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ChristianChad
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Damnnnnnnnnnn not gnl Im gonna read this
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@deadlock reply broIf im mewing it feels like my molars automatically want to come together, what should I do to stop that and why is it happenning?
do you have an overbite or underbite?@deadlock reply bro
neither, it just wants to idk whydo you have an overbite or underbite?
Introduction
Warning: This thread was written on a google document that was over 30 pages long.
@Alexanderr @Gargantuan @AscendingHero @Chad1212 @Kingkellz please allow me to have access to future edits, so I can put more information if needed. I promise you I will never delete this thread.
Most people are unaware that the orthodontic profession openly admits that it does not know the causes of malocclusion, except for less than 5%, which are the cases of syndromes, diseases, infections, trauma, and genetic disfiguration. Many orthodontists tell you malocclusion is genetic. In my case they told me my overbite was genetic eventhough my mother and father have perfect occlusion, and never needed orthodontic treatment to get it fixed. Yes, everyone is born with different phenotypes, but your phenotype will not give you crooked teeth or malocclusion.. TLDR; The way you look is mostly genetic, but your misalignment and deformation is not (usually).![]()
The genetic influence on facial development is obvious and environmental things such as thumb sucking and mouth breathing have long been recognized. It is not often appreciated how influential the environment is and what a dramatic effect on facial shape changing this can make.Interestingly all our ancestors had perfectly straight teeth, as did all the other 5,400 species of mammals except some domesticated cats and dogs, some feral foxes (in Europe) and zoo animals. Over the last 10,000 years, while our genes have not changed at all; whenever, and wherever our ancestors became industrialized they developed crooked teeth (malocclusion).The irregularity has been in proportion to the level of civilization with the last hundred years have seeing a dramatic rise in the levels of malocclusion. The environment has a great influence over the tooth positions and shape of the face shape
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Ninety-nine percent of ancient skulls had great teeth. This skull is 1,000 yrs old. Teeth didn't start to become crooked until 500 years ago as our mouths got smaller and couldn't accommodate 32 teeth. Advent of modern agriculture accelerated this as we ate softer food and would chew less. Before agriculture, human jaws were a perfect fit for human teeth. Around four million years ago, a group of our ancestors, the small bodied pre-human australopithecines, had thick, strong muscles attached to massive jaw bones. The large muscles allowed australopithecines to bite with incredible force, which in turn was resisted by bony pillars and buttresses in their facial skeletons. Their cheek teeth—molars and premolars—were also large, round, and covered with an especially thick, hard outer coating of protective enamel.![]()
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During the agricultural revolution, due to the amount of soft foods that were being chewed, our jaws were not being worked enough. The smaller overall size has caused dental issues, such as dental crowning, impacted molars, and malocclusions, which is when the upper and lower teeth do not sit together properly. Tooth decay became more common. The fruits and vegetables that were eaten contained carbohydrates such as sugars and starches. Carbohydrates are the main reason for tooth decay even today. They trigger bacteria to create acid which can attack the enamel in the mouth, which is the protective layer on your teeth that helps fight off cavities. If the enamel is attacked, over time the tooth will rot and fall out. Our nomadic meat-eating ancestors had little to no tooth decay because animal meat contains little to no carbohydrates; solely protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The mainstream media does not tell you this, but you could completely cut off carbohydrates from your diet and you would not even have to brush your teeth.
In the images below, the left side shows indigenous tribes having good dental health due to their traditional diet; on the right shows the same people on the modern diet. Same genetics, but people on the modern diet have poor craniofacial features. Coincidence?
Alaskan Eskimos
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Africans
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Australian Aborigines
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Early Craniofacial Development in Children
Through breastfeeding, the child will develop a tongue posture which keeps the tongue comfortable with feeding and resting firmly upon the roof of the mouth/palate. In order to pull milk from the breast, the child must push the breast into the upper palate firmly and suck back into the mouth with the tongue. This trains the child to use the tongue as the primary method of swallowing, an act which is repeated hundreds of times per day to inject excess saliva. As the skull develops, it requires the proper functioning of the muscular system in order to guide its development forward and up. A child with proper posture will have the tongue pressed underneath the maxilla (the roof of the mouth) providing sufficient support to promote forward growth. There is a constant downward force of gravity which pushes the craniofacial complex downward; The proper tongue posture of the child counter-balances this force which will cause forward growth as opposed to downward growth.
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Warning: Stop Formula Feeding
New report warns of lead, arsenic, and other toxins in products for babies and toddlers. These contaminants may impact your little one's brain development.
Here's a breakdown of the results:
- 95 percent of containers contained toxic heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury).
- One-fourth of containers contained all of these toxic metals.
- Heavy metal contamination was highest in products containing rice, juice, and sweet potato.
- 88 percent of foods tested "lack any federal standards or guidance on maximum safe levels of toxic heavy metals like arsenic and lead," according to the HBBF findings.
The heavy metals tested in these studies—cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic—are harmful in any amount. Lead is toxic to children's brains, and no amount has been deemed safe. Arsenic and mercury are also neurotoxins. Infants and young children are particularly sensitive to these contaminants, since their brains and organ systems aren't fully developed. Finally, formula feeding leads to improper swallowing patterns. This will be discussed later in the thread.
Moving on, as the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. As the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. If there is an imbalance in strength between the tongue and masseter muscles, issues of TMD can occur. The temporomandibular joint or TMJ acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. Temporomandibular Dysfunction can lead to pain and discomfort. Jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and clicking and locking of the jaw joint are some of the symptoms.”Most medical media tell you to eat soft foods to avoid TMJ/TMD, but will ultimately make the issue worse as it does not fix it. You need to chew hard foods in order to fix this muscle imbalance which will eventually fix your TMJ/TMD. A counterintuitive approach, but it makes sense. Treat the causes not the symptoms. Eventually, when the child grows into an adult, the skull will fit into development with the rest of the body. The strong masseter muscle keeps the mandible/lower jaw firmly up and forward, and the strong tongue in turn keeps the teeth barely in contact and transfers all remaining force into the upper jaw/maxilla in order to counteract the downward pull of gravity on these bones. The child develops a fully grown craniofacial complex and has a large airway and sinus area allowing for easy breathing.
