How to Bring Balance Back to Your Face with Dental and Orthodontic Treatments

You will probably be surprised to learn that almost nobody has a perfectly symmetrical face. Small differences between the two sides of the face are very common. In fact, studies show that 12-37% patients have clinically noticeable facial asymmetry, and that number climbs past 50% when X-rays and CT scans are involved. 

If you have looked at a photo of yourself and felt that one side of your face looks slightly different, you are not alone. And in many cases, this can be linked to dental or bite issues. The good news is that many causes of facial asymmetry can be improved with dental or orthodontic treatment. In most situations, major surgery is not needed. 

In this guide, we will explain what facial asymmetry is, what causes it, and which treatment options may help.

What Is Facial Asymmetry?

Facial asymmetry means that the left and right sides of your face do not look exactly the same. For example, your chin can sit slightly to one side, or one cheek may appear a little fuller than the other. This is very common, and most people have some level of facial asymmetry.

In many cases, the difference is most noticeable in the lower part of the face, especially around the chin and jaw.

There are two main types of facial asymmetry: 

• Pathological asymmetry, which are caused by a medical condition or injury. 
• Developmental asymmetry, which develops gradually as the face grows.

Facial asymmetry is not only about appearance. An uneven jaw or bite can also affect chewing, speech, and jaw comfort.

What Causes Facial Asymmetry?

Facial asymmetry can happen for several reasons, and sometimes more than one factor is involved.

• Genetics is one of the most common causes. The shape of your jaw, cheekbones, and facial structure is often inherited from your family. Some people are also born with conditions that affect facial development, such as a cleft lip or other structural differences.
• Ageing can also change facial balance over time. As we get older, soft tissues in the face lose firmness, and fat distribution can shift. This can make one side of the face appear slightly different from the other.
• Injuries and medical conditions may also affect facial symmetry. Accidents, nerve conditions such as Bell’s palsy, or other health issues can sometimes change the way facial muscles or bones function.
• Lifestyle factors can play a small role as well. For example, consistently sleeping on one side, smoking, or long-term sun damage may contribute to uneven facial appearance.

What Are the Dental and Orthodontic Issues Behind Facial Asymmetry?

A lot of facial asymmetry traces back to what is happening inside your mouth. Your teeth, jaw, and bite all shape the contours of your face, so when any of those are off-balance, you may see the effects every time you look in the mirror.

Asymmetrical Jaw

One common cause of facial asymmetry is an uneven jaw. This happens when the lower jaw grows differently on each side. As a result, the chin may appear slightly shifted to the left or right.

In some cases, one side of the jaw joint grows more than the other. This condition is known as condylar hyperplasia. When this happens, the lower jaw can gradually move out of balance.

Because the lower jaw continues growing for longer than the upper jaw, differences in growth can sometimes lead to visible facial asymmetry. When the jaw is uneven, it can affect both the appearance of the face and the way the bite fits together.

Tooth Misalignment

The way your teeth fit together, also called your bite, can affect how your face looks both at rest and when you smile. When the bite is not balanced, it can sometimes lead to facial asymmetry.

• A crossbite happens when the upper and lower teeth don’t line up properly. Over time, this can cause the jaw to shift slightly to one side.
• An overbite means the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth too much. This can sometimes make the chin appear smaller or the cheeks look slightly sunken.
• An underbite is the opposite. The lower jaw sits further forward, which can make the chin look more prominent.
• An open bite happens when the front teeth don’t meet when the mouth is closed. This can place extra strain on the facial muscles and may affect the shape of the mouth area over time.

Dental Health and Tooth Loss

Losing a tooth can affect more than just your smile. When a tooth is missing, the surrounding teeth may slowly move into the empty space. Over time, this can change how your bite fits together and may affect facial balance.

Your chewing muscles may also start working unevenly to compensate for the gap. If the tooth is not replaced, these changes can gradually become more noticeable.

