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The Duggar family has attained quite a fan base since they first appeared on 19 Kids and Counting. And while many of the family members themselves have made a splash, it’s hard to compete with the upsets that Jill Duggar’s husband, Derick Dillard, has caused. Derick famously got himself and Jill kicked off of TLC’s Counting On after unleashing a few unsavory comments on Twitter about his network co-stars. And while we may no longer see him on our television screens, he still maintains a massive social media following where he can share photos, videos, and updates of what he and Jill are up to.

Years ago, fans noticed that Derick had jaw surgery. And while many assumed he needed it for medical reasons, now there’s suspicion the other Duggar family members may have pushed him into it.

The Duggars are known to be obsessed with dental hygiene

For a thrifty family like the Duggars, it may be surprising to know that they spare no expense when it comes to having perfect teeth. In Touch Weekly recalls when Michelle Duggar talked about the importance of dental hygiene on an episode of 19 Kids and Counting. “We’re going to make sure that we’re at the dentist for our check-ups and our cleaning appointments and all of that. And if they need braces and what-not, we’re going to do this,” she said.

With this in mind, it shouldn’t be too surprising to know that at least half of the Duggars have had braces, which amounts to around $5,000 to $6,000 per mouth. And the family also treats going to the dentist like a special occasion for the kids, too. Not only that, but the practice of good dental hygiene has definitely been passed down to Jim Bob and Michelle’s adult kids. We remember when Jill Duggar dedicated an entire Instagram post to letting her son pick out a new toothbrush as a gift.

Derick got surgery on his jaw years ago and still wears braces today

The Duggars prioritized dental hygiene long before Derick Dillard was ever in the picture, but it’s clear Jill’s husband also wants to take care of his teeth. In Touch Weekly reminds us back in 2014, Derick’s face appeared to be much more filled out, and over the years, his face seems to have thinned. This seems to be a result of palate expansion surgery he received while on a mission trip to El Salvador in 2015.

When performed on a child, palate expansion often doesn’t impact the look of the face — but adult bones are much different. Derick’s features were greatly changed as a result of the surgery, as the procedure involves cutting bones to widen the upper jaw and allow the teeth to fit together more properly. Today, Derick is still wearing braces, too, so it’s clear years later, he’s still on a quest for a perfect smile. And fans have taken the opportunity to speculate why he got the surgery in the first place and how much his face shape has changed since the palate expansion.

Some fans suspect the surgery was for cosmetic reasons

Derick doesn’t appear to be someone who would get major surgery just for a cosmetic fix, but fans certainly have their suspicions. Since the family is so into dental work, could they have pushed an in-law into getting the procedure for perfect teeth? One Reddit user suspected Jim Bob may have pushed him into it. They also added, “Idk if this is true but I read on another thread on this sub that Derick might have done the surgery purely for cosmetic reasons because of his buck teeth before and that maybe he is ashamed from having to see them on tv.” Another echoed the same sentiment by saying, “Someone here said that the Duggars made Anna fix her teeth for cosmetic purposes, so it’s not a far-fetched theory that they also made Derick get that surgery.”

An additional Reddit user went against these comments, however. “No oral/maxillofacial surgeon would perform this surgery unless a functional limitation was present,” they added. And others don’t want to discuss Derick’s changing face shape at all. “Just stop with appearances and things people cannot change. … It’s not funny,” another Reddit user commented.

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