How to fix long face syndrome?
Several factors must be considered before treatment is given. The main factor considered is the time of diagnosis. Many treatment methods are available for children. Studies show that long face syndrome is easiest to treat when observed in young children or teenagers. In some cases, the best treatment method for children would be removing any substance blocking the nose. A child’s face is still in the developing stage, so starting to breathe via the nose can fix the syndrome permanently. As the child grows, their face will develop and their facial features will become balanced.
Doctors prefer to combine several treatment options for older children. Surgery might be done to remove the adenoids and use braces or other options. Combining several methods helps to prevent any complications and fix the existing damages.
However, when your jaws are set, the treatment options are fewer. Your jaw is usually set in your teenage years. At this point, your doctor may recommend surgery to fix a nasal obstruction [3] that eases your breathing, but it won’t have any effect on facial hyper divergence. This is why young adults and adults with long face syndrome usually require jaw surgery to fix the disorder.
It would help to know that surgery is done immediately. You must wear braces for at least 12 or 18 months. Your jaw must be balanced and your teeth should be properly arranged. In some cases, the only thing you’ll need to completely fix the condition is braces. However, surgery is needed in most cases.
Your orthodontist and surgeon will share ideas to recommend the best treatment option for you. Other dental options like tooth reshaping or crowns are recommended based on the severity of your jaw misalignment. You need permission from your orthodontist and surgeon to have surgery.
The major treatment method recommended by doctors is Orthognathic surgery. The surgery uses the following strategies to correct the syndrome:
- Maxillary impaction
- Anti-clockwise rotation of the occlusal plane.
- Chin reduction
It would help to know that these strategies can be done alone or combined based on the severity of the condition. The primary aim of Orthognathic surgery is not just to reduce the length of the face, but to make several bone changes to make your facial features align.
In cases where the maxilla and mandible are aligned, and the length of your face is caused by a long chin, your doctor recommends a mentoplasty [4]. When the proportions of the maxilla and mandible are correct, and the vertical excess is due to a very long chin, then a mentoplasty is recommended. After surgery, the organs on your face become balanced and aligned, and you no longer show excess gums when you smile.