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Correcting Improper Tongue Posture
There are a variety of issues with development that will cause problems with both achieving and maintaining the proper tongue posture. Fortunately the body can correct and heal itself if given the time and effort – indeed even the bones will reform with pressure over time in accordance to Wolff’s Law. When trying to keep proper tongue posture, your tongue is partially in your throat and causes an inability to breathe fully. This means that your maxilla is not developed enough sagittally, and needs to be moved up and forward to give your tongue more room and free up the airway of your throat. Often a lack of development here results in an underbite or overbite.
When trying to keep proper tongue posture, you may not have enough room between your molar/wisdom teeth to fit the width of your tongue. This is a result of lacking transverse (side to side) growth, which also results in a narrow nasal airway and is a tell-tale sign of maxillary recession. The upper jaw, which is part of the lower maxilla, needs to be widened to allow the tongue to sit comfortably between the molars and to create a wide nasal airway.
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Solutions
One: The free solution that will result in permanent and continuing changes is to fix your tongue posture as much as you can and allow the bones of your face and skull to adapt over time. If you do not have enough forward growth, you will have to consciously focus on the tongue applying pressure all along the Mid-Palate Ridge, and especially towards the Front Ridges and Tip. This will develop your maxilla forwards and upwards over time, through both repositioning of the maxilla as well as growth at the sutures within the craniofacial complex. If you lack transverse (side to side) growth, you will need to fold your tongue to keep it resting along the Alveolar Ridge and Mid-Palate Ridge which will result in growth in the width of your maxilla as well as forward movement. The younger you are, the quicker these changes have the potential to happen. A child that is still growing will see phenomenally fast results, a fully developed adult will see slower but consistent change.
Two: The second solution is to pursue palate expansion with a device. The medical community is slowly moving past the incorrect notion that adult sutures fuse, and many medical professionals are now finding that adult palate expansion works. With a wide survey of your local dentists and orthodontists through email, you will most likely find a local professional who has experience in expanding the palate of adults without surgery (SARPE). There are many different devices on the market which may be used to expand the palate, each moving at different paces and covering different parts of the mouth. This expansion can happen as rapidly as 1mm per week. However you will likely need to wear a retainer, as there will be a relapse if you are unable to maintain proper tongue posture – which is why this is most important.
Keeping Teeth Together and Grinding
Like most postural issues, this is a result of one set of muscles being stronger/weaker than their corresponding set. This particular issue is caused by an imbalance between your muscles of mastication (chewing) and your tongue. When you keep proper tongue posture and find that your teeth now seem to rest apart, your tongue is overpowering the muscles which attempt to close the mouth, thus keeping your jaws open. The method to correct this is by chewing harder foods and/or chewing tough gum in order to strengthen the chewing muscles. The opposite case involves your tongue being too weak to keep the jaws apart, resulting in teeth grinding. This solution to this issue is to consciously apply force against the upper palate with the tongue throughout the day, with which you will find that the tongue gains strength quite rapidly. Eventually you should have both of these sets of muscles (And the muscles associated with them) in balance, and will be able to strengthen both in unison. Stronger chewing muscles will impart more force to a stronger tongue, which will keep the teeth gently touching by transferring this force upwards and forwards into the palate and maxilla.
Maintaining Tongue Posture While Sleeping/Pillowing
This is a very common problem that will take time and effort to correct – but once you are able to Mew / maintain tongue posture while asleep you will see more rapid changes. You will no longer be relapsing on the work done during the day while asleep, and in fact be providing upwards and forwards force on the maxilla virtually 24/7. Sleep posture can affect the development of your face. Some infants who habitually sleep on their bellies have shown marked effects of pillowing on the hands. Older children and many adults, among them several dentists, with more pronounced malformations, observed while asleep, were found pillowing on their hands or arms. A common facial deformation, due principally to pillow habits, is marked by a narrow upper jaw, a large mandible, a contracted palate, a narrow nose, and a deflected nasal septum. Since the dental arches and jaws form a great part of the face, this type of deformity has been designated by dentists as "narrowed upper jaw," "Gothic arch," "V-shaped" or "church roof" palate, etc. Faces having such oral features are referred to as "dished," "bell," or "urn" faces. When the deformity is confined to one side, the cheek is flattened or depressed, making the face seem twisted or "lop-jawed." The compression of one maxilla makes the jaws appear to close crosswise, hence the malocclusion is called a cross-bite.
There are numerous varieties of wrong pillowing habits. Perhaps the most common is illustrated in Figure 1, where the wrists and forearm are placed between pillow and cheek. This habit presses in all the upper teeth from the canine back, producing the typical cross-bite. When the hand alone is employed, the malocclusion is limited to fewer teeth, principally molars and bicuspids. In rare cases the child may suck the thumb or finger of one hand andrest its face on the back of the other, which produces constriction of the upper jaw on one side and an arrangement of incisors to accommodate the thumb.
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Figure 2 shows a child who lies on the abdomen and pillows on the back of one hand and an arm; when she turns over she assumes a similar position; the arrangement of the teeth shows the effect on the upper jaw. A child may lie on the abdomen, keeping one hand on top and the other underneath the pillow, with the cheek on the one above, and on turning over exchanges hands. In such a case one side is usually favored. In simple oral deformities where the hands are kept under the pillow or where the pillow is rolled, both dental arches are narrowed as in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the effect of a pillow habit on the arrangement of incisors. Thus, the hands may be kept under the pillow or under the cheek or one in each place. The variations in breathing habits, together with those in pillowing, make the descriptions, classifications, and diagnoses of sleeping postures complicated.
