how to fix a crooked smile

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While everyone has a slightly asymmetrical face, an uneven smile may be more noticeable on some than others. If one side of your mouth is higher or lower when you smile, it's probably a little uneven—but it's not a bad thing! There are plenty of noninvasive ways you can disguise your uneven smile to build your confidence in how you look.

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What causes an uneven smile? An uneven smile can be caused by a number of factors, including chewing on one side more than the other, crooked or crowded teeth, an injury, tissue trauma, bell's palsy, or even genetics. There are tons of different reasons why your smile might not be perfectly symmetrical, and some are only temporary.^[1]
- Even the current emotions you're feeling can cause your smile to be a little lopsided.
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How do I know I have an uneven smile? You might be able to see it in pictures or in the mirror. You also might avoid smiling, laughing, or taking pictures of yourself.^[2]
- Your perception of yourself might be a little off. Selfies, webcam videos, and pictures can often look distorted, even if your smile IRL is just fine!
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Should I fix my uneven smile? You don't have to if you don't want to! Everyone has a certain level of asymmetry to their face, and an uneven smile can add character. You should only fix your uneven smile if it's affecting your confidence or self-esteem.^[3]
- If you have crooked or uneven teeth, they can be a detriment to your health in the long run. Talk to a dentist if you have any concerns.
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Chew on both sides of your mouth. When you only chew on one side, your jaw can get stronger on one side than the other. Try to alternate your bites so that you chew on both the left and the right side of your mouth instead of favoring one.^[4]
- You can chew one bite with the right side, then the left side, then the right side to keep track as you eat.
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Sleep on both sides evenly. Pressing one side of your face against the pillow and not the other can lead to uneven jaw muscles. Try to switch back and forth between the right side and the left side as you drift off to sleep.^[5]
- If you sleep on your back, don't worry about switching sides.
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Smile with your teeth if you have a large mouth. If you have a big mouth, keeping your lips closed when you smile can make them look more uneven. Grin widely and show your teeth for a smile that complements your whole face.^[6]
- This isn't a hard and fast rule, so you can play around with what looks and feels best for you.
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Keep your mouth closed when you smile if you have a small mouth. Thinner lips and smaller mouths may look better without teeth showing. You can keep your lips fully closed or open your mouth up just slightly as you smile for pictures and selfies.^[7]
- Again, mess around with the smile that you think looks the best for your face.
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Say "eeeee" and "ooooo." Keep an exaggerated smile as you say "eeee," and hold it for about 15 seconds. Switch to saying "oooo" while you tighten your lips like you're blowing a whistle, then hold that for 15 to 20 seconds.^[8]
- Repeat this 10 times per day to strengthen the muscles around your smile.
- While facial exercises may be able to help an uneven smile, there is no scientific evidence to support it.
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Practice a fish face. Suck in your cheeks until they touch each other inside of your mouth. Move your lips up and down as you hold the position for about 10 seconds.^[9]
- This will help to strengthen your cheek muscles.
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Hold a pencil in your mouth. Slide a pencil in your mouth just behind your canine teeth, then close your mouth as much as you can to hold the pencil in place. Turn your head to the right, then to the left, keeping the pencil in your mouth. Then, look up and down.^[10]
- Try to repeat these exercises 3 times every day to strengthen your jaw muscles.
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Sweep your tongue around your top teeth. Keeping your mouth mostly closed, use your tongue to sweep across your top teeth, first to the right, then to the left. Repeat this a couple of times to strengthen your tongue and facial muscles.^[11]
- You can do this exercise up to 10 times per day.
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Hold a spoon in your mouth. Put the flat end of a spoon into your mouth between your lips with the other end sticking straight out. Use your lips to hold the spoon in place for 5 to 10 seconds, or as long as you can.^[12]
- The weight of the spoon will help work your muscles even more.
- Eventually, you can work up to holding the spoon between your lips for 1 minute at a time.
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Use concealer to contour your lips so they look even. Pat a concealer or foundation all over your lips to create an even base. Grab a matte lip pencil that's a little bit darker than your natural lips and overdraw the part of your lips that is uneven. Fill in your pencil lines with lipstick to make your lips appear even and full.^[13]
- Be cautious with overlining your lips at first. Making your lips too big or too full can be super noticeable, especially in natural light.
- This isn't something you need to do every day, but it can be a nice addition to a glam or full-on makeup look.
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Plump your lips with lip fillers. Talk to a plastic surgeon about getting a lip filler injection in and around your lips to fill them out. You can ask for a small, subtle fill to even out your lips for a more natural effect.^[14]
