Are Cosmetic Orthodontic Treatments Permissible Without Medical Necessity?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

My question is whether the use of advanced cosmetic orthodontics, such as RPE, MARPE, MSE, and Invisalign, is permissible for both beautification (e.g., expanding the palate and broadening the smile) and functional improvements (e.g., improved breathing and oral posture).

Are these non-surgical procedures Halal if there’s room for functional enhancement but no significant health issues, and beautification is also a motive?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

Advanced cosmetic orthodontics, such as RPE, MARPE, MSE, and Invisalign, are impermissible for beautification purposes. However, if they are performed as part of a restorative procedure to fix abnormalities and defects, then these procedures are permitted.

Key Principle—Cosmetical vs. Restorative

A treatment performed solely for cosmetic or augmentation reasons is not permissible. It is only permitted when a restorative procedure is used to correct abnormalities and defects.

There is a key principle here. If something is abnormal and defective, restoring it to its natural form is permitted. This is considered a restorative procedure rather than a cosmetic or beautification procedure. Medical restorative procedures aimed at correcting defects and abnormalities are not seen as altering Allah’s creation.

For example, a person may be born with a crooked nose, a cleft lip, or an extra finger. Restorative medical procedures to fix these defects are acceptable, as they involve correcting an abnormality. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Mawsili, al-Ikhtiyar li Talil al-Mukhtar; ‘Uthmani, Takmila al-Fath al-Mulhim]

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction, insha’Allah.

Related: Is Microneedling Permissible If a Hyaluronic Acid Serum Enters the Skin During the Procedure?

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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Currently, he resides in the UK with his wife and is interested in reading and gardening.