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Children are in bed for half of their lives; if they lie on their faces much, development of the jaws will be repressed. Any small constant external force will in time produce damaging imbalance in such a complicated organ as the mouth. But we have here a force, derived from the weight of the head, acting on the plastic bones of childhood throughout the greater part of each twenty-four hours, and, as case histories show, many children suffering from these deformations have been confined to bed for longer periods during which the force has continued for a greater time. It is well known that a letter-carrier's spine becomes deformed by carrying bundles constantly on the same shoulder. Similarly, facial depressions may be developed by pillowing the face habitually upon hard objects.
If a normal breather pillows alternately on his right and left arms, he may have both dental arches narrowed, or if infants rest habitually on just pillows, their deciduous dental arches will be narrowed and their permanent anterior teeth will be rotated and "bunched." Parents have been known to give their children hard foods, remove their tonsils and adenoids, taking every precaution to avoid malocclusion except preventing face-pillowing, yet their children have narrowed dental arches and croWded anterior teeth, due principally to pillow habits. When teeth are fully erupted and interdigitate normally, the tongue, filling the mouth cavity, presses outward on them, the alveolar processes and the palate, while the lips and cheeks bind the structures on the outside, preventing too great expansion. If the mouth is closed most of the time, or during swallowing, so that the opposing cusps interlock, the muscles of mastication and the hyoid muscles keep the lower jaw in position, indirectly protecting the upper dental arch against pillowing. While pillow habits damage the normal arrangement of teeth ,even when breathing and swallowing are normal, greatest damage is done to a mouth-breather before the age of six, since worn, deciduous teeth, by not locking firmly, afford the jaws very little intermaxillary bracing.
Sleeping Correctly for Proper Craniofacial Development
You probably do not know that nature has provided an automatic manipulator to correct most spinal and peripheral joint lesions. In common with millions of other so-called civilized people you suffer unnecessarily from musculoskeletal problems and are discouraged about how to treat the exponential rise in low back pain throughout the developed world.
Summary Points:
- Nature's automatic manipulator during sleep is the kickback against the vertebrae by the ribs when the chest is prevented from movement by the forest floor
- Various resting postures correct different joints
- Pillows are not necessary
Figure 1 shows a mountain gorilla lying on the ground on his side without a pillow—a position in which chimpanzees and gibbons sleep—and a Kenya African in a similar position on a palm leaf mattress on a concrete floor. Note how he uses his laterally rotated arm as a pillow. Look at how the Kenyan is not even touching his jaw and midface, preventing obstruction. Notice how his rotated arm touching his temporal bone. This position is perfect as it can also allow the tongue to fall onto the palate as well due to gravity, assisting constant proper tongue posture.
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When lying on one side you do not even need the arm as a pillow: when the lower shoulder is fully hunched, the neck is completely supported. The neck should deviate towards the ground as gravity then shuts the mouth which prevents mouth breathing as well. When the head is down, the vertebrae are stretched between two anchors and every time the ribs move through breathing the tension is increased, the vertebrae realign themselves, and the movement keeps the joints lubricated. Largely anecdotal evidence has been collected by “old timers” for over 50 years from non-Western societies that low back pain and joint stiffness is markedly reduced by adopting natural sleeping and resting postures.
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General Posture
Body posture and tongue posture go hand in hand. A quick fix to get proper posture is to do the following: keep your back straight by looking at your hands, you should have a neutral hand grip with no supination and pronation without using any forearm/biceps/shoulder muscle to pronate/supinate it. Correct your hand position by moving your back. The middle of your neck should be aligned with the middle of your shoulders (think of a vertical line running across the middle of your shoulders, it should be aligned with another vertical line running across the middle of your neck.) Keep a neutral pelvic tilt. Your feet and knees should be parallel to each other when standing. You can manspread when sitting though. Your knees and elbows should be relaxed. When you look down, rotate your head instead of looking down using your neck. You should stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles for this posture to feel natural (MEWING GUIDE).
Sphenoid Bone Alignment
A user by the name of @baboom babadabibi made an important thread on Sphenoid bone alignment. Here is what he has to say:
“The Sphenoid bone is the foundation of almost all maxillofacial problems. For it Is the area that the bones in your face emerge from. Improper environment, not bad genetic, is the reason many modern humans lack proper sphenoid alignment.
Here is an interesting study I found that looked at the relation to poor posture to malocclusion.
Relationships between Malocclusion, Body Posture, and Nasopharyngeal Pathology in Pre-Orthodontic Children
In the study it is stated that:
"There was a statistically significant correlation between presence of kyphotic posture and a reduction in the SNB angle, representing sagittal position of the mandible. Also, there was a statistically significant association between kyphotic posture and nasopharyngeal obstruction"
The most important takeaway is that It found that poor (kyphotic) posture had a significant correlation with obstruction of the nasopharynx.
To understand why this is so important, I'll ask you to refer to this image.
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The red area is the nasopharynx and the green area is the sphenoid. Notice how close they are together?
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Now look at the following gif, look at how as the sphenoid bone aligns properly, the nasopharynx becomes less obstructed.
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To put it simply, without the study even mentioning it. It demonstrated that poor posture causes sphenoid misalignment, which also inadvertently makes everything else about your face develop improperly. (malocclusion, sleep apnea etc..) It should start to make a bit more sense now. Everything in your skull is connected to your sphenoid, and the fact that modern orthodontics only addresses these problems on a surface level is nothing short of a travesty. Also note how the sphenoid misalignment causes downward growth as well, which causes an elongated face.”
