Having ideal jaw proportions is going to make a huge impact on people’s first impressions of you. The shape, size, and measurements of your jaw are one of the first things people will notice. The jaw is one of the facial structures through which you are most judged. So we’ll be discussing the ideal jaw proportion for men and what you can do to boost your perception of masculinity. 

Ideal jaw proportions for men includes a ramus to mandibular body length ratio of 5:7, a gonial angle less than 125 degrees, a bigonial width of 99 to 113 millimeters, a mandibular plane angle of about 26 degrees, a 1:1 ratio of maxillary to mandibular body length, and a facial angle of 90-92 degrees.

For more about the importance of the mandible, check out this Looks Theory episode:

Elements of Jaw Proportion

Let’s delve further into what makes up ideal jaw proportions. The mandibular body length is the horizontal part of your lower jaw. The ramus height is the length of the vertical part of your jaw. The ramus goes from the tip of the condyle to the intersection with the mandibular body.

The maxilla is your upper jaw. The maxillary length goes from the anterior nasal spine to the posterior nasal spine. It can only be seen via an X-ray for cephalometric analysis.

The gonial angle is formed by the mandibular body and the posterior border of the ramus. It ranges from 100 to 148 degrees and is highest in Caucasians, but lowest in early Caucasians, Australian, and American Indians (Jensen et al., 2004).

The bigonial width is the width of your jaw when viewed from the front of your face. A short bigonial width will yield a narrow face. Conversely, a large bigonial width will lead to a broader face.

The mandibular plane angle describes the length of your face. Men usually have an ideal mandibular angle of about 26 degrees. If it is higher than that, it becomes hyperdivergent facial growth, otherwise known as a long face. Conversely, a smaller angle would yield a hypodivergent facial growth pattern or a short face.

The Facial Profile

If you notice people judging you from the side, maybe it’s because they see your face as either oddly shaped or perfectly balanced. Whichever one it is, the facial profile is one of the best ways to define a “good” face, especially from a side view. 

The facial profile is the angle created by the forehead and the lower third. Both the jawline, chin, and forehead are analyzed from a side profile view. An ideal facial profile should be about 90-92 degrees, also known as a straight face. If the facial profile is below the ideal measurements, then it is called a convex profile. On the other hand, facial profiles that exceed 92 degrees are called concave.

A convex profile has features that curve towards the face. Here, the chin recedes towards the back, while the forehead has a downward slope. The curved profile is the facial profile with an angle of fewer than 90 degrees. This is typical mouthbreather anatomy, which we discuss on our YouTube channel:

 

Owning the Ideal Jaw

There are various ways to achieve the ideal jaw, from painful and expensive processes to easy and painless ones. Modern science and research have allowed humans to chase attractiveness. Here are some methods that you may want to consider:

Getting a Surgery

Surgery is the quickest way to get ideal jaw proportions if you have the money. Surgery on the jaw or orthognathic surgery can range from minor surgery to a major surgery depending on the complexity and what it is you want to accomplish. Orthognathic Surgery can cost from $20,000 – $50,000, excluding the pre- and post-surgery treatments and medications that may be required. For more info on jaw corrective surgeries, check out our article. 

Injectable Fillers

Another quick method to get an ideal jaw is through injectable fillers, but this can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Injectable fillers are gel-like substances made up of hyaluronic acid and are carefully injected into the skin tissue. These fillers have to be strategically injected to create the results you want. Injectable fillers might not be surgical, but they still have to be done by a licensed medical practitioner.

The downside of fillers is that they don’t hold their shape easily. You can see in the above photo that the injector did a great job sculpting the jawline. The downside is that the jaw doesn’t stay that way for long, and the filler itself won’t last longer than six months. For something that you have to continuously top off, it can become prohibitively expensive.

Mewing

While there are other jawline exercises, mewing and chewing gum is the best way to permanently change your bone structure as well as your soft tissue to give you a more aesthetic jaw.

Mewing is just a normal tongue posture. It involves keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Over time, mewing brings your face forward, corrects your facial posture, and redefines your jawlines. However, most people will find mewing difficult because we are not used to these kinds of tongue positions.

If you wish to know more about mewing, you can read more about it in our complete guide here.

Chewing is another jaw exercise that increases and strengthens your masseter muscles. It leads to a more significant jaw appearance because of the development of the masseter muscle. These methods of redefining your jaw are very long-term. However, their results speak for themselves. Click here to see a complete before/after catalog of mewing results.

Growing a Beard

Growing a beard is an effective way to hide your jawline and can make others perceive you as more dominant. Growing a beard does not cost you anything. If you have a recessed jaw or chin, growing a beard is a must. It can conceal your jawline, improve your facial symmetry, and give your face a balanced look. Most importantly, it will straighten out your facial profile if you have a concave facial profile.

If you can’t grow a beard, look into our article on minoxidil.

Conclusion

The ideal jaw proportions we discussed are the closest to getting that masculine vibe. Your jaw is a vital part of how you will be perceived at first glance. A strong jaw gives the impression of someone stable and robust. A weak jaw does the opposite.

Note also that ideal jaw proportions vary among races and ethnicities. The best you can do it optimize your jaw for your unique situation. Work on yourself to make sure that you continuously improve.