definetlynotagray
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lil orthodontics thread
Orthodontics is one of the highest looksmaxxes Straight aligned teeth + a wider better projected maxilla and balanced jaws can transform your side profile midface support and overall harmony Crooked teeth narrow palate recessed maxilla or bad bite drag down your rating hard Fixing them can easily bump you up by a lot
this guide mixes proven ortho science with SOME looksmax community knowledge (expanders and etc) Always consult a qualified orthodontist DIY has risks but informed choices help you avoid unnecessary extractions or bad treatment plans (this thread won't have any DIY in it tho if you do want that lmk and i'll try and look into it)
lets get into it
Self-Assessment/Where Are You Starting?
Smile aesthetics Teeth crowding spacing rotations color/yellowing gum show incisal edge display?
Jaw & profile Recessed maxilla/chin Overbite/underbite Narrow smile (dark buccal corridors)?
Palate Can your tongue rest fully flat on the roof of your mouth Narrow = high vault crowded teeth and sometimes worse airway
Class I (Ideal)
Upper teeth sit slightly ahead of lower teeth
Balanced facial proportions
Usually only cosmetic alignment is needed
Class II (Overbite / Recessed Mandible)
Lower jaw sits too far back Often creates
Weak jawline
Poor chin projection
More convex side profile
Class III (Underbite)
Lower jaw too far forward or upper jaw too far back
Creates a concave profile
Mild cases can be camouflaged
Severe skeletal cases usually require surgery
Treatment:
Elastics
Functional appliances (growing patients)
Braces/aligners
Jaw surgery in severe cases
Crossbite;
Upper teeth bite inside lower teeth
Often linked with a narrow maxilla
Usually benefits from expanion
Open Bite;
Front teeth don't touch
Common causes
Thumb sucking
Tongue thrust
Mouth breathing
Can seriously affect facial aesthetics
Age matters Teens/kids have more growth potential Adults rely more on expansion camouflage or surgery
some water for you
Oral hygiene + whitening Straight teeth are a big BUMP Floss brush and consider professional whitening
Lip & posture training Mouth breathing fucks you up as we all know Tape at night if needed
And obviously mewing
2 Professional Orthodontics The Real Ascenscion
Core goals
Straight teeth + wide arch (aesthetic smile)
Forward maxillary projection/support for lips/cheeks
Balanced jaws (Class I bite ideal)
Minimal dark corridors good incisor show
Clear Aligners (Invisalign and similar systems) Discreet great for mild-moderate crowding Can include attachments for bite correction Good for adults wanting low visibility Improves profile subtly through tooth movement
Palatal Expansion;
(MSE Hyrax etc) May widen a narrow maxilla Broader smile better cheekbone support improved airway and more tongue space MSE is popular for older teens and adults because it aims for skeletal expansion
Functional Appliances Herbst Bionator etc for Class II (recessed lower jaw) Guide jaw growth in adolescents
Orthognathic Surgery (Jaw Surgery LeFort I BSSO Genio) For severe skeletal issues Dramatic changes to projection jawline and harmony Often done before and after braces High reward but major commitment
Extractions Premolar extractions can retract front teeth in some cases Avoid if possible unless necessary for severe crowding Discuss expansion first with your orthodontist
4 Airway & Mouth Breathing
Looks and function go together
Chronic mouth breathing can contribute to
Long face development
Narrow palate
Poor tongue posture
Crowding
Dark circles
Dry mouth
Worse sleep
If you constantly
wake up tired
snore
sleep with your mouth open
can't comfortably breathe through your nose
get evaluated by an ENT before assuming orthodontics is the only answer
Common issues include
Deviated septum
Enlarged adenoids
Allergies
Enlarged turbinates
Fixing your airway often makes it easier to maintain proper tongue posture
5 Expansion
Expansion is one of the most talked about topics in the looksmax community
The goal is to increase arch width not just make the teeth look straighter
Potential benefits
Wider smile
Reduced buccal corridors
More tongue space
Better nasal airflow (in some patients)
Common expanders
Hyrax
Traditional tooth-borne expander
Works extremely well in growing patients
MARPE / MSE
Mini-screw assisted expanders
Designed to achieve more skeletal expansion in older teens and adults
Results vary depending on age and suture maturity
SARPE
Surgically assisted expansion
Usually reserved for adults who cannot achieve enough expansion without surgery
Orthognathic Surgery/hardmaxxing;
If your bones not just your teeth are the problem braces alone won't fix everything
Common surgeries
LeFort I
Moves the upper jaw
Can improve
Midface support
Smile
Incisor show
Bite
BSSO
Moves the lower jaw
Improves
Jawline
Chin position
Bite
Genioplasty
Moves only the chin
Often combined with jaw surgery but can also be done alone
Many severe Class II or Class III patients experience some of the biggest aesthetic improvements from surgery
To knock off the thread here are some myths
Straight teeth = perfect face
No Jaw position and facial bones matter just as much
NOT Everyone needs jaw surgery
Most people don't
Many can achieve excellent results with orthodontics alone
Adults can't expand
Adults can sometimes achieve skeletal expansion with MARPE MSE or surgery but success becomes less predictable with age
Mewing replaces orthodontics
No
Proper tongue posture may help maintain healthy oral posture but it won't reliably straighten crowded teeth or correct significant skeletal discrepancies
200 iq thread no chatgpt used
please rep
Orthodontics is one of the highest looksmaxxes Straight aligned teeth + a wider better projected maxilla and balanced jaws can transform your side profile midface support and overall harmony Crooked teeth narrow palate recessed maxilla or bad bite drag down your rating hard Fixing them can easily bump you up by a lot
this guide mixes proven ortho science with SOME looksmax community knowledge (expanders and etc) Always consult a qualified orthodontist DIY has risks but informed choices help you avoid unnecessary extractions or bad treatment plans (this thread won't have any DIY in it tho if you do want that lmk and i'll try and look into it)
lets get into it
Self-Assessment/Where Are You Starting?
