clenching your jaw

[Cannoedskulled]

ive heard stuff about how clenching your jaw is bad because it stresses your cheekbone or zygomatic and pulls it down

this true? i mean photos of the masseter look like its connected to the cheekbone so i would think its true

 

[Cannoedskulled]

bump

 

[Cannoedskulled]

bump again bro

 

[rhyku]

bump again bro

hush

 

[caleb555]

Short answer: No — clenching your jaw does not pull your cheekbone/zygomatic bone downward.
But it can cause other problems.
Here’s the breakdown:

1. Anatomy: What the masseter actually attaches to
The masseter muscle has two main attachment points:


Origin: Zygomatic arch (the bony arch that forms part of your cheekbone)


Insertion: Angle and ramus of the mandible (lower jaw)


So yes — it attaches to the zygomatic arch, but…
➤ The masseter pulls down on the mandible, not the cheekbone.
Muscles pull toward their center, and their movement is determined by the bone that’s meant to move.
The mandible is mobile; the zygomatic arch is not.
Your cheekbone is part of the skull — it’s thick, rigid, fused bone.
It does not shift under muscle tension.
There is no biomechanical pathway for the masseter to “drag down” the cheekbone.

2. Can clenching make your cheekbones look lower?
Not structurally.
But here are two ways it can create the illusion of lower cheekbones:
A. Hypertrophy of the masseter
Chronic clenching can enlarge the masseter muscle.
A very large masseter can make the lower face look bulkier, which makes:


cheekbones appear less prominent


lower face appear wider


This is aesthetic, not skeletal.
B. Swelling or tension
TMJ strain, inflammation, or trigger points can create jaw swelling or a tense, square appearance.
Again — visual, not bone movement.

3. What jaw clenching does cause
While it won’t move bones, it can cause:


TMJ pain or clicking


headaches


tooth wear


masseter hypertrophy


facial tension


bruxism (grinding)


These are real issues, just not related to bone deformation.

Bottom line


Jaw clenching does not pull your cheekbone downward and cannot deform it.


It can make your lower face look bigger and your cheekbones less defined, but only through muscle size, swelling, or tension — not bone movement.


If you want, I can explain how to reduce masseter tension or check if you have masseter hypertrophy.

 

[Cannoedskulled]

chat gpt crazy bro