If you are wondering why you have trouble closing your mouth, or why your mouth naturally stays open, you might have a condition called lip incompetence that is known to cause these issues. It can also lead to even more serious health problems, as well as disturb a person’s well-being. The causes can range from psychical injuries to birth anomalies, neuro conditions, and many more.

So, is there a way to fix it? There are many people who are posing the same question. In the text below, you will find more detailed answers on how to treat lip incompetence, but the short answer is – Yes, you can fix it!

⚠️ Skip the long read ⚠️ and learn how face exercises can fix lip incompetence the natural way. Start with a quick quiz below!

Here is what you’ll read about in this article:

👄 How can you treat lip incompetence?

📄 What are the causes and symptoms of the condition?

🧒 Is there a good technique to improve facial posture and features?

Keep reading to find out more about lip incompetence!

What is Lip Incompetence?

The phrase lip incompetence refers to the inability of the lips to rest together gently while the lips are in a closed position, without putting pressure on the mouth area muscles. The core reason doesn’t always have anything to do with a person’s dental alignment or bite, so there may not be a need to visit an orthodontist.

However, if left untreated it can result in orofacial abnormalities that affect your bite grip and dental alignment, and it can generate changes in the appearance of your facial features. Luckily, you can tone your face with these exercises and techniques presented below, and alleviate this condition in the comfort of your own home.

Lip Incompetence vs Gummy Smile

Many may confuse the two, however, lip incompetence and a gummy smile are not the same. Lip incompetence is a condition where one is unable to close their lips together – wholly, which can be caused by nerve damage or muscle weakness. Diversely, a gummy smile is a condition where the upper lip of a person cannot completely cover the gums while smiling, thus showing off a very big amount of gum tissue.

Although the two conditions involve the lip area, both have different causes and symptoms. Both conditions are listed among the unattractive face features, however, there is something to be done. Continue reading, to learn what tongue exercises you can start doing and what techniques to use to fix lip incompetence.

Lip Incompetence vs Mentalis Strain

Mentalis strain is essentially lip incompetence and it represents the pain and discomfort in the mentalis muscle, located in the chin area, which is responsible for all movement around the lips. A few of the causes can be overuse, muscle tension or spasm. Teeth grinding, excessive gum chewing or smiling, and other similar activities can all lead to extreme mentalis strain. The manifestations of this condition may be discomfort and pain in the chin area, problems when opening or closing the mouth and jaw, struggle while smiling, and headaches.

Lip incompetence and mentalis strain, can affect the lips, however, the causes, symptoms, and treatment options vary.

What Causes Lip Incompetence

What are the possible causes and why does this condition happen? There is a list below for you to check out.

• Chronic allergic rhinitis can be a significant contributor to lip dysfunction. Your airway may get blocked as a result of the allergies, which may then cause persistent mouth breathing and thus mentalis strain.
• Nasal Obstruction refers to a deviation of the septum that separates the nasal cavities. This condition can arise after a nose injury, or it can be a birth abnormality. It inhibits airflow and causes lip incompetence.
• Tongue Pushing Tendency is a habit of pushing the tongue amidst the upper and lower teeth while swallowing. This is otherwise called tongue thrusting and it frequently goes in hand with lip incompetence.
• Head and facial bone deformities go in line with the cause-and-effect dilemma. Lip incompetence can be, caused by these craniofacial anomalies, and on the other hand, also cause them.
• Weak Muscles may occur when the tone of the muscles in the facial area deteriorates. Lip movement is made difficult by weak jaw and lip muscles.
• Sleep disturbance conditions based on airway obstructions and similar sleep disorders may lead to a constant open-mouthed position.
• Birth abnormalities – defects in the facial features, jaw alinements, mouth posture or similar that are congenital.
• Face trauma/injury – a certain injury, apart from aesthetic concerns, can cause the inability to be able to perform a lip seal.
• Neurological disorders – some types of neurological conditions can also cause lip incompetence in adults and children.
• Some Medical Procedures may alter facial development and the normal position of the facial features and muscles.

Symptoms of Lip Incompetence

If you are unsure if you have lip incompetence, here are some of the symptoms.

• Inability to close the lips completely – this might include upper lip incompetence, lower lip incompetence, or both.
• Drooling – without a proper lip seal, this tends to be a frequent occurrence.
• Difficulty speaking clearly – younger patients especially may face this symptom more often, but also adults.
• Difficulty eating or drinking – this condition can also affect the quality of your life.

Tips on How to Fix Lip Incompetence and Jaw Joint Function If You Have It

If you have any of these symptoms or possible causes, don’t panic! There are several ways to tighten your lip muscles. The more invasive method is surgery, with various procedures available. However, there is also a less invasive and less painful way to correct this condition. Below you can find more details on both methods.

Surgery

So, does lip repositioning surgery fix lip incompetence? The answer is that it might.

• Lip Repair – there are different procedures to perform a lip repair, and there are even a few studies that confirm some successful cases. However, surgery is a very invasive method.
• Lip Reconstruction – a complete reconstruction of the lip is a surgical procedure that is more forward than lip repair surgery. So you need to consult a professional to check if you are a good candidate for a lip procedure.
• Tongue-lip adhesion – a surgery that is performed, mostly in infants to prevent the tongue from falling back into the throat.

In addition, Botox is also an option as it can change the way your lips seem by loosening the muscles that surround them and making them appear bigger. Although fillers are meant to repair smile lines on the face, they can also be useful for improving lip incompetence by plumping up the lips. However, these methods are not a permanent solution, nor the best one. And the main question arising is how to strengthen your lips without surgery.

Occupational and Speech improvement Therapy

Mewing is the technique to go with if you would like to try these therapy methods. Proper breathing and tongue position is the core of the mewing technique. It provides a large number of exercises for the facial muscles, jaw alignment, also improvement of the weak muscle tone of the face and mouth. Tongue Mewing benefits on lips are amazing and can help fix lip incompetence without surgery.

The ideal position for the tongue is to be pressed against the palate throughout the entire region, particularly the posterior third, and breathing through your nose is the correct method.

Another mewing exercise is to say the -NG sound while closing your mouth, sealing your lips, and clenching your teeth gently. Breathe through your nose and make sure your tongue isn’t touching your front teeth. You can use some words like KING, SING, etc.

There is a big comparison of mouth and nose breathing, and introducing mewing into your daily practices will help you live and breathe in a healthier way. If you start to mew to correct your tongue posture, it will also reduce the possibility of drooling, and you will learn how to manage it.

Conditions that Lip Incompetence could Develop Into, if Not Treated

It’s important to treat lip incompetence as it could develop into serious conditions if not treated promptly.

• Jaw Misalignment – a condition when the upper and lower teeth don’t fit together comfortably in the mouth.
• Difficulty Breathing is characterized by discomfort during breathing and a sense of not being able to take a full breath. This might appear suddenly or gradually.
• Sleep Apnea happens when breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. You may have sleep apnea if you snore loudly and still feel exhausted after a full night’s sleep.

Conclusion

Many people worldwide are dealing with problems with their upper and lower lips, such as lip incompetence. It can really affect your everyday life, physical appearance and also the way you feel. If you have this condition, just know that many people share this issue as well.

There are several ways to approach it and find a way to improve it. You can find more information on lip incompetence and mandibular bone (jaw) support here. Also, do check out all the benefits of mewing technique, you would be shocked how well it works!