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POUTING, OR “thrusting out the lip, as in sadness” appears as an expression of displeasure. The lower lip sticks out farther than the upper lip. The chin often has a “golf ball” appearance and the lips strain to close over the teeth.

Jaw And Tooth Structure May Be Causing A Pouting Appearance

Bimaxillary dentoalveolar protrusion produces the appearance of pouting. The jaws and teeth cause the lips to be more prominent than ideal. The lips may be separated at rest, producing a lip opening. In some cases, the appearance of the teeth may not be a problem, but moving the teeth back has a dramatic and desirable effect on the facial profile.

Our Lineage Affects Our Appearance

Lips are influenced by ethnic norms. Northern Europeans have thin lips. Asians and Africans have thicker lips and more tooth prominence. The patient’s desires, nose and chin size, and culture will all influence the orthodontic decision to move teeth back to improved facial appearance.

Have Questions? We Have Answers!

If you have questions about your facial profile, call us at Gorczyca Orthodontics in Antioch, California (925) 757-9000. Find us at www.clubbraces.com. To find an orthodontist near you, visit www.mylifemysmile.org.

If you pout, it may be an indication that your teeth stick out too far. An orthodontist can fix this. So, there’s no need to pout. You’re better off not to pout at any time of the year, and especially when Santa Claus is coming to town.

SOMETIMES FOR THE MOST gorgeous and healthy smile possible, orthodontic tooth extractions are necessary.

5 Situations When Tooth Extraction is Best

Here are a few situations when it would be best to extract teeth with your orthodontic treatment:

1. Teeth are severely crowded with 10mm and the bone and periodontal soft tissue cannot accommodate expansion.
2. There is a severe open bite which can be reduced and corrected by tooth extraction.
3. The lips are severely protrusive or open at rest.
4. The chin has strain at rest when the lips close, giving it a "golf ball" appearance.
5. There is a severe overjet with upper teeth extremely protrusive.

Extractions are less common in young patients who are still growing and are able to have arch expansion and growth modification.

Tooth Extraction Can Be A Simple Process

Tooth extraction is usually done by an oral surgeon. Depending on their training and experience, some general dentists may also extract permanent teeth.

The extraction of bicuspids and other teeth (not including wisdom teeth) is usually simple. It is usually done quickly. With anesthesia, there is usually no discomfort. Once home, be sure to eat soft food and avoid using a straw immediately following the procedure. There is no need to miss school following the procedure.

At Gorczyca Orthodontics, we try to minimize tooth extraction as much as possible. To find out if tooth extraction is absolutely necessary for you, visit us at www.clubbraces.com or call us at (925) 757-9000. To find an orthodontist in your area, visit the America Association of Orthodontists at www.mylifemysmile.org. To find an oral surgeon in your area visit the American Association of Oral Surgeons at www.aaos.org.

Thank you for trusting us with your orthodontic care. Here's to your beautiful smile.

Top image by Flickr user Andres Rodriguez used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.