Can lip shape affect teeth?

[Givemecaffeine21]

We were in the docs today and a (generally over-opinionated) lady said to us that our daughter (2) has a lip shape that will mean her teeth will / could grow outwards when she's older...horizontally rather than vertically.

I know I'm biased but my daughter is very pretty and has one of those perfect pouts that some toddlers have...yes I'm aware of it as people tell me it's gorgeous, but I've never had anyone suggest it will affect her teeth, and obviously that worries me. The picture she painted was not a pretty one!

Any dentists out there? She was a lady in her 60s / 70s whose credentials were that she had raised two daughters so I'm wondering if it's based in fact or just an old wives tale?

(My parents describe DD as a 'Lucie Attwell' baby if that means anything to anyone...I had to google it!)

That sounds like complete and utter bollocks. Lips are soft and pliable and couldn't possibly affect the direction in which teeth grow, especially not horizontally. Have you ever seen a person with horizontal teeth? Thought not

I have no idea what that lady was on about.....

BUT tongue movements and habitual thumb sucking etc can affect the direction of the bone growth.

If you're worried about your Dds jaw development due to tongue thrusting etc, see a paediatric orthodontist to assess whether she needs any retainer or device to ensure she doesn't have problems down the line.

In the meantime just resign yourself to the fact that people have opinions about pretty girls morning noon and night and to let it all wash over you and teach her to let it wash over her.

I genuinely have no concerns about her mouth or teeth - or straight, clean and sparkly! Thanks guys...it did sound like bull but had to check!

*all not or

I think they can in some circumstances. DD was a thumb sucker which was gradually pulling her top teeth/jaw forward and pushing her lower ones back. An orthodontist told me that it wasn't too much of a problem unless her top teeth started sitting over her bottom lip as her bottom lip was pulling them back at the moment, but would push them out more if they sat over it. Luckily she has stopped thumb sucking and the overbite she had seems to be closing as there is nothing pulling/pushing in that direction any more.

Ah ok. My DD doesn't really suck her thumb much - just a couple of minutes before she falls asleep with her blanket / bunny glued to her face, so I'm not even sure if she's sucking her thumb as her face is covered and she makes this snuffling noise. She never sucks it in the day that I can think of, her hands are always occupied with something else. DS sucks his when he drops off too and at no other time but his lips aren't pouty like hers.

Your teeth sit in what is called "neutral zone" where the effects of the muscles of your tongue and your lips meet.

If you have what are called "incompetent lips" that don't meet when you rest then the tongue has dominance and the teeth can protrude.

divingoffthebalcony a quick read of this might help inform your opinion neutral zone

Thanks mrsmorton. Apologies if you think I was horrifically misinformed, but I never said I was an orthodontist. I'm just someone who's had a lot of orthodontic work.

I still think the likelihood of the OP's little girl (who sounds like she has pretty rosebud lips) indeed having incompetent lips is pretty remote.

That is the perfect description diving - they are rosebud. Very interesting mrsmorton, I know just what you mean now I think of it! but that isn't DD in this case.