Downward Growth vs. Forward Growth
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Unable to Get Tongue on the Palate and Swallowing
Tongue Chewing by Dr Mike Mew
(If you have a have a tongue-tie, in which you should practice Khechari Mudra or get a frenectomy/frenuloplasty)
This issue is most likely caused by a tongue tie, especially if you are unable to even reach the front/tip of your palate with the tongue. It is recommended that you visit a medical professional to have this examined, and very much urgent that you have this done if you see such problems in a child. The tongue tie keeps the tongue anchored to the floor of the mouth, and will often require surgery in order to correct. However, you need not jump to the conclusion that you have a tongue tie if you are unable to get the back of the tongue to the roof of the mouth the first few times that you attempt proper tongue posture. This position, after many years of holding incorrect posture, can feel so unnatural that you are unable to manipulate your tongue properly to achieve it. One trick is to hold a big and wide cheesy smile, as wide as you can, and then swallow. This ensures that you are swallowing with your tongue and not with your cheeks, and you will be able to feel how far back in your mouth your tongue lands using this method. Every time you swallow, your tongue in this position will correctly impart multiple pounds of force into the roof of your mouth and reform the skull. As you maintain this posture, make sure not to keep your teeth far apart, they should be comfortably making contact without clenching – this is what will keep your tongue glued to the roof of the mouth all day.
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Let your tongue slide against your incisive papilla, going down, sweep, and do the swallow shown in the video.
View attachment 1600979
When swallowing solid foods, use the 1st swallow. When swallowing liquids, use the 1st swallow until the liquid is too small to be swallowed with the 1st swallow, when you reach that point, use the tongue sweep. Beginners in mewing will have issues with saliva buildup, a solution to this is to tongue sweep, you will have to use slight buccinator (cheek muscle) activation as tongue sweeping alone will not fix the issue. (Buccinators are the muscles the push your cheeks inward) If your bolus is too large to be swallowed comfortably in 1 swallow, separate part of the bolus under the tongue until you can swallow comfortably in 1 swallow (MEWING GUIDE).”
Mewing
The correct tongue posture of a strong tongue combined with strong muscles of mastication (the chewing muscles of the Temporal, Masseter, Pterygoid) are required to grow the face to the beauty of whatever phenotype that the person exhibits. For all cases this proper development results in under-eye / orbital support, properly aligned jaws, ideal spinal posture, and most importantly in a large unobstructed airway of both the nose and throat.
The 28 bones of the human skull never fuse together in a healthy adult, and a restoration of correct muscle function will result in the slow but steady restoration of proper skull form (and as a result, spinal stability). Studies have shown that the sutures of your skull do not fuse until your late seventies. Your improper muscle posture is subconscious at this point, and you will have to retrain your conscious mind to maintain proper postures until you are (literally) doing it in your sleep. Some muscles may be too weak, some may be too tight, and some may be completely out of place: The tongue is the most obvious starting point from which to begin your process of correction.
A user by the name of @YouLiveForYourself on this forum talks about the proper way to bite while mewing. Here is what he has to say:
- First, put the very tip of your tongue directly on the point between your two front teeth (Incisors) where they meet the gum line. If you move the tip of your tongue around slightly in this area, you’ll feel a hard ridge that is directly in line with the space between your two front teeth – the Incisive Papilla. It is here that the tip of your tongue will be at home – We will call this the Tip.
- From this position, keep the tip of your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth and slowly follow that Incisive Papilla ridge along the middle of the roof of your mouth. The first thing you will encounter are a series of ridges called the Palatine Rugae – We will call these the Front Ridges.
- As you move back further along the middle of the roof of the mouth, you will notice a ridge along the middle (the Median Palatine Raphe). We will call this the Mid-Palate ridge.
- So far you will notice that the roof of your mouth is hard, which is suitable for the area of your Hard Palate. Continue your bring the tip of your tongue further back in your mouth until you abruptly reach a soft and fleshy area, the Soft Palate.
- With the tip of your tongue, now explore your mouth in the area where the teeth meet your gums. The ridge along this area is called the Alveolar Ridge.
- You now know as much of the geography of your mouth as is necessary to begin correcting the tongue posture! Take notice now with some exercises that your tongue is capable of simultaneously applying pressure upwards (towards the Mid-Palate ridge) and outwards (towards your Alveolar Ridge)
“The premise of mewing is that the force of the tongue on the palate combined with the teeth lightly touching each other leads to palatal expansion and facial upswing, while promoting forward growth. I want to focus on the contact of the teeth, as I believe it is essential. The aspect of mewing that actually leads to change. John and Mike have both emphasized that the teeth should be gently touching each other. However, with mewing being in its infancy, there is a great deal of trial and error involved. Both of them are intentionally ambiguous when it comes to details on the contact of the teeth, and it's because they don't exactly know how the action promotes upswing and forward growth, and Mike has mentioned this before. They just know that the correlation is there. Sometimes they will say to keep the molars in contact, sometimes all of the teeth. This, I believe, is a big mistake on their part.
Instead, I believe that the premolars (teeth that are more towards the front) should be in light contact, with minimal or no contact between the molars. This is especially for those who have an overbite, as it will help to reverse it. I don't mean keep the incisors together. You can do it if you want, but I think that it is detrimental. They aren't designed for chewing, and therefore cannot handle the sustained amount of pressure. You will damage them. Instead, you should keep your premolars in a light contact. For those with an overbite, moving your lower jaw forward so that the top and bottom incisors are side-to-side is important. Like so:
- Keeping the molars together leads to a CW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a longer, sunk midface and a recessed mandible. This is unattractive.
- Keeping all of the teeth together leads to no rotation of the maxilla. This leads to barely any progress made; a complete waste of time.
