Guide Orthodontic Guide: Ascend Your Smile, Jaw, and Face

[slvtor]

Orthodontics is one of the highest looksmaxxes. Straight, aligned teeth + a wider/better-projected maxilla and balanced jaws. transform 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 bad extractions or recession. (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.​

1. 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: tongue rest fully flat on the roof of your mouth? Narrow = high vault, crowded teeth and 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 narrow maxilla.
Usually benefits from expansion.

​

Open Bite​

Front teeth don't touch.

Common causes:

Thumb sucking
Tongue thrust
Mouth breathing
Can seriously affect facial aesthetics.



Age matters: Teens/kids get easier forward growth guidance. Adults rely more on expansion and camouflage or surgery.

some water for you.
Oral hygiene + whitening: Straight teeth are a big BUMP. Floss, brush, consider professional whitening.
Lip & posture training: Mouth breathing fucks you up as we all know. tape at night if needed
And ofc mewing.​

2. Professional Orthodontics: The Real Ascent​

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/SmileDirect alternatives): Discreet, great for mild-moderate crowding. Can include attachments for bite correction. Good for adults wanting low visibility. Improves profile subtly via tooth movement

Palatal Expansion (MSE, Hyrax, etc.): May widen narrow maxilla.. broader smile, better cheekbones, improved airway, more forward growth potential. MSE is popular in circles for adults (skeletal expansion). Results: wider face, reduced dark corridors

Functional Appliances: Herbst, Bionator, etc. for Class II (recessed lower jaw). Guide growth in adolescents.

Orthognathic Surgery (Jaw Surgery - Lefort I, BSSO, Genio): For severe skeletal issues. Dramatic changes to projection, jawline, harmony. Often preceded/followed by braces. High reward but major commitment (recovery, cost, risks)

Extractions?: Premolar extractions can retract front teeth (recessionmaxx risk for some) Avoid if possible unless necessary for severe crowding. discuss expansion-first with forward-growth focused ortho.
​

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.. and not just simply make the teeth look straighte


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 non-surgically.​

6. Orthognathic Surgery​

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.

Thanks for reading.​

 

[slvtor]

b

 

[zaycism]

Orthodontics is one of the highest looksmaxxes. Straight, aligned teeth + a wider/better-projected maxilla and balanced jaws. transform 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 bad extractions or recession. (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.​

1. 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: tongue rest fully flat on the roof of your mouth? Narrow = high vault, crowded teeth and 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 narrow maxilla.
Usually benefits from expansion.

​

Open Bite​

Front teeth don't touch.

Common causes:

Thumb sucking
Tongue thrust
Mouth breathing
Can seriously affect facial aesthetics.



Age matters: Teens/kids get easier forward growth guidance. Adults rely more on expansion and camouflage or surgery.

some water for you.
Oral hygiene + whitening: Straight teeth are a big BUMP. Floss, brush, consider professional whitening.
Lip & posture training: Mouth breathing fucks you up as we all know. tape at night if needed
And ofc mewing.​

2. Professional Orthodontics: The Real Ascent​

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/SmileDirect alternatives): Discreet, great for mild-moderate crowding. Can include attachments for bite correction. Good for adults wanting low visibility. Improves profile subtly via tooth movement

Palatal Expansion (MSE, Hyrax, etc.): May widen narrow maxilla.. broader smile, better cheekbones, improved airway, more forward growth potential. MSE is popular in circles for adults (skeletal expansion). Results: wider face, reduced dark corridors

Functional Appliances: Herbst, Bionator, etc. for Class II (recessed lower jaw). Guide growth in adolescents.

Orthognathic Surgery (Jaw Surgery - Lefort I, BSSO, Genio): For severe skeletal issues. Dramatic changes to projection, jawline, harmony. Often preceded/followed by braces. High reward but major commitment (recovery, cost, risks)

Extractions?: Premolar extractions can retract front teeth (recessionmaxx risk for some) Avoid if possible unless necessary for severe crowding. discuss expansion-first with forward-growth focused ortho.
​

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.. and not just simply make the teeth look straighte


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 non-surgically.​

6. Orthognathic Surgery​

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.

Thanks for reading.​

Good guide