Need to Fix Crooked Smile - Will Botox Work?

Yes, Botox can be used to correct asymmetry or a crooked smile.  I would suggest going to a facial paralysis expert as we use Botox for this exact reason in many of our patients.

It may be difficult to regain your neurologic function on the right side which is not lowering the lip with smiling. Botox used in a few units can be injected in the left side to minimize the muscle activity during smiling.  this will make a more equaly smile but will less the amoun the lipos can open wide.
 

Hello CM.  Based on your pictures, when you smile the muscle below your mouth on the left side is pulling more so than the one on the right.  This is causing your smile to be asymmetrical.

While some Botox may help you, we have two suggestions given your estimate.  The first is that we do not believe it should cost as much as you mentioned.  Botox should last 3-4 months, but a very limited number of units would be required for this treatment.  If the practitioner has a minimum (say $250 per visit) then it's possible that the quote you are getting involves two visits (every thre emonths).  The other issue is that this type of treatment is very technique dependent and may require some trial and error to get the dosing correct.  In other words, it may be fiddicult to get your smile corrected exactly in the first visit.

If your problem is related to the nerve not working or the muscle not functioning then your crooked smile can possibly be treated with botox.  Sometimes lidocaine can be used to mimic the effect of botox to test if muscle paralysis will work on your smile, this usually lasts a few hours.  If it does work, then I would try botox for a longer lasting solution.  You should see a board certified plastic surgeon for this, since they receive specialized training in dealing specifically with these kind of problems in the face.

You have an asymmetric depressor function. The easiest solution would be to inject Botox into your left depressor muscle. If you like how it works, this muscle can be sectioned to give you a permanent result. There are several physicians around the country who specialize in facial paralysis and facial movement disorders. In California, I'd recommend Babak Azzizadeh in LA. Good luck,

Grigoriy Mashkevich, MD. New York Facial Plastic Surgeon.