What makes a person attractive? Studies consistently show that people love a good jawline. The ramus is a very important part of the makeup of the jawline.
The ramus plays a vital role in a good jawline since it helps form the gonial angle. The gonial angle, or jaw angle, is the angle between the mandible and ramus. The average gonial angle should be 124 ± 6° for men and 122 ± 4° for women. If you’re close to this, you have the makings of a good jaw.
To learn about the importance of the ramus, check out this Looks Theory episode:
Consider one of our custom facial reports if you’re interested in an in-depth analysis of your jaw area.
What is the Ramus?
The ramus of the mandible connects with the body of the mandible to form the gonial angle. It connects the jaw to the temporomandibular joint complex (TMJ).
The two vertical portions (rami) form movable hinge joints on either side of the head, articulating with the glenoid cavity of the temporal bone of the skull. The rami also provide attachment sites for muscles important in chewing.
The ramus length is the distance from the midpoint of the tragus (the small pointed eminence of the external ear) to the jaw angle. The average value of ramus height is 59 ± 4 mm.
The mandibular body length is the distance from the region of the gonial angle to that of the chin. The normal mandibular body length is 119 ± 5 mm.
The ideal ramus to the body of the mandible ratio is said to be 5:7.
The angle formed by the junction of the lower edge of the jawbone and the posterior border of the ramus is the gonial angle.
The average gonial angle for men is 124 ± 6°, and for women, it is 122 ± 4°.
What is a strong jawline?
What do Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Matt Bomer, and David Beckham have in common? They all have a broad and well-defined jawline.
The jawline can miraculously make human faces attractive, and research shows that people (especially males) with sharp jawline are more appealing to the opposite sex.
As mentioned above, an ideal jawline should have an angle of 124 ± 6° for men and 122 ± 4° for women. It should also be broad and forward grown.
Let’s take a look at how the jaw angle impacts the attractiveness of a person.
As you can see, the men on the left don’t have an apparent, noticeable jaw angle as opposed to the men on the right. They are said to be considered unattractive and women often reject them. It, therefore, goes to show that a sufficiently long ramus and a long, straight mandibular body is the key to attractiveness.
Let’s take another look at how a long ramus plays a vital role in being attractive.
Model Jordan Barret in the picture is already attractive enough, but his large ear makes his ramus look less prominent. Making his ramus longer, as in the above image, makes him look slightly more normal, but now his jaw doesn’t harmonize with the rest of his face, and he has a gonial angle that’s too small.
What is a weak jawline?
A weak jawline means the jawline is ill-defined, recessed, or is too wide or narrow for your face. While a strong jawline has a more angular and symmetrical look, a weak jawline may have a soft, rounded angle.
In the facial profile, the most forward point of the chin should be in the same vertical plane as the most forward point of the lower lip. A chin that ends behind this point is considered a recessed or “weak” chin.
Several things that can be considered the cause of weak jawlines are:
- Genetics: you were born with a round or narrow jawline, and your jawline might not be prominent as the jawbone is exceptionally close to the neck
- Excess fat: the fat around the area of the neck area covers the jawline, making it invisible.
- Mouth breathing: years of mouth breathing cause gravity to sink the jaws, as the muscles responsible for lifting the jaw aren’t active.
Getting A Good Jawline
Not everyone is blessed with a good jawline. While some may have been born with a powerful, commanding jawline, some struggle with maintaining one at all. If a good jawline is a standard of attractiveness, then how does one achieve it? Is it even possible to develop it if you are not genetically gifted?
Though genes play a role in having a well-defined jawline, there are ways that you can improve your jawline. Here are some of our best tips to achieve that dream jawline.
Mewing
Mewing can improve the aesthetics of your jawline, especially if you’re still growing. It involves placing the tongue against the roof of the mouth while closing the lips and lightly touching the teeth. The benefits of mewing include a well-defined jawline, a better gonial angle, and more forward growth of the jaw.
For more information on mewing, visit our Ultimate Guide and look at some before/after photos.
Chew gum
Chewing gum is the easiest way to exercise your facial muscles. It involves a lot of jaw movement, which helps sharpen that area. Not only is it fun, but it also doesn’t take any extra effort. See our article on chewing gum for the jawline for more info.
Jaw Exercises
Anywhere you look on the internet, this seems to be the most recommended way to get a great jawline. Unfortunately, the most these exercises can do is tighten your soft tissues. It will never change the bone because you can’t do it 24/7 like you potentially can with mewing. You can’t even do these for a couple of hours like you can with chewing. Bones respond only to consistent pressure.
Nevertheless, jaw exercises can still help you tone your facial musculature and improve the area under your jaw (submental region).
Smile more often
No one can argue with the benefits of smiling. When you smile, it tones up your facial muscles and extends your cheekbones. Smiling is also known to be a great mood enhancer.
Clench and release your jaw
For a better jawline, you can also try clenching your jaw for 10 seconds and releasing it. You should feel some discomfort and a little burn. Do this a few times (10-15 repetitions) to see your face tone up.
Practice chin lifts
To shed excess fat on your chin, do chin lifts. Look up towards the ceiling and stay in that position for about 30 seconds. Pout while you’re doing this as if you’re trying to blow kisses up at the ceiling. Repeat 10 times every day to tone up your chin and jawline.
Make a fish face
Fish face is an excellent exercise for toning up your cheeks and jaw. To do this, suck in your cheeks in from inside your mouth and try smiling. Hold the form for at least 5 seconds per repetition. It should feel mildly uncomfortable, and by the end of each repetition, you should feel a slight burn. This is a good thing, as it demonstrates the activity has strained your muscles. Repeat this ten times as a good starting exercise, and feel free to increase the number of reps as it suits you.
Grooming
Grooming is an easy solution that works via optical illusion. You may think it’s cheating, but it actually works.
Growing a beard
Not all of us are born with a naturally chiseled jaw. If you are a male, growing a beard may be your best bet in adding fullness to your face. Just remember to keep it trimmed. If you can’t grow a beard, consider using minoxidil. For more info, see our article.
Contouring
For females, contouring is one of the simplest ways to get the look you’ve always wanted. Many contouring tricks help to shape not only your facial structure but also your overall appearance.
Now, if even after dieting and facial exercises, you still don’t achieve the jawline of your dreams, don’t lose hope! Thanks to modern plastic surgery, there are surgical and non-surgical options for you. For more info about the jaw, check out our Jaw Article.