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Keeping the premolars together leads to a CCW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a shorter, compact midface that appears more forward grown and a more prominent mandible and chin.
Here is the skull, with the maxilla highlighted in green:
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These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the molars are gently touching:
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Upwards force on the back only. There will be a CW rotation and this is definitely what you don't want.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when all of the teeth are in contact:
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Upwards force on the back but also the front. No rotation. Minimal change. Waste of time.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the premolars are in contact:
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Upwards force on the front only. There will be a CCW rotation and this is definitely what you want. It's clear as day. However, since it is not right on the front edge the change will take slightly slower than if you were to keep the molars in contact.
I think that this explains why mewing doesn't work for a large number of people. They either put pressure on the molars alone or all of the teeth, leading to no results or even a worse face. I believe that those who achieve progress primarily keep contact with the premolars or don't keep the teeth in contact at all, which is okay but so much slower.”
Thank you @YouLiveForYourself again. Here is the original thread if you guys want it: https://looksmax.org/threads/the-me...es-progress-or-even-makes-faces-worse.455354/
Chewing
“It turns out that chewing has had a huge impact on the way we look. The jaw elevator muscles develop the main forces used in mastication. The force generated during routine mastication of food such as carrots or meat is about 70 to 150 newtons (16 to 34 lbf). The maximum masticatory force in some people may reach up to 500 to 700 newtons (110 to 160 lbf). Being we are aspies and can chew 5+ pieces of hard ass falim, and build up the strength of our masseters from constant chewing, it is not unreasonable to expect to be able to exert 350+ Newtons of force per mastication. To compare how significant this is maxilla protraction is generally done with 10 Newtons, and the tongue can exert around 5 while hard mewing, so it is safe to say that chewing is 60x more force than your tongue, making it an extremely potent change for actual bone change, many people when thinking of chewing only look at it as a way to build masseters, but this is simply a bonus (Chewing Megathread).”
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University(TMDU), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and Kyoto University found that mice that ate foods requiring higher chewing force showed increased bone formation, impacting jawbone shape. Throughout an animal’s lifespan, bone tissue in the skeleton is continuously restructured in response to changes in applied force, such as those associated with exercise and locomotion. Examining how the structure of the jawbone varies with the intense chewing force, or masticatory force, may illuminate the mechanisms that lead to the reconstruction of bone tissue. Additionally, they found that increasing the force applied to the jawbone stimulated osteocytes to produce more IGF-1, one of main growth factors that promotes bone formation. This alteration led to bone formation, resulting in morphological changes in the jawbone.
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Summary:
Strong chewing modulates IGF-1 expression in osteocytes for the jawbone reconstruction
a. Superimposition of the jawbone images acquired by the computer simulation. Blue: before remodeling and red: after remodeling. Left: coronal section and right: lateral projection. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
b. Distribution of the mechanical stress in the jawbone, before and after remodeling under the increased mastication.
c. Superimposition of the images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. Blue: ND and red: HD. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
d. Immunohistological images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. IGF-1 (red); and nuclei (blue). The dotted lines indicate the jawbone surface. Arrows indicates the osteocytes expressing IGF-1.
e. Graphical abstract. In order to consume harder foods, masticatory muscles generate stronger force that induces mechanical stress in the jawbone. The stress stimulates osteocytes to produce IGF-1. The upregulated IGF-1 enhances osteoblastogenesis to reconstruct the jawbone morphology so that it endures the loaded force.
Most of the facial movement is achievable through alveolar remodeling, which is a process that takes place even on adults (AGGA is the most obvious proof of this, although as an approach it is awkward). The correct way to develop the alveolar ridge is to bite forward with the mandible, so that the bicuspids, canines and incisors make contact. Your mandible is a face-pulling device (or more correctly, a face-pushing device). You are meant to use the mandible to push the maxilla forward, as this also locks in the cervical posture in a way tongue alone couldn't.
By doing this, you cause bone resorption behind the posterior maxillary alveolar ridge, and new bone formation in the anterior maxillary ridge in front of your teeth. This allows the teeth to effectively hover through the bone. At the same time, you are pushing the mandibular incisors and canines backwards with the maxillary teeth, which allows your jaw and chin to slide forward, increasing its projection. In short, the upper and lower front teeth are moving each other to opposite directions, which leads to a better balance of the jaws as the mandible is no longer trapped behind overly forward lower teeth and overly backward upper teeth
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TLDR: “Hard food, strong jaw: jawbone structure responds to forceful chewing”
Mouth Breathing and Thumbsucking
Your nose is designed to help you breathe safely, efficiently, and properly. It can do this due to its ability to:
The most common cause of normal and natural facial development is mouth breathing. At a tender age, nasal breathing can become difficult at times. Apart from other causes, tonsils and Adenoids are the most common causes of obstruction of nasal breathing. When you or your child begin to breathe through the mouth, the nasal passage begins to narrow stunting proper growth because the tongue does not press into the palate, which is its normal position. When the shape of the upper jaw changes (cheeks put pressure on the teeth and cause crowding), the lower jaw starts to grow to compensate and maintain an open airway. This results in a long facial profile, less prominent chin, and an overall small mouth. This leads to a smaller airway and a less desirable facial appearance. Take a look at your teeth— if you notice your bottom front teeth are taller than the bottom back teeth, then you are a mouth breather.
- Filter out foreign particles. Nasal hairs filter out dust, allergens, and pollen, which helps prevent them from entering your lungs.
- Humidify inhaled air. Your nose warms and moisturizes the air you breathe in. This brings the air you inhale to body temperature, making it easier for your lungs to use.
- Produce nitric oxide. During nasal breathing, your nose releases nitric oxide (NO). NO is a vasodilator, which means it helps to widen blood vessels. This can help improve oxygen circulation in your body.
