Crooked Smile

Nowadays, a crooked smile is a condition that affects the person psychologically and sociologically. In line with this situation, patients cannot easily do the things they do in their daily lives such as laughing, eating, etc. For this reason, “My Smile is Crooked! Uneven Smile: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment”, you can have the necessary information by reading this content. We wish you all healthy days and good reading.

What is a Crooked Smile?

The crooked smile, which we have seen in many people recently, is usually a condition caused by the asymmetrical functioning of the facial muscles. This situation manifests itself as one side of the corners of the mouth being higher or lower than the other, which occurs during smiling. In line with this situation, both aesthetic and functional problems may occur. Because the person has difficulty in realizing a symmetrical and natural smile, he/she may become psychologically more introverted and shy. This condition is often caused by facial paralysis, nerve damage, congenital anomalies or trauma, but neurological diseases and infections affecting the facial muscles can also cause this problem. Although it is possible to treat this disease, physical therapy exercises, botulinum toxin applications and some surgical interventions can be applied.

What Causes a Crooked Smile?

As with every aesthetic and functional disorder, there are certain causes of a crooked smile. If we need to examine these causes, we can divide them into 6 categories. These are; Stroke, Bell's Palsy, Facial Paralysis, Jaw Misalignment, Surgery, Aging and Trauma.

• Paralysis

Paralysis, one of the most common causes of a crooked smile, is caused by damage to the facial nerves. In this case, one side of the facial muscles does not work properly compared to the other, resulting in a crooked smile. In such cases, physiotherapy, muscle strengthening exercises and surgical interventions can be used to improve smile design.

• Bell's palsy

Bell's palsy, another cause of a crooked smile, is a condition characterized by a sudden and usually temporary paralysis of the facial nerves. This condition causes aesthetic and functional problems by weakening or preventing the muscles on one side of the face from moving. This is caused by swelling of the facial nerves as a result of infection or inflammation. For more detailed information on this subject, you can check our Bell's Palsy page.

• Facial Paralysis

Facial paralysis is a condition that causes loss of muscle movement on one or both sides of the facial muscles. This is one of the hallmark symptoms of facial paralysis and is usually the result of weakness or paralysis of one side of the facial muscles. The condition is caused by damage to the facial nerves (facial nerves), which greatly affects a person's social life.

• Jaw Misalignment

A crooked smile is an aesthetic problem caused by jaw misalignment and is common in cases where the configuration of the jaw directly affects the alignment of the teeth. In this case, it can affect a person's chewing functions and disrupt the alignment of the teeth. Therefore, we recommend that you seek treatment immediately.

• Aging

The aging process can also lead to aesthetic changes such as a crooked smile. The main reason for this can be considered as the decrease in the elasticity of the skin and the decrease in collagen production. At this point, loosening of facial muscles and skin tissue may occur. Especially the muscles around the mouth may weaken with aging, leading to asymmetry during smiling. As a result, the muscles do not work evenly and the natural tone of the facial muscles is lost.

• Trauma

A crooked smile can reflect an aesthetic problem caused by trauma. In particular, injuries can cause damage to facial muscles and nerves, resulting in a loss of symmetry in the smile. For example, damage to the facial muscles after an accident, stroke or surgical intervention can result in an asymmetrical appearance on both sides of the face. In addition, scar tissues that may form during the healing process after trauma can also lead to a crooked smile.

Crooked Smile Symptoms

As with other functional and aesthetic disorders, there are certain symptoms of a crooked smile. Although these symptoms vary from person to person, it is not necessarily the case that every symptom will occur in the patient. Accordingly, the symptoms caused by a crooked smile are as follows;

• Nasolabial fold flattening (visible flattening of the angled folds in the lower part of your cheeks near your nose)
• Speech impairment
• Difficulty chewing and swallowing
• Low eyelid appearance
• Incompletely closed eyelids
• Sudden tremors and spasms in the facial muscles

In Which Case Should I Consult a Surgeon?

Sometimes, in some patients, the symptoms can become more advanced and intractable. In these cases, you should definitely consult a surgeon immediately. Thus, a definitive solution to the crooked smile problem can be found.

• Sudden headaches
• Feeling of weakness on one side of the body
• Balance problems
• Sagging on one side of the face
• Traumatic injuries
• Swelling on the face and neck
• Involuntary facial movements
• Facial and neck spasms

How to Fix a Crooked Smile?

• Temporalis Transfer

Temporalis transfer is an effective surgical method to restore the symmetry of facial muscles in the treatment of a crooked smile. This method is a procedure based on correcting the functionality of the facial muscles that cause distortion by transferring the temporalis muscle, known as the chewing muscle, to the asymmetrical area of the face. In this operation, the patient is under general anesthesia and the temporalis muscle is surgically removed from the scalp or the side of the head and moved to the problematic area of the face. Thus, the muscle is attached to its new location and the symmetry of the facial muscles is restored. For detailed information on this subject, you can visit our Temporalis tendon transfer page.

• Static Slings

Static suspension treatment, another method used in crooked smile disorder, is a method used to restore facial symmetry. This method is usually applied as a non-surgical and minimally invasive approach and is a special material placed under the skin to correct asymmetrical areas of the face. These materials are used to make the skin look firmer and smoother without the need for surgical intervention.

• Surgical Intervention

A crooked smile is a condition that causes facial symmetry distortion and aesthetic concerns and may often require surgical intervention. For this reason, surgical intervention is usually applied in two main types. The first of these is facial muscle repairs and the other is facelift surgeries. Both of these procedures treat the appearance of a crooked smile in the facial area. Thus, the person will have a perfect smile in a short time.

• Non-Surgical Intervention

Non-surgical interventions, which are the latest treatment method for crooked smiles, are very popular. Within this application, Botulinum toxin (botox) injections are a frequently used treatment method. In this treatment method, botox is applied to certain areas of the facial muscles. This botox procedure eliminates the appearance of a crooked smile.