I've had braces for about a year and a half now, and lately I've been noticing my face shape seems kinda different. Like my jawline looks more defined and my cheeks seem slimmer somehow. At first I thought I was imagining things, but even my mom mentioned it the other day. I didn't realize braces could affect your face shape this much, you know? Has anyone else noticed something similar after getting braces or am I just seeing things?
"Like my jawline looks more defined and my cheeks seem slimmer somehow."
You're definitely not imagining it. When I had braces, I noticed similar subtle changes—my orthodontist explained it's because your bite alignment shifts, slightly altering muscle use and facial structure. Pretty fascinating stuff, honestly...
I noticed something similar when I had braces a few years back. At first, I thought it was just me being overly observant (or maybe wishful thinking, haha), but friends and family started commenting on it too. My orthodontist mentioned something about how correcting your bite alignment can subtly change the way your facial muscles work, which can affect the overall shape of your face. It makes sense if you think about it—your jaw and cheek muscles are probably working differently now that your teeth are aligned properly.
Funny enough, I remember being skeptical at first because I assumed braces only affected teeth placement, not the actual shape of my face. But after comparing some old photos from before and after treatment, the difference was pretty clear. My jawline looked sharper, and my cheeks seemed less rounded. It wasn't a drastic change like surgery or anything, but definitely noticeable enough to make me feel more confident.
One thing my orthodontist did mention though is that these changes vary quite a bit from person to person. Some people might see more noticeable differences depending on their original bite issues or how long they wore braces. Others might barely notice anything at all. So it's cool you're seeing positive changes—enjoy them!
On a lighter note... brace yourself (pun totally intended) for people asking if you've lost weight or changed something else about your appearance. Happened to me more times than I'd like to admit, haha.
That's interesting, because I thought I was imagining things too at first. But yeah, after looking at old selfies from before braces, there's definitely a subtle difference. My face looks less round and my cheekbones stand out more. Funny thing is, now people keep asking if I've changed my hairstyle or something, lol. Did anyone else notice differences in their smile or lip shape too? Mine seems slightly fuller now...or maybe that's just wishful thinking, haha.
Glad you mentioned the lip thing because I was starting to wonder about that too. I've had my braces off for a couple months now, and honestly, my mouth feels kinda different. My lips seem to sit differently when relaxed, almost like they're fuller or something. Thought maybe it was just in my head, but seeing others notice similar stuff makes me feel a bit less paranoid, haha. Still getting used to the new look, though...feels weird after so many years seeing my old smile.