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This person had a pet gerbil in his room that he was allergic to which made him develop a mouth breathing habit. The picture on the left shows the boy at 10 years old with a strong jawline. Seven years later, his chin is recessed, nose is hooked, and has poor craniofacial features overall. Do not be a mouth breather.
Although it appears harmless, thumb sucking can actually alter the facial structure of your child. In addition, it can cause problems with your child’s breathing, teeth and speech.
Here are several issues associated with sucking the thumb:
- Protruding Front Teeth- The two teeth in the center of your child’s upper palate endure a great deal of pressure from thumb sucking. As the thumb is pressed onto the roof of the mouth, it pulls the front teeth forward, causing the front upper teeth to buck outward.
- Jaw Distortion- The sensitive bones of your child’s developing palate can also be affected, altering the natural dimensions of your child’s face and distorting his or her appearance.
- Receding Lower Front Teeth- As the force of the thumb presses against the upper palate, it also pushes the lower front incisors backward.
- Open Bite- When your child closes his or her mouth, the teeth of the upper and lower palate should meet. This includes the teeth in the front and back of the mouth. Due to the dental misalignment caused by thumb sucking, when your child’s back teeth meet, there may still be a gap between the upper and lower front teeth. The opening that results will likely resemble the shape of your little one’s thumb.
- Narrowed Upper Palate- As your child’s upper jaw forms, thumb sucking can cause the roof of the mouth to curve more intensely, reducing the amount of space between the teeth on the left and right side of the upper jaw. The strong flexing of the cheek muscles as your child sucks exacerbates the narrowing effect. Over time, the narrowness of the upper jaw prevents it from resting properly on the lower jaw.
Types of Malocclusion
Class 1 malocclusion is an overlap of upper teeth over the lower teeth. It happens due to prolonged bottle use or thumb sucking in childhood. But it doesn’t affect your bite that much and can be fixed with minor malocclusion treatment. Class 1 malocclusion of teeth has 3 types. The teeth lean towards the tongue in type 1. In type 2, lower teeth are angled towards the tongue, and upper teeth stick out in narrow arches. In type 3 of malocclusion, the upper teeth are crowded, and they lean towards the tongue.
In class 2, malocclusion also the upper teeth stick out over lower teeth. But this malocclusion of teeth is severe enough to affect your bite significantly. It needs early orthodontic intervention. It may take time for malocclusion treatment to correct the alignment of your teeth. But it can be permanently treated. Class 2 malocclusion has 2 divisions. Upper teeth lean towards the lips in division 1. In division 2, the upper central incisors lean towards the tongue.
Class 3 malocclusion is a type of underbite where the lower teeth stick out over the upper teeth. However, it can be a crossbite also when some upper teeth and some lower teeth overlap each other. Class 3 malocclusion is divided into 3 types based on the alignment of the teeth. In type 1, teeth form an abnormally shaped arch. In type 2 malocclusion of teeth, the lower front teeth are angled towards the tongue. And in type 3, the upper arch is abnormal and upper teeth are angled towards the tongue.
Limitations of Orthodontic Treatment
- Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a common condition typically caused due to lack of space resulting from overlapping or crooked teeth.![]()
- Spacing
When there is too much or too little space for the teeth, it results in crowding which can adversely impact the eruption of permanent teeth.- Open Bite
When the upper and lower front teeth do not overlap each other, it results in the formation of an opening that leads straight into the mouth. The problem of an open bite can also occur on the sides of the mouth.- Overjet
An overjet is when the top front teeth extend beyond the lower front teeth horizontally, interfering with the functions of chewing food and speaking.- Overbite
Some overlapping of the lower front teeth is natural but when the upper front teeth are biting down right into the gums, an increased overbite is caused where the lower front teeth can also bite into the roof of the mouth.- Underbite
When the lower front teeth are positioned far forward than the upper front teeth, it results in an underbite which is also known as anterior crossbite.- Crossbite
A crossbite can happen on either or both the sides of the jaw when the upper front teeth are biting right inside the lower teeth. The condition can also affect your front or back teeth.- Diastema
Diastema refers to the space between two adjacent teeth, usually the front teeth.- Impacted Tooth
An impacted tooth is the one that cannot erupt from the gum naturally and needs to be extracted or exposed so that a brace can be fitted.- Missing tooth
Also known as hypodontia, this condition occurs as a result of trauma or improper
Introduction
Braces and extracting teeth in teenage years does not solve the underlying causes of crooked teeth and incorrect facial development. Orthodontics with braces has been used for decades to straighten teeth in early teens when all the permanent teeth have appeared, and although effective in forcing the teeth into straighter alignment, it's important to recognise that there are well-documented disadvantages. Along with leaving the underlying causes of crooked teeth untreated, traditional orthodontic techniques have several other risks or limitations including surgery, enamel and root damage as well as the high likelihood of relapse, unless a permanent commitment is made to wearing a fixed or removable retainer.
The main risks and limitations of treatment with braces are:
RELAPSE - up to 90%
ENAMEL DAMAGE
ROOT DAMAGE - 100%
RETENTION - For Life
Relapse
Long-term stability is a common problem with traditional orthodontic methods and treatment will most often result in relapse unless the teeth are permanently retained. Research shows that when braces are used with or without extractions, the chances are about 90% that they will return to their original position or become worse than before treatment. The pictured image illustrates teeth relapsing after treatment with braces.
"Relapse occurs in up to 90% of cases when retainers are removed."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1988
Enamel Damage
The surface of a tooth is made up of tooth enamel - a hard, mineral coating that protects the tooth against decay. When braces are fitted, they are bonded to the teeth through a chemical process. The enamel surface of the tooth is etched to allow for better bonding strength. Because they are bonded to the teeth it is more difficult to clean, which means the enamel can decay around the braces, causing white spots or stains. When the braces are removed, the enamel on the surface of the teeth can be permanently damaged in the process. If the teeth are not cleaned properly, problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, and decalcification (white or colored marks on the teeth) can result.