Early Development Issues

Some facial asymmetry can begin during childhood. Habits such as thumb sucking, long-term pacifier use, or losing baby teeth too early or too late can affect how the teeth and jaw develop.

The jaw is easier to guide while a child is still growing, especially between ages 7 and 11. This is why many orthodontists recommend that children have their first orthodontic check by around age 7.

During this stage, dentists may use appliances such as palatal expanders, functional appliances, or headgear to guide jaw growth and help the teeth develop in a more balanced way.

TMJ Disorders

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your lower jaw to your skull and helps you open and close your mouth. When this joint does not work properly, it can affect how the jaw moves and how the teeth come together.

TMJ problems can cause uneven muscle tension, tooth wear, and gradual changes in jaw position. Over time, this may lead to visible facial asymmetry.

Common signs of TMJ disorders include jaw pain, clicking sounds when opening the mouth, headaches, and difficulty chewing. Treating the underlying jaw issue can sometimes help improve both comfort and facial balance.

Dental and Orthodontic Treatments for Facial Asymmetry

The good news is that most dental-related facial asymmetries can be improved. The right treatment depends on what is causing the imbalance, how severe it is, and your age.

Braces or Aligners

Metal braces, ceramic braces, and clear aligners like Invisalign gently move your teeth into better positions over time. By correcting crossbites, overbites, underbites, and open bites, braces and aligners also improve jaw alignment and reduce the uneven look in your face.

Braces for children can guide jaw growth while straightening teeth, helping prevent long-term asymmetry. Treatment usually takes 18 months to 3 years, depending on how much adjustment is needed.

For adults, braces and aligners can fix teeth alignment and dental asymmetry, but they cannot reshape the jawbone itself. Invisalign is a good choice for mild to moderate cases and suits anyone looking for a discreet option, though severe skeletal differences may need other approaches.

Jaw Correction

When the unevenness comes from the jawbone rather than just the teeth, jaw correction may be needed.

Palatal expanders gradually widen the upper jaw. They work best in children and teens whose palates have not fully fused. Adults may use MARPE (Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion) to widen the upper jaw even after growth is complete.

For moderate-to-severe skeletal asymmetry, orthognathic surgery (corrective jaw surgery) can reposition the jawbones to restore balance. Braces are usually worn before and after surgery to align the teeth and perfect the bite. Studies show jaw surgery can significantly reduce TMJ problems in months.

Not every case needs surgery. In mild cases, using microimplants and elastics can improve symmetry over time without an operation, especially when the chin shifts less than 2mm.

Dental Implants or Restorations

Missing teeth can make one side of the face look sunken or uneven. Dental implants and restorations restore the missing teeth, support the jawbone, and help bring back balance to your facial structure. Dentures, bridges, and cosmetic treatments like veneers, crowns, or bonding can also improve symmetry by filling gaps and correcting differences in tooth size.

At Zental, the cost of implants and restorations varies depending on the complexity of the case, with options available for replacing single teeth or multiple teeth to restore facial balance.

Dentures and bridges are alternatives to implants in some cases and also help restore function and balance. Cosmetic treatments like veneers, crowns, and bonding can fix differences in tooth size that make the face look uneven.

Bite Correction

Sometimes, fixing facial asymmetry is less about moving teeth and more about balancing the bite. Custom orthotics and bite splints can help guide the jaw into a healthier position and are especially useful for people who grind their teeth at night.

Occlusal adjustment involves reshaping biting surfaces, adding bonding, or placing crowns to even out how the teeth meet. For asymmetry linked to TMJ problems, combining bite adjustment with physical therapy can help both the jaw structure and the surrounding muscles work better together.

How to Test if You Have a Symmetrical Face

You can get a quick idea of facial symmetry at home with a simple check.

