr. Cabin

Cagil Meric Erenoglu, MD · Answer

Hi, Bobavaspaniel! Thank you for your question and photos.
Regarding your photos, your upper lip structure shows an inversion while smiling. Your oral muscle (Orbicularis Oris) also adds negatively on this inversion, necessitating the side muscles (like buccal muscle and rhisorius) to work more to show your upper teeth. A lip-lift procedure with a skin excision on the nose-lip junction and a SMAS-tightening will help with neutralizing your lip inversion and will let your upper teeth to be seen better in a natural way.

Lip Lift - Candidate or do I need a different procedure? (photos)

Answers (3)

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Lip Lift

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

Lip Lift - Candidate or do I need a different procedure? (photos)

Answers (3)

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Lip Lift

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