When patients at City Orthodontics start their Invisalign journey, they often ask, “Will Invisalign change my jaw?”
This is a reasonable question. Orthodontic treatments aim to realign teeth and improve bites, but what about how they affect your face shape?
So, does Invisalign change your jaw?
In this article, we’ll look at how Invisalign works, how it might impact your jaw, and what changes you can expect, especially if you have issues like overbite, underbite, or jaw discomfort.
Why are Invisalign and Jaw Alignment Related?
Invisalign isn’t just about getting a great-looking smile.
While these clear aligners are famous for straightening teeth, they’re also pretty good at fixing bite issues related to your jaw.
(Feel free to read how Invisalign works in our blog)
When we mention Invisalign helping with your “jaw,” we’re mainly talking about how it can change the position of your jaw or how your teeth line up.
Just like braces, it doesn’t actually reshape your jawbone or change your face like surgery would, but it can really make a difference in how your top and bottom teeth come together, which affects how your jaw moves and rests.
So, Invisalign can definitely help with jaw alignment, especially if you’re dealing with things like overbites, underbites, or crossbites.
What Jaw Issues Can Invisalign Treat?
Orthodontists often use Invisalign and other clear aligner brands to fix some common bite issues tied to how your jaw lines up:
- Overbite: This is when your upper teeth overlap your lower teeth way too much.
- Underbite: Here, your lower teeth stick out more than your upper ones.
- Crossbite: This happens when your upper and lower teeth don’t line up properly side to side.
- Open bite: This is when your top and bottom teeth don’t touch when your mouth is closed.
These problems can lead to discomfort, issues with speech, wear and tear on your teeth, and even pain in your jaw.
Invisalign, which is an orthodontic treatment, works by gradually moving your teeth into a better spot, which can help align your jaw in a healthier way.
So, Does Invisalign Change Your Jaw?
In contrast to traditional metal braces with their brackets and wires, Invisalign uses a series of custom-made aligner trays that gently shift your teeth into place.
You will change these trays every week or two and each new set moves your teeth closer to their correct position.
The changes are often pretty subtle, but they can help with crowding and aligning your teeth.
Plus, Invisalign can help correct your bite, making your jaw sit more comfortably and naturally.
This can also improve the symmetry of your profile and even reduce jaw tension or TMJ discomfort for some people.
Does Invisalign Modify the Shape of Your Face?
How Invisalign affects a person’s overall facial appearance can depend on their age.
For those aged 12 and up, since the jawbone, gums, teeth, and muscles are still developing, starting treatment early can really help with bite problems like overbites or underbites.
Invisalign can also make small adjustments to realign the bite and even create space for adult teeth to grow in.
In adults, the changes to the facial structure are usually subtle, but there can still be some small adjustments in certain areas, like lips, cheeks, and profile.
In short:
When teeth and bite are adjusted, you get to notice subtle changes such as:
- A more defined jawline
- Improved profile and lip support
- Better facial symmetry
Can Invisalign Worsen Jaw Problems?
With the right planning and support from an orthodontist, Invisalign shouldn’t cause any jaw problems.
But if you go for self-directed treatments, like those mail-order aligners, you might run into more issues since they don’t get the same close attention.
That’s why it’s best to go with a supervised Invisalign plan from an experienced team like City Orthodontics.
We’ll check your progress every few weeks to make sure everything is moving along safely and correctly.
You can see how our patients got a new smile in our gallery.
How Long Does It Take to See Jaw Results from Invisalign?
Patients with Invisalign are curious about when they’ll start seeing changes in their jaws.
While you’ll notice your teeth starting to shift in the first few months, any visible changes in your jaw and face usually show up between 6 to 12 months.
These changes really depend on things like how bad your bite issue is, your age, and how often you wear your aligners.
To get the best results, it’s important to wear your aligners for about 20–22 hours a day and stick to what your orthodontist recommends (Like avoiding coffee and smoking)
At first, the changes might be subtle, but they build over time.
In Summary
Does Invisalign change your jaw?
Well, yes.
Invisalign can actually shift your jaw position, especially if you have issues like an overbite or underbite.
While it doesn’t change the shape of your jawbone, it can help realign your teeth and bite, which may enhance how your jaw functions, rests, and even how it looks.
If you’ve been curious about whether Invisalign is a good fit for you, especially regarding jaw alignment, we can help.
Schedule a consultation at City Orthodontics in Toronto.