Midline Discrepancy – How It Affects Your Appearance

If you pay close attention to popular culture and celebrities, you may have noticed many celebrities wear braces, Tom Cruise included. Why did Tom wear braces? The center of his two front teeth did not line up with the center of his nose and upper lip. There is nothing medically wrong with this condition. However, as a leading man in Hollywood, this flaw in his appearance was enough of an aesthetic problem to warrant treatment.

Almost everyone has at least a slight misalignment of the “midline” or center of our front teeth and our nose. For most people, it is so slight that it is barely noticeable. However, some people have a midline that does not appear to be halfway between the centers of the pupils of the eyes, affecting facial symmetry and overall appearance.

Another common problem with the upper front two teeth is called “diastema” or gap between teeth, as seen below on Madonna. This generally happens when there is an unequal relationship between the size of the teeth, which are too small, and the size of the jaw which is too big, resulting with a space between teeth. It can be very unattractive. If it is combined with a misaligned midline, it can be especially distracting to your appearance.

Tom Cruise opted for clear ceramic braces to help improve his appearance during treatment. He was not considered an Invisalign candidate, at the time, in 2002. However, in the past ten years there have been many improvements in the delivery of Invisalign treatment for patients looking to improve their appearance without wearing braces.

As one of Hollywood’s “beautiful people”, Cruise is constantly in the spotlight, and he made no effort to hide his braces during treatment. He was an inspiration to countless people considering orthodontic treatment who worry about how it would affect their jobs, social life, and appearance in the short term.

Concerned about your appearance when wearing braces to improve your smile? Contact Wu Orthodontics for a complimentary consultation to find out how we can help you determine the best orthodontic treatment options available to correct your problem. How would you feel about wearing braces? Leave your comments below. Would love to hear from you!