Correcting facial asymmetry often conjures thoughts of orthognathic surgery. Orthodontists want more parents to understand that many facial asymmetry issues in children can be corrected or improved considerably with various non-surgical orthodontic treatment methods, provided the issue is identified before the child has completed growth.
And when it comes to adults with facial asymmetry issues, these non-surgical methods can generate improved results, although they won't be as successful as orthognathic surgery.
Orthodontic technology provides for orthodontists with several non-surgical solutions. The sooner a child gets an orthodontic evaluation, the sooner potential problems can be diagnosed and addressed.
According to some orthodontics experts, children be evaluated by an orthodontist by age 7. One reason is to identify problems- including asymmetry- that can be corrected or made less severe through early intervention.
All hope is not lost if asymmetry isn't corrected at a young age, but it may mean that only surgery will achieve the best result.
Not everyone is willing to undergo surgery, though. As more adults seek orthodontic treatment and facial asymmetry is diagnosed in them, more inquiries are made into alternatives to orthognathic surgery, even if it means the end result is not the same as it would have been with surgery.
For many adults with asymmetry, they see even a slight improvement as being better than none at all. Many adults are willing to deal with potential relapse if it means avoiding an invasive surgery.
However, that's not often the option an orthodontist prefers, and because orthodontists are aware of the excellent results that can be achieved through orthognathic surgery, they tend to recommend the treatment that will render the most ideal result for our patients.
Facial skeletal asymmetry is the condition where there is a lack of proportion in the facial features. It can happen naturally, as a result of poor habits, or be the result of trauma, such as a fractured jaw. Skeletal asymmetry should be corrected because it can adversely effect jaw movement, create abnormal wear patterns on the teeth and inhibit a person's ability to chew properly.
Facial asymmetry in children can be the result of poor oral habits including thumb-sucking, cross bites, mouth-breathing and tongue-thrust swallow patterns, she said. It also can be the result of cleft palate.
The fact that children have not finished growing works to the advantage of non-surgical treatment. Alterations can be made as the child's bones continue to grow and further develop.
Ideally, facial asymmetry is noticed and corrected while the patient is young- in the neighborhood of eight to nine years old. Correction can be successful if the patient is a bit older- eleven to thirteen years old- but is less likely to be fully corrected. The result will be improved, but compromised from ideal.
Once a person with facial asymmetry reaches adulthood and growth stops, correcting the malocclusion often is difficult without surgical intervention. But it's not impossible, if the patient understands that the results may be improved, but not ideal. For adults who decide against orthognathic treatment, masking the asymmetry through orthodontic mechanics is an option.
Even with that, relapse will be rampant, so, facial asymmetry in an adult is a tricky road. If the patient is willing to accept an outcome that perhaps is less than ideal, some improvement may be possible, but obviously the best answer is orthognathic surgery.