Can Facial Asymmetry Improve with Correction?

Key points in 30 seconds

1. The shape of the facial bones themselves isn't changed by correction.
2. No face is perfectly the same on both sides to begin with.
3. A habit of chewing only on one side creates a difference in muscle thickness.
4. That part has room to be reversed; differences in bone don't.
5. The goal is how well you chew and open your mouth, not the line of your face.

What we often hear

• "In photos, my face looks tilted to one side."
• "I end up chewing only on one side."
• "Can it get better with correction?"

Can facial asymmetry improve with correction?

The shape of the facial bones themselves doesn't change. What can change is where the lower jaw sits and the difference in muscle thickness between left and right.

There's a reason we put this distinction first. When people hear "correction can change your face," they expect the bones to move. That doesn't happen. The honest thing is to separate what can and can't be done first.

Are human faces naturally the same on both sides?

No. No face is perfectly the same on both sides. If you fold a photo in half and match the sides, everyone's face is off.

So the standard for intervening isn't "the two sides are different." We look at whether it has changed noticeably over the last few years, whether there's discomfort when chewing or opening, and whether you chew only on one side.

Where does it come from?

A habit of chewing only on one side, resting your chin on one hand, and a tilt in the neck and shoulders are common sources. These three are linked to each other.

Chewing only on one side makes the muscles on that side thicker and the other side thinner. The difference in muscle thickness alone can make the line of the face look different. This part has room to be reversed.

If you always carry your bag on one side or one shoulder sits higher, your head tilts on top of it. That's why we measure shoulder height even when you've come in about your face.

What can improve and what can't?

Discomfort when chewing and the difference in muscle thickness between sides can be worked on. Differences in the shape and size of facial bones that have already finished growing cannot.

When the difference in the bones themselves is large enough to interfere with chewing, we recommend a consultation with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or an orthodontist. We don't try to find every answer within our own care.

What are the limits of this judgment?

We don't have numbers on how much the visible difference between sides decreases. Comparing photos also varies with angle and lighting.

To be clear: the goal of this care is not cosmetic; it's how well you chew and open your mouth. Sometimes the line of the face changes along with it, but we can't promise that. If one side is noticeably smaller in a growing child, there may be another cause, so that needs to be checked first.

We separate what has set in the bone from what has come from habit. How much can change differs greatly depending on which it is.

If the two sides of your face bother you, come in and get measured. We'll start by telling you what can and can't be done.

How much things change differs from person to person, depending on the cause of the tilt and how long it has been.