What Is The Recovery from Mouth Widening Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am considering doing a simple lateral commissuroplasty where the corners of the mouth are widened about to an ideal nose-width to mouth-width ratio. However, there are a few questions I would appreciate you to answer before I undergo this procedure:

1) What would be the estimated total cost of the procedure, with all factors included?

2) What is the estimated recovery time? Will performing everyday activities be possible during the time of recovery?

3) Will going through the procedure for a second time be possible to achieve greater width?

4) Will a palate  expansion be necessary to fill the empty space on the sides of the smile?

4) Finally, is there anything else I should know before undergoing this procedure?

A :In answer to your mouth widening surgery questions:

1) My assistant Camille will pass along the cost of the surgery to you later today.

2) There is not an real physical recovery. This is just externally corner of the mouth surgery.

3) I have never done a ‘two stage’ approach for maximal mouth widening so I can not answer that question accurately. But it would seem theoretically so

4) No. This procedure moves the outside of the mouth corners not the inside.

5) The biggest thing to know with this procedure, and I have done many, is that there is a near 100% risk of the need for scar revision. The corner of the mouth is very sensitive area to manipulation and almost always there is one side that just doesn’t scar as well as the other. This risk is magnified in patients with intermediate skin pigments, such as Asian ethnicities, who are more prone to a higher risk of hypertrophic scarring.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana