kingofearth
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This thread is aimed at covering whether braces recess your Mandibular (lower jaw bone)
One of the biggest misconceptions online is people confusing profile flattening with literal mandibular bone recession.
I see people asking whether braces will recess their jaw/mandibular. This is false. It's important to note that orthodontic results are individualized and subjective. Never ever make treatment decisions based on threads you read online, especially on a forum.
Moving teeth backwards does NOT mean your mandibular bone itself has shrunk backwards. Orthodontics mainly move teeth within your bone structure. It does not directly reshape, regrow or physically push your mandible backwards as a whole structure.
What people online are describing is more so:
Orthodontics is not a yes or no binary.
There are patients whose treatment improved:
Function, improved jaw development, improved facial harmony, improved breathing, improved symmetry,
On the other end of the stick you also have people who report:
Flatter profiles, weaker lower thirds, reduced tongue space, narrowed arches, aesthetic problems despite an improved bite.
Go to an Orthodontist. Obtain:
Before considering any irreversible treatment.
Dental problems vs Skeletal problems
A large portion of confusion comes from people who mix up dental issues with structural, skeletal problems.
Dental issues may include:
Skeletal issues may include:
What Camouflage Orthodontics Means
Camouflage Orthodontics means using tooth movement to hide a skeletal discrepancy instead of correcting the skeletal structure itself.
A patient may have a recessed mandible, excess overjet, weak chin projection... but instead of surgically advancing the mandible or using growth modification, an Orthodontist may move teeth to fit the bite together, reduce visible overjet or retract your upper incisors.
These are not the same thing. You can have straight teeth with a recessed jaw. You can also have crooked teeth with a strong jaw. You can have a perfect bite with weak facial projection, or severe crowding with above average facial aesthetics.
Orthodontics moves mainly your teeth. It does not regrow, or reshape your mandible. Many patients with skeletal problems are treated dentally, and that is where the controversy begins.
The result of this is your bite looking more correct, yet skeletal issues still existing.
In more severe skeletal cases, orthodontics alone may not be capable of fully correcting structural jaw deficiency.
In that particular instance, this is where the following below would require looking into:
Extractions and Retraction Mechanics
Premolar extraction has existed for DECADES.
It is used in many cases to reduce crowding, negate protrusive incisors, improve bite mechanics or avoid surgery. The issue is not with extractions being bad, it's what may potentially happen afterwards.
If a premolar is extracted, Orthodontists often use that space created to retract anterior teeth, pull incisors backward, reduce protrusion...
This might affect:
Untreated malocclusion (misaligned bite) comes with its own consequences.
These consequences may be outlined below:
Mandibular Rotation and Facial Growth Direction
Not all mandibular growth is forward. It can grow upwards, forward, downwards, backwards. Hence the term rotational growth.
More favourable growth will be forward/upward rotation. This results in a stronger jawline, shorter lower face, better chin projection and a more compact facial structure.
Backwards/downward rotation will result in a weaker jaw appearance, longer lower third, recessed chin appearance, steeper mandibular plane and an increased facial convexity.
Retainers matter more than people think
Your teeth are not permanently "locked" into place immediately after your braces come off. Teeth naturally have the tendency to relapse over time due to:
periodontal ligament memory
bite forces
aging
oral habits
continued facial change/remodelling
Orthodontic treatment, yes, it can influence facial growth and aesthetics, profile appearance, and growth direction but this depends more on:
Braces themselves, however, do not directly recess your mandibular bone. Take advantage of braces whilst you're young, people don't give as much of a shit about your teeth, and it may potentially save you further complications down the line. Oral health is important, and straight teeth are an easy way to boost PSL.
What many people online interpret as jaw recession is often just related to profile flattening, reduced lip support, camouflage treatment, or pre-existing skeletal problems becoming more noticeable over time.
The important issue is getting a correct diagnosis, understanding skeletal vs dental problems, individualized treatment planning, airway consideration, and finally informed consent regarding aesthetic tradeoffs.
A healthy and functional bite, with a stable oral structure is, in most cases far more important than obsessing over a perceived profile change from anecdotes.
One of the biggest misconceptions online is people confusing profile flattening with literal mandibular bone recession.
I see people asking whether braces will recess their jaw/mandibular. This is false. It's important to note that orthodontic results are individualized and subjective. Never ever make treatment decisions based on threads you read online, especially on a forum.
Moving teeth backwards does NOT mean your mandibular bone itself has shrunk backwards. Orthodontics mainly move teeth within your bone structure. It does not directly reshape, regrow or physically push your mandible backwards as a whole structure.
What people online are describing is more so:
- Reduced lip support
- Flatter soft tissue profile
- Camouflage treatment of a skeletal issue
- Natural growth changes being incorrectly attributed to braces
- Altered facial balance
Orthodontics is not a yes or no binary.
