The saying that having a long philtrum will result in lackluster results even after double jaw surgery is something people considering double jaw surgery might have heard at least once. This statement is somewhat true but not necessarily always the case.
Celebrities with short philtrums like Shin Se Kyung, Ko Yoon Jung, Lee Yeon Hee, Karina, Jenny, and Aiki tend to have smaller and younger-looking faces. On the other hand, those who have long philtrums or philtrums that obscure their teeth can look older. The philtrum can become longer or shorter through double jaw surgery.
Today we will go over which instances the philtrum length will grow or shorten with our very own Dr. Kim Jong Yun.
To begin, the first way of reducing the length of the face is by reducing the vertical length of the facial bone.
When doing double jaw surgery, there are two points of reference for the upper jaw- the front incisors and the molars. When reducing the vertical length, the incisor and molars are moved up an equal amount so that the length of the upper jaw is reduced.
In these cases, the philtrum will also be reduced 20~40%. However, the surgery will cause the teeth to move above the lips, so when the patient smiles or speaks, the teeth will not be visible and they may appear old.
The second method is called occlusal plane rotation.
Contrary to reducing the vertical length, occlusal plane rotation involves moving the upper molars further up than the incisors (thus rotating it forward) and moving the lower jaw to match the upper jaw's new position.
Much like appearing to have a smaller face when taking a selfie from 45 degrees above your face, the same effect is achieved through double jaw surgery. This causes the philtrum that was previously slanted to stand upright and appear longer than it did before.
Aside from these surgical methods, there are other factors that influence the apparent length of the philtrum. This includes the actual length of the philtrum, the thickness of the upper lip, and the clarity of the lip outline. These factors affect the appearance of the change in philtrum length. This is why when doing double jaw surgery, these factors need to be diagnosed in advance in order to obtain the best possible results.
Lastly, there are some patients who do not have a long philtrum who are convinced that they do. These patients usually have protruding mouth, gummy smile, or long face. Those with these symptoms will find it difficult to close their mouth when their facial muscles are relaxed, so they will have to strain their philtrum to close it which causes their philtrum to appear long. In these cases, patients will often feel that their philtrum looks shorter after double jaw surgery.
Today we went over both the surgical and non-surgical influences that affect the length of the philtrum. There are several elements that impact the length of the philtrum, so getting a precise diagnosis followed by the most appropriate procedure will yield the best results. Rather than worrying about whether or not the length of your philtrum will affect the result of the surgery, we hope you speak with a certified oral and maxillofacial specialist for an accurate diagnosis and follow through with the best treatment plan.
You can watch Dr. Kim explain the relationship between philtrum length and double jaw surgery here.
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