Root Damage
Research has now proven that orthodontic movement of teeth through the constant force of braces will cause root damage in nearly 100% of patients. This means part of the roots are dissolved away by the orthodontic treatment and some teeth can be lost over time as a result. The use of intermittent forces and removable appliances has been proven to cause little or no root damage. The pictured animation represents damage to the root tooth caused by braces.
100% of cases can expect root resorption of up to 4mm."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 2011
Permanent Retention
A retainer is an appliance that is used to stop the teeth from moving once the braces are removed. Due to the fact that conventional treatment with braces does not address the causes of crooked teeth, the only way to ensure the teeth stay straight is by fitting a permanent retainer. Newer treatments with clear aligners have the same problem of relapse and also require lifetime maintenance with retainers.
"The only way to ensure continued satisfactory alignment after treatment is by the use of fixed or removable retention for life."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1998
Diet
There are different factors affecting growth and facial development during the entire life cycle. All these factors could be categorized in two main groups: Genetic and environmental factors.. Nutrition is one of the environmental factors. If you choose to eat the right foods and drinks especially during puberty when you are still growing , it will be easier to develop proper bone structure. Other environmental factors like climate, urbanization and altitude will be at play.
During cell division and development, adequate provision of amino acids, calories, vitamins, fats, water and minerals is required thus, the foods you eat daily are closely linked to body growth and development. More than 50 essential nutrients for body growth and development can be found in the foods we normally consume.
1. Milk
Milk is one of the foods that will make you grow taller and even help with facial development. It contains several essential nutrients, especially protein and calcium. Look at the top milk consuming countries in the world relative to population size as an example. The Finns, the Swedes and the Dutch are some of the tallest populations in the world
2. Protein or amino acid Rich foods
Amino acids are the most important feature of proteins in terms of nutrition.
Out of the 20 amino acids required for normal growth and development, 12 can be manufactured by the human body thus, they are considered non essential.
The other 8 have to be obtained from the foods we eat thus they are termed essential amino acids and without them, tissue growth and repair is impaired .
All the essential amino acids can be found in protein from animal meats and other animal products .
Hence, eggs, dairy and animal meats like beef, fish, pork, and poultry are recognized as complete and high quality proteins .
A number of studies have linked protein from animal meat (fish inclusive ) to increased concentration of Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the blood.
IGF-1 is associated with bone mineralization and plays a vital role in bone lengthening since IGF-1 also triggers the rapid reproduction of cells and their differentiation at the growth plate cartilage zone.
Because plant food proteins like fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds, lack some of the essential amino acids, in most cases proteins from such foods are thought to be incomplete apart from soy and quinoa. Plants are not recommended because they contain anti-nutrients. See this thread: ANTI-NUTRIENTS MEGATHREAD - Plants are DANGEROUS
Protein intake is particularly crucial because it provides essential amino acids required for protein synthesis, which are necessary for growth.
Amino acids like lysine and arginine have also been linked to growth hormone and insulin release which catalyze accelerated growth.
Hence, When protein intake is too low, growth is restricted.
Best sources of animal protein:
Eggs, beef, diary (milk, cheese etc), mutton, pork, chicken, Fish, turkey and sea food.
Proteins found in milk, whey, egg, casein and beef have the highest score.
What if you are a vegan or prefer a vegetarian diet?
You don’t.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a nutrient that the body requires in small amounts to function and stay healthy.
Normal vitamin D concentration levels in the blood stimulate calcium and phosphorus absorption in the small intestines.
Without vitamin D, only 10–15% of dietary calcium and about 60% of phosphorus are absorbed.
That’s why vitamin D deficiency during childhood can cause delayed
growth and bone abnormalities while during adulthood, it increases risk of fractures.
Thus, the primary function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood calcium and phosphorus concentration levels to provide the conditions for bio chemical functions, including bone mineralization.
Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D can potentially make growth plate cells more sensitive to GH and IGF-1.
It’s also suggested that changes in seasons can affect growth for instance, during summer when the exposure to sun is greatest, children experience greater growth spurts than during winter when there is no exposure to sun. The body synthesizes vitamin D after sun exposure. [2]
Sources
In humans, the most important forms are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 ( cholecalciferol).
Vitamin D2 is found naturally in sun-exposed mushrooms.
Vitamin D3 is naturally obtained from the sun.
According to the journal of investigative dermatology ;
a) The ultra violent B-rays in sunlight trigger synthesis of D and this is the body’s principal vitamin D source because usually only small amounts are obtained from diet.
b) For most European and North American cities, 9–16minutes of mid day sun exposure to 35% of the body three times a week is enough for the body to synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D.
c) Mid day is the best time because at solar noon, sufficient amounts of ultra violent B-rays are available.
It’s when the sun is directly overhead.
Its the time when solar radiation takes the shortest path to the earth’s surface.
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble, It can be stored in the body fat for a limited time until the reserves get depleted. Cholesterol is needed for Vitamin D absorption.
Hence you don’t necessarily have to expose your skin to the sun every day.
Vitamin D from sun exposure may last at least twice as long in the blood compared with ingested vitamin D.
Vitamin D3 can also be obtained from most oily fish like mackerel, herring, and salmon.
Since only a couple of foods are good sources of vitamin D, besides sun exposure, the best way to get additional vitamin D is through supplements.
4. Minerals for Bone Growth
Can Calcium Help You Grow Taller ?
Calcium is a metallic element mainly stored in bones including teeth and up to 99% of calcium is deposited in bones by the body.
It’s therefore very important for normal bone development functioning and structure.
Calcium also plays a vital role in contracting muscles including your heart muscles as well as enabling blood coagulation though not more than 1% of total body calcium plays this role.