There are patients whose treatment improved:
Function, improved jaw development, improved facial harmony, improved breathing, improved symmetry,
On the other end of the stick you also have people who report:
Flatter profiles, weaker lower thirds, reduced tongue space, narrowed arches, aesthetic problems despite an improved bite.
Go to an Orthodontist. Obtain:
- Cephalometric imaging
- Multiple orthodontic opinions
Before considering any irreversible treatment.
Dental problems vs Skeletal problems
A large portion of confusion comes from people who mix up dental issues with structural, skeletal problems.
Dental issues may include:
- Tooth alignment
- Spacing
- Crowding
- Overjet
- Relationship between your bite
Skeletal issues may include:
- Maxillary position
- Mandibular position
- Facial growth direction
- Craniofacial development
- Airway structure
- Jaw projection
What Camouflage Orthodontics Means
Camouflage Orthodontics means using tooth movement to hide a skeletal discrepancy instead of correcting the skeletal structure itself.
A patient may have a recessed mandible, excess overjet, weak chin projection... but instead of surgically advancing the mandible or using growth modification, an Orthodontist may move teeth to fit the bite together, reduce visible overjet or retract your upper incisors.
These are not the same thing. You can have straight teeth with a recessed jaw. You can also have crooked teeth with a strong jaw. You can have a perfect bite with weak facial projection, or severe crowding with above average facial aesthetics.
Orthodontics moves mainly your teeth. It does not regrow, or reshape your mandible. Many patients with skeletal problems are treated dentally, and that is where the controversy begins.
The result of this is your bite looking more correct, yet skeletal issues still existing.
In more severe skeletal cases, orthodontics alone may not be capable of fully correcting structural jaw deficiency.
In that particular instance, this is where the following below would require looking into:
- Growth modification
- Functional appliances
- Orthognathic surgery
- Combined orthodontic-surgical treatment
Extractions and Retraction Mechanics
Premolar extraction has existed for DECADES.
It is used in many cases to reduce crowding, negate protrusive incisors, improve bite mechanics or avoid surgery. The issue is not with extractions being bad, it's what may potentially happen afterwards.
If a premolar is extracted, Orthodontists often use that space created to retract anterior teeth, pull incisors backward, reduce protrusion...
This might affect:
- Lip support
- Tongue space
- Smile width
- Overall facial convexities
- Profile fullness
Untreated malocclusion (misaligned bite) comes with its own consequences.
These consequences may be outlined below:
- Tooth wear
- Bite instability
- Chewing dysfunction
- TMJ strain
- Asymmetrical compensation
- Gum issues
- Long term oral stability
- Function
- Bite mechanics
- Oral health
- Smile aesthetics
- Long term dental stability
Mandibular Rotation and Facial Growth Direction
Not all mandibular growth is forward. It can grow upwards, forward, downwards, backwards. Hence the term rotational growth.
More favourable growth will be forward/upward rotation. This results in a stronger jawline, shorter lower face, better chin projection and a more compact facial structure.
Backwards/downward rotation will result in a weaker jaw appearance, longer lower third, recessed chin appearance, steeper mandibular plane and an increased facial convexity.
Retainers matter more than people think
Your teeth are not permanently "locked" into place immediately after your braces come off. Teeth naturally have the tendency to relapse over time due to:
periodontal ligament memory
bite forces
aging
oral habits
continued facial change/remodelling
Orthodontic treatment, yes, it can influence facial growth and aesthetics, profile appearance, and growth direction but this depends more on:
- Treatment mechanics
- Extraction/retraction strategy
- Growth stage
- Skeletal structure
- Orthodontist philosophy
Braces themselves, however, do not directly recess your mandibular bone. Take advantage of braces whilst you're young, people don't give as much of a shit about your teeth, and it may potentially save you further complications down the line. Oral health is important, and straight teeth are an easy way to boost PSL.
What many people online interpret as jaw recession is often just related to profile flattening, reduced lip support, camouflage treatment, or pre-existing skeletal problems becoming more noticeable over time.
The important issue is getting a correct diagnosis, understanding skeletal vs dental problems, individualized treatment planning, airway consideration, and finally informed consent regarding aesthetic tradeoffs.
A healthy and functional bite, with a stable oral structure is, in most cases far more important than obsessing over a perceived profile change from anecdotes.
Sources + Further reading:
American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)
AAO Clinical Practice Guidelines
Contemporary Orthodontics — William R. Proffit
Radiographic Cephalometry — Jacobson
American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)
AAO Clinical Practice Guidelines
Contemporary Orthodontics — William R. Proffit
Radiographic Cephalometry — Jacobson
Topics you can research to further educate yourselves:
Class II skeletal malocclusion
Camouflage orthodontics
Premolar extraction controversy
Mandibular rotation growth patterns
Functional appliances orthodontics
Airway-focused orthodontics
Cephalometric analysis
Class II skeletal malocclusion
Camouflage orthodontics
Premolar extraction controversy
Mandibular rotation growth patterns
Functional appliances orthodontics
Airway-focused orthodontics
Cephalometric analysis
