1.3 You Can Become Better Looking
This is Chapter 1.3 of the JawHacks ebook. See the full Table of Contents here.
Jaw Expansion and Facial Metrics
In later chapters, we will discuss in detail how to expand the jaws. But for now, let’s touch upon some specific facial aesthetic metrics that can be improved with jaw expansion.
Big picture: underdeveloped jaws tend to be narrow, recessed and sloped downward.
So in general, modest movements that widen, advance, and provide “counterclockwise rotation” to the jaws are a step in the right direction.
Widening with MSE
The easiest of these dimensions to correct is width. This can be done with a MARPE device (miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion) such as MSE, Partners Dental Studio custom MARPE, EASE or FME.
By splitting the maxilla in half along the mid-palatal suture, these appliances can achieve up to 1cm of transverse nasomaxillary skeletal expansion.
Note: If you find yourself unfamiliar with any of the terms discussed in this chapter, please refer to the Glossary.
Hollywood Smile
Such transverse expansion results in a wider, brighter Hollywood smile, which is important because our smile is often the first aesthetic impression we make when meeting new people (in person or online).
Those with narrow jaws tend to have dark triangles known as buccal corridors at the corners of their mouths when smiling.
After MSE expansion, these dark spaces become filled with white teeth, giving the appearance of a fuller, more striking smile.
Sharper Cheekbones
The maxilla is directly attached to the bones of the midface, so widening it also has the effect of adding profile to the cheekbones.
This helps achieve the dramatically sharp midface seen in intriguingly beautiful profiles such as that of Cillian Murphy.
“...it has been demonstrated that the [MSE] expansion is often archial in nature. [...] Clearly, the MSE produced a pure rotation of midfacial structures with negligible alveolar bone bending or dental tipping.” [src]
Interpupillary Distance?
Another facial metric that has the potential to be improved with MSE is the distance between the eyes, known as interpupillary distance (IPD).
Because the orbital bones are also part of the lever that is expanded with MSE, it’s possible that some IPD could be gained with maxillary transverse expansion.
However, the orbitals are near the fulcrum point of MSE expansion, so any IPD gains would be minimal.
Indeed, it seems the only way to significantly change IPD is to surgically address the orbitals directly, through a procedure known as a Modified Orbital Box Osteotomy.
This intensive procedure has been popularized in recent weeks by looksmaxxing pioneer Giant Implants who ventured to Turkey to discover a surgeon willing to perform this surgery.
If you are interested in learning more about IPD changes, check out Giant Implant’s most recent video on YouTube: Modified Orbital Box Osteotomy Recovery
To be clear, I’m not advocating this procedure as a legit jawhacking option, but just reporting on developments in the space.
Can MSE Actually Make You Uglier?
It is worth mentioning here that transverse expansion with MSE can make aesthetics worse if the treatment is poorly executed.
One way this occurs is with over-expansion. Because MSE only expands the upper jaw, an over-expansion results in the face becoming top-heavy.
The maxilla and cheekbones look too wide with respect to the rest of the face. I call this the “balloon face” aesthetic.
Another way aesthetics can be worsened with MARPE is through an asymmetric expansion.