Smile aesthetics Teeth crowding spacing rotations color/yellowing gum show incisal edge display?
Jaw & profile Recessed maxilla/chin Overbite/underbite Narrow smile (dark buccal corridors)?
Palate Can your tongue rest fully flat on the roof of your mouth Narrow = high vault crowded teeth and sometimes worse airway
Class I (Ideal)
Upper teeth sit slightly ahead of lower teeth
Balanced facial proportions
Usually only cosmetic alignment is needed
Class II (Overbite / Recessed Mandible)
Lower jaw sits too far back Often creates
Weak jawline
Poor chin projection
More convex side profile
Class III (Underbite)
Lower jaw too far forward or upper jaw too far back
Creates a concave profile
Mild cases can be camouflaged
Severe skeletal cases usually require surgery
Treatment:
Elastics
Functional appliances (growing patients)
Braces/aligners
Jaw surgery in severe cases
Crossbite;
Upper teeth bite inside lower teeth
Often linked with a narrow maxilla
Usually benefits from expanion
Open Bite;
Front teeth don't touch
Common causes
Thumb sucking
Tongue thrust
Mouth breathing
Can seriously affect facial aesthetics
Age matters Teens/kids have more growth potential Adults rely more on expansion camouflage or surgery
some water for you
Oral hygiene + whitening Straight teeth are a big BUMP Floss brush and consider professional whitening
Lip & posture training Mouth breathing fucks you up as we all know Tape at night if needed
And obviously mewing
2 Professional Orthodontics The Real Ascenscion
Core goals
Straight teeth + wide arch (aesthetic smile)
Forward maxillary projection/support for lips/cheeks
Balanced jaws (Class I bite ideal)
Minimal dark corridors good incisor show
Clear Aligners (Invisalign and similar systems) Discreet great for mild-moderate crowding Can include attachments for bite correction Good for adults wanting low visibility Improves profile subtly through tooth movement
Palatal Expansion;
(MSE Hyrax etc) May widen a narrow maxilla Broader smile better cheekbone support improved airway and more tongue space MSE is popular for older teens and adults because it aims for skeletal expansion
Functional Appliances Herbst Bionator etc for Class II (recessed lower jaw) Guide jaw growth in adolescents
Orthognathic Surgery (Jaw Surgery LeFort I BSSO Genio) For severe skeletal issues Dramatic changes to projection jawline and harmony Often done before and after braces High reward but major commitment
Extractions Premolar extractions can retract front teeth in some cases Avoid if possible unless necessary for severe crowding Discuss expansion first with your orthodontist
4 Airway & Mouth Breathing
Looks and function go together
Chronic mouth breathing can contribute to
Long face development
Narrow palate
Poor tongue posture
Crowding
Dark circles
Dry mouth
Worse sleep
If you constantly
wake up tired
snore
sleep with your mouth open
can't comfortably breathe through your nose
get evaluated by an ENT before assuming orthodontics is the only answer
Common issues include
Deviated septum
Enlarged adenoids
Allergies
Enlarged turbinates
Fixing your airway often makes it easier to maintain proper tongue posture
5 Expansion
Expansion is one of the most talked about topics in the looksmax community
The goal is to increase arch width not just make the teeth look straighter
Potential benefits
Wider smile
Reduced buccal corridors
More tongue space
Better nasal airflow (in some patients)
Common expanders
Hyrax
Traditional tooth-borne expander
Works extremely well in growing patients
MARPE / MSE
Mini-screw assisted expanders
Designed to achieve more skeletal expansion in older teens and adults
Results vary depending on age and suture maturity
SARPE
Surgically assisted expansion
Usually reserved for adults who cannot achieve enough expansion without surgery
Orthognathic Surgery/hardmaxxing;
If your bones not just your teeth are the problem braces alone won't fix everything
Common surgeries
LeFort I
Moves the upper jaw
Can improve
Midface support
Smile
Incisor show
Bite
BSSO
Moves the lower jaw
Improves
Jawline
Chin position
Bite
Genioplasty
Moves only the chin
Often combined with jaw surgery but can also be done alone
Many severe Class II or Class III patients experience some of the biggest aesthetic improvements from surgery
To knock off the thread here are some myths
Straight teeth = perfect face
No Jaw position and facial bones matter just as much
NOT Everyone needs jaw surgery
Most people don't
Many can achieve excellent results with orthodontics alone
Adults can't expand
Adults can sometimes achieve skeletal expansion with MARPE MSE or surgery but success becomes less predictable with age
Mewing replaces orthodontics
No
Proper tongue posture may help maintain healthy oral posture but it won't reliably straighten crowded teeth or correct significant skeletal discrepancies
200 iq thread no chatgpt used
please rep
