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Is It Possible to Make my Mouth Wider? (photo)

I would like to have my mouth appear wider. My lips are quite thin and they often look odd paired with my large cheeks and nose. What kind of procedures would help with that look? Also, the corners of my lips are basically non-existent, would injections there make my cheeks puff out less or would I just need to get the lines filled?

Doctor Answers 7

Mouth Widening by Commissurotomy

February 14th, 2013
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A mouth can be made wider by a procedure known as a commissurotomy. This is where skin is removed from beyond the exsting corners of the mouth and the vermilion/mucosa advanced outward to cover the area where the skin was removed. While it can effectively make the mouth wider, it does so at the price of some small scars around the corners. This trade-off has to be seriously considered in a purely cosmetic reason for mouth widening or commissure expansion.

Web reference: http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com/lip.html

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD


Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 72 reviews

Wider mouth

February 14th, 2013
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In my 40 years of practice I have only done one ( but a successful one) operation to extend the corners of mouth. In addition the corners were raised as would also benefit you.

Sheldon S. Kabaker, MD FACS

Sheldon S. Kabaker, MD FACS
San Francisco Facial Plastic Surgeon
4.4 out of 5 stars 35 reviews

Lip Injections to Widen the Mouth

August 31st, 2016
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I would avoid surgery as this will cause scarring and is quite involved.  I would opt for lip injections both in the lips and the corners of the mouth.  In addition injecting Voluma into the cheeks will help balance the face and should give you a beautiful result.  Best, Dr. Green

Web reference: http://www.michelegreenmd.com/lip-augmentation

Michele S. Green, MD

Michele S. Green, MD
New York Dermatologist
5.0 out of 5 stars 78 reviews

Is it possible to make mouth wider?

February 13th, 2013
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It is possible to make the lips fuller and it is possible to raise the corners of the lips, but it is not possible to make the mouth wider.  Fillers or surgery can be used to help with fullness in the lips or raise the corners of the mouth.  

Michael I. Echavez, MD

Michael I. Echavez, MD
San Francisco Facial Plastic Surgeon
4.5 out of 5 stars 18 reviews

Contouring the mouth and lips

April 21st, 2017
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You could do well with lip injections. Particularly at the corners and along the lateral surfaces. I would still focus centrally with the majority of the product but you are right it is all about getting the right balance with the rest of your face.

Hope this helps.

Best of luck,

DrC

Benjamin Caughlin, MD

Benjamin Caughlin, MD
Chicago Facial Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 10 reviews

Possible to make mouth wider

January 26th, 2016
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There is a procedure to widen the mouth, however this requires a surgical procedure and runs the risk of poor scarring. Based on your photos, I would enhance your lips (upper and lower) with Juvederm. I would also place some filler in the corners to make them appear slightly wider as well. Good luck.
Robert Najera, MD

Robert Najera, MD
Frisco Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 26 reviews

Lip augmentation/ enhancement

February 13th, 2013
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Hello 'Idonteven', thanks for your question.  There IS a way to widen your oral aperture through surgical incisions of your commissures and advancements of the mucosa, which we sometimes do for microstomia reconstruction cases, but I would not recommend it in your case.  The width of your mouth actually nicely balances the aesthetics of your face and any attempts to widen it can detract from the feminine qualities and proportions to your face, leading to a masculinizing effect.  Thus, I would not obsess over it too much.  One thing that could enhance the cosmetic appearance of your mouth is to have thicker, fuller lips with the help of fillers, which can be performed safely as a simple office procedure.  The key here is moderation to avoid the 'blowfish' effect, which unfortunately is fairly prevalent here in southern California.  I recommend having a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon who knows the lip anatomy well and stays conservative with your lip augmentation procedure to give you a beautiful, aesthetic enhancement to your lips, just in time for Valentine's day. Hope that helps! -Dr.92660

Parviz Goshtasby, MD, FACS

Parviz Goshtasby, MD, FACS
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 2 reviews

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.