Bone is constantly remodeling by continuously removing old bone and replacing it with new one by deposition of calcium though age plays a role in this process.
Insufficient intake of both calcium and vitamin D during stages of rapid bone growth adversely affects bone development and it’s responsible for ailments like rickets – softening, and distortion of the bones typically resulting in bow legs.
Children therefore require plenty of calcium during puberty stage due to the accelerated muscular, skeletal and endocrine development.
Which calcium food Sources will help you to grow taller?
Egg shells are probably the highest sources of calcium with 38mg of calcium per gram of an egg shell.
Dairy products, like cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Tinned salmon and sardines with bones, some leafy green vegetables like Kale, broccoli, and calcium-fortified foods.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral present in the body in trace amounts, normally obtained from the diet and its daily intake is required to maintain a steady state because the body doesn’t have an efficient storage system of zinc.
The recommended daily consumption is 15 mg for adults.
It plays a role in protein synthesis, DNA synthesis , immune function- (referred to as the gateway to immune system), wound healing, cell division and also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
In human subjects, body growth and development is strictly dependent on Zinc and dietary zinc deficiency has been linked to impaired skeletal development and bone growth in both humans and animals.
Zinc plays a role when it comes to hormonal mediation by participating in;
a) Growth Hormone synthesis and secretion. Circulating levels of growth hormone and IGF-1 are reduced during zinc deficiency.
b) The action of Growth Hormone on liver somatomedin-C production. Somatomedin-C is secreted by the liver and muscles to foster the division and growth of cells in conjunction with growth hormones.
c) somatomedin-C activation in bone cartilage.
In addition to all the above functions, zinc interacts with hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones and testosterone.
Such hormones contribute to bone growth and development.
An assessment of the impact of zinc on growth among children and adolescents established that after 12 months of supplementing the diet with zinc, the body grows more rapidly. [3]
Fats:
The media tells you that saturated fats are harmful however it is the opposite. Ever since the food pyramid was released in 1977, where carbohydrates were the main consumption, obesity rates have increased dramatically. Saturated fats were replaced with PUFAS. Fats like PUFAS are used to lower cholesterol, however cholesterol is needed for proper function of the brain and hormone production, as well as absorption of nutrients such as vitamin D.
Best Orthodontic Treatment
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At Home Appliances:
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3D Printing Invisalign at Home
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Introduction
Warning: This thread was written on a google document that was over 30 pages long.
@Alexanderr @Gargantuan @AscendingHero @Chad1212 @Kingkellz please allow me to have access to future edits, so I can put more information if needed. I promise you I will never delete this thread.
Most people are unaware that the orthodontic profession openly admits that it does not know the causes of malocclusion, except for less than 5%, which are the cases of syndromes, diseases, infections, trauma, and genetic disfiguration. Many orthodontists tell you malocclusion is genetic. In my case they told me my overbite was genetic eventhough my mother and father have perfect occlusion, and never needed orthodontic treatment to get it fixed. Yes, everyone is born with different phenotypes, but your phenotype will not give you crooked teeth or malocclusion.. TLDR; The way you look is mostly genetic, but your misalignment and deformation is not (usually).![]()
The genetic influence on facial development is obvious and environmental things such as thumb sucking and mouth breathing have long been recognized. It is not often appreciated how influential the environment is and what a dramatic effect on facial shape changing this can make.Interestingly all our ancestors had perfectly straight teeth, as did all the other 5,400 species of mammals except some domesticated cats and dogs, some feral foxes (in Europe) and zoo animals. Over the last 10,000 years, while our genes have not changed at all; whenever, and wherever our ancestors became industrialized they developed crooked teeth (malocclusion).The irregularity has been in proportion to the level of civilization with the last hundred years have seeing a dramatic rise in the levels of malocclusion. The environment has a great influence over the tooth positions and shape of the face shape
View attachment 1600985
Ninety-nine percent of ancient skulls had great teeth. This skull is 1,000 yrs old. Teeth didn't start to become crooked until 500 years ago as our mouths got smaller and couldn't accommodate 32 teeth. Advent of modern agriculture accelerated this as we ate softer food and would chew less. Before agriculture, human jaws were a perfect fit for human teeth. Around four million years ago, a group of our ancestors, the small bodied pre-human australopithecines, had thick, strong muscles attached to massive jaw bones. The large muscles allowed australopithecines to bite with incredible force, which in turn was resisted by bony pillars and buttresses in their facial skeletons. Their cheek teeth—molars and premolars—were also large, round, and covered with an especially thick, hard outer coating of protective enamel.![]()
View attachment 1600984
During the agricultural revolution, due to the amount of soft foods that were being chewed, our jaws were not being worked enough. The smaller overall size has caused dental issues, such as dental crowning, impacted molars, and malocclusions, which is when the upper and lower teeth do not sit together properly. Tooth decay became more common. The fruits and vegetables that were eaten contained carbohydrates such as sugars and starches. Carbohydrates are the main reason for tooth decay even today. They trigger bacteria to create acid which can attack the enamel in the mouth, which is the protective layer on your teeth that helps fight off cavities. If the enamel is attacked, over time the tooth will rot and fall out. Our nomadic meat-eating ancestors had little to no tooth decay because animal meat contains little to no carbohydrates; solely protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The mainstream media does not tell you this, but you could completely cut off carbohydrates from your diet and you would not even have to brush your teeth.
In the images below, the left side shows indigenous tribes having good dental health due to their traditional diet; on the right shows the same people on the modern diet. Same genetics, but people on the modern diet have poor craniofacial features. Coincidence?
Alaskan Eskimos
View attachment 1601016
Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Africans
View attachment 1601018
View attachment 1600976
Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Australian Aborigines
View attachment 1601019
Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