My smile looks downturned or somewhat straight. Would Botox improve the look of my smile? (Photo)

thanks for your question! yes botox can help by lifting the corners of the mouth and targeting the muscle called the DAO

At 18, you are too young to consider Botox for altering smile shape. A downturned or straight smile is usually related to natural anatomy and muscle balance, not something that should be treated with toxin at your age. Botox in this area can also risk an unnatural or asymmetric result. If you’re concerned, focus on non-invasive options and allow your features to mature—Botox is not appropriate here.

Botox to the DAO (depressor muscle) relaxes the muscle and overall reduces the appearance of a downturned smile and lifts the corners of your mouth.

yes you could always try botox to the mouth depressor muscles (in this case, primarily DAO but maybe platysma too) to see if that gives yo u closer to what you are looking for. at the end of the day, some of this is also inherent to your anatomy and just how you move your mouth, kind of like how some ppl are right handed and others are left handed.

Hello! I’m Lauren, the aesthetic injector here at Colorado Plastic Surgery Center. Botox can help improve the appearance of a downturned or straight smile in some cases. A downturned smile is often caused by overactivity of a muscle called the depressor anguli oris (DAO), which pulls the corners of the mouth downward. A small amount of Botox injected into this muscle can relax it, allowing the corners of the mouth to lift slightly for a more balanced or neutral expression.

Here’s a concise, professional, and friendly response you can use:
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Hi Samantha!
Dr Peterson here. The short answer is: yes! Botox and other neuromodulators can help improve a downturn smile by targeting the depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscles at the corners of the mouth. It’s a subtle but effective way to lift the smile.
This area can be a bit tricky, so I always recommend seeing a board-certified dermatologist or facial specialist to ensure natural, balanced results. From what you’ve described, you’re a great candidate for this treatment!

Yes,Injecting the Depressor Anguli Oris muscles with neurotoxin, such as Botox can help lift the corners of the mouth.

This can be corrected with injecting Botox into DAO(depressor anguli oris) muscles on both sides of the mouth. About 3 units of Botox on each side should be sufficient.

Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your concern and photo. I completely understand what you mean about noticing a downturned or straighter smile—it’s something many people pick up on when they look closely at their expressions.

Botox can sometimes help if the muscles pulling the corners of the mouth downward are overactive. By softening those muscles, the smile can appear more relaxed and slightly lifted. However, results can vary from person to person, and it’s important to approach this carefully since Botox affects muscle movement, and we don’t want to limit the natural expressiveness of your smile.

At your age, with a naturally youthful face, the effect may be quite subtle, and sometimes other options—like small adjustments with filler for support or simply monitoring changes over time—can also be considered depending on your goals.

The key with Botox in cases like this is a light touch, focusing on balance rather than major alteration, so your smile still looks natural and feels like you.

Warm regards,
Dr. Anna Chacon

Hi Samantha,

Thank you for your question,

Yes Botox can help a downturned smile - this is usually caused by an over active DAO (depressor Angeli oris) muscle which pull the corners of the mouth downwards. By relaxing these muscles we can lift the corners of the mouth slightly.