• The mirror test: Stand in front of a mirror with a relaxed face. Imagine a vertical line running from the middle of your forehead down to your chin. See whether your nose, lips, and chin sit along that line and whether your eyes, cheeks, and jaw look fairly balanced on both sides.
• The photo test: Take a front-facing photo in good lighting with a neutral expression. Look closely at the image to see if one side of your face appears slightly different from the other. Signs of facial asymmetry may include uneven eye levels, a chin that tilts to one side, a lopsided smile, or one cheek that looks fuller than the other.

Beyond the mirror and photo methods mentioned above, there are more precise ways to measure.

• AI symmetry tools are available online and can analyse a front-facing photo to score your symmetry across the eyes, nose, lips, and jaw. Most people land somewhere between 70% and 85%. Anything above 85% is considered quite symmetrical. These tools are fun for curiosity, but they are not a substitute for clinical diagnosis.
• Clinical assessment is where the real precision comes in. Dentists and orthodontists use PA cephalometric X-rays, panoramic radiographs, and cone-beam CT (CBCT) scans to map your facial structure in detail. They check your dental midline alignment, whether your occlusal plane (biting surface) is tilted, and how symmetrical the angles of your jaw are. One thing worth knowing is that people with facial asymmetry often unconsciously tilt their head to minimise it, and a trained clinician will account for this during the exam.

When Should You See a Dentist or Orthodontist?

It’s a good idea to see a dentist or orthodontist if you have trouble chewing, biting, or speaking because of your jaw or bite. You should also get checked if your jaw clicks, pops, or locks, as this can be a sign of a TMJ problem.

Even if your bite looks uneven, such as an underbite, overbite, crossbite, or gaps from missing teeth, a professional can assess what’s happening and explain the best way to fix it. For children between the ages of 7 and 11, early orthodontic care can guide jaw growth and prevent more complex treatments later.

However, if you notice sudden facial changes like drooping, numbness, or weakness on one side, it’s important to seek urgent help at A&E or call 999 straight away.

During the first appointment, our specialist will check for infections and take X-rays to see your jaw and facial bones clearly. This will help you understand exactly what is going on and what treatment, if any, will work best.

A Quick Recap

Facial asymmetry is very common, and the good news is that if yours is linked to dental or orthodontic issues, we have ways to help. We can use braces and aligners to fix bite-related unevenness, jaw correction techniques to address skeletal imbalances, dental implants and restorations to replace missing teeth, and bite adjustments to bring everything into comfortable alignment.

Adults have effective treatment options for all levels of severity. If you want to find out whether your facial asymmetry has a treatable dental cause, booking a consultation at Zental is a relaxed first step. 

FAQ

Can an asymmetrical face be corrected without surgery?

Yes, many cases caused by dental issues can improve without surgery. Braces, clear aligners, palatal expanders, bite splints, and dental restorations can make a real difference. Surgery is usually only needed for more severe jawbone differences.

What is the ideal treatment for an asymmetrical jaw?

It depends on your age and how noticeable the asymmetry is. Children can benefit from expanders and functional braces, while adults may use braces or microimplant-assisted treatments. Severe cases usually need jaw surgery combined with braces.

Can braces fix facial asymmetry?

Yes, if the unevenness is caused by teeth misalignment. Braces can correct bites like crossbites, overbites, underbites, and open bites. But if the bone itself is uneven, braces alone may not fully fix it.

Can Invisalign help correct an asymmetrical face?

Invisalign works well for mild to moderate dental asymmetry. The clear trays move teeth gradually, similar to braces. For severe bite or skeletal problems, your orthodontist may suggest other treatments or a combination approach.

Can early orthodontic treatment prevent facial asymmetry in children?

Yes, starting treatment early can guide jaw growth before issues become permanent. Appliances like expanders, headgear, and functional braces work best between ages 7 and 11. Early checks by age 7 are recommended.

How do dentists diagnose facial asymmetry?

Dentists check your face, jaw movement, and bite. They use X-rays, scans, and photos to see how teeth and bones line up. Clinically, differences over 3mm or 3° from the midline are considered significant.