Can Orthodontics Damage Your Face?
The attractiveness of a child's face depends largely on two things:
• The shape of their parents faces
• Whether their face grows forwards or downwards.
While the first is fixed at conception, the second displays a range between 'horizontal'
which orthodontists label favourable and 'vertical' which is considered unfavourable.
Horizontal growth is associated with good looks, square jaws and straight teeth,
while vertical growth produces the reverse, and the effects of this may range
from the barely perceptible to the markedly unattractive. The direction of growth
can be affected by a range of simple things like thumb sucking or hanging the
mouth open, both of which encourage 'vertical' growth and the degree of damage
will depend on the severity of the habit.
Facial Damage.
The public have a strong preference for 'horizontally' growing faces. Unfortunately
there is clear evidence that almost any kind of orthodontic treatment encourages
an increase in the unattractive 'vertical' growth (Battagel
1996).
It is interesting to note that orthodontists seem to prefer the flatter profiles
seen with 'vertically' growing faces. (Peck
and Peck)
Recent evidence (Clark
et al 1998) would suggest that the large majority of orthodontists in
Britain are not interested in the relationship between oral habits and the
direction of facial growth. Furthermore that 91% are prepared to extract
teeth, even if there is no crowding and 63% to pull teeth back despite strong
evidence to show that this encourages 'vertical' growth. Not only is this
approach likely to damage facial appearance but the teeth often re-crowd
after treatment despite the extractions.
Vertical Growth Damages Faces |
Horizontal Growth Improves Faces |
 |
 |
This child’s
face was damaged by vertical growth following orthodontic treatment.
Vertical growth is associated with thick lips, receding chins, protruding
noses, sloping foreheads and tired eyes. If you have suffered and
wish to ask for advice contact orthodontic.outrage@virgin.net |
This boy received Orthotropics®.
Although his front teeth stuck out both jaws were encouraged to grow
forward. Few other techniques achieve this because they pull the teeth
back. Horizontal growers retain naturally straight teeth for a life
time. |
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