- This is a quick injection, and it usually only takes around 15 to 30 minutes at a time.
- If you are going to get lip fillers, make sure you get them from a licensed plastic surgeon.
- Lip fillers aren't permanent, so you'll eventually have to get them touched up.
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Try a lip tattoo for extra color and fullness. Semi-permanent lip tattoos can add extra fullness to your lips by adding color and pigmentation. Head to a professional tattoo artist to talk about what you'd like to have done and whether your goals can be achieved.^[15]
- Permanent makeup is different from traditional tattooing, so the color won't stay on your lips forever. You'll probably have to get your lips touched up every 2 to 3 years as they fade.
- Most lip tattoos are very subtle, and it shouldn't be obvious that you've had anything done.
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Go for a lip implant or grafting for a permanent option. If you're really dissatisfied with your uneven lips, there are a few ways to fix them permanently. Talk to a plastic surgeon about a lip implant (a long implant placed inside the lips to add fullness and evenness), fat grafting (transferring fat from your stomach into your lips), or tissue grafting (transferring a piece of skin from your body onto your lips).^[16]
- These procedures are highly invasive, and they each come with their own set of risks. Talk to a licensed plastic surgeon for more information before you decide to take this route.
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Straighten your teeth with braces. If your smile is uneven because of crooked teeth, head to an orthodontist and ask about braces. Braces aren't a quick fix—they can often take a year or more to fix your crooked teeth. However, the results can be pretty dramatic.^[17]
- If you don't want to wear braces, ask your dentist or orthodontist about clear aligners instead.^[18]
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Try veneers to lengthen your teeth. If your teeth are chipped or too short, talk to your dentist about veneers. These porcelain shells sit on top of your teeth, giving you the appearance of straight, white teeth without much effort.^[19]
- Your teeth and your gums must be healthy before you can qualify for veneers, so keep brushing and flossing!
- Veneers are permanent, but they can become loose over time. You may need to get them touched up or replaced down the line.
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Add crowns to straighten your teeth. If you only have a few teeth that are crooked or chipped, ask about getting a crown. These individual covers sit over the top of your tooth, giving it the appearance of a full, healthy tooth.^[20]
- Crowns can also help strengthen weak or broken teeth.
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Press your tongue behind your teeth for the perfect smile. Before you smile, push your tongue up to the roof of your mouth and press it against your top teeth. Then, when you smile, you'll show the perfect amount of gum (not too much, and not too little).^[21]
- Celebrities use this trick a lot on the red carpet to hold their smile in place as they get pictures taken.
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Pout your lips to make them look fuller. Before you smile, push your lips outward like you're going in for a kiss. Try to hold that feeling in your lips as you smile to plump your lips naturally in photos.^[22]
- This is a great way to make your lips look a little fuller without any cosmetic alterations.
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Stand far away from the camera. Taking a picture too close to the camera can distort the image and make your proportions look out of whack. Try to stand at least 3 to 4 ft (0.91 to 1.22 m) back from the camera to start with, then move backward or forward slightly to find a flattering angle.^[23]
- Standing too far away from the camera can also make your features look a little funny (or even blurry). Try to find the sweet spot between too close and too far for your best picture.
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Pick a 70 to 100 mm lens for the most natural angle. If you're working with a professional camera, the lens you choose can make a huge difference on how you look. A 70 mm lens or a 100 mm lens will give you the least amount of distortion and keep your proportions even.^[24]
- Your perfect lens might be slightly different, so play around until you find the one that you like.
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Use a warp tool in an editing software to fix your smile. Put your photo into an editing software and highlight your mouth area with the warp tool. Gently lift or lower one side of your mouth to fix the unevenness that you see.^[25]
- Be very careful when editing photos! If you do too much, it might look unnatural.
- If you had professional photos taken, you can ask the photographer to touch up your smile in post-production.
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Question

What if I don't want metal braces?

Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a board certified dentist who runs her private practice, Tu's Dental, in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia. Dr. Vu has conducted research related to finding the cure for Kaposi Sarcoma cancer and has presented her research at the Hinman Meeting in Memphis. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

Board Certified Dentist

Expert Answer

There are a lot of clear aligners on the market. Just keep in mind that you should still get them from a dentist or an orthodontist if you have a more severe case. There are some you can order that you don't need to see a dentist for, and if you only need very minor tooth movement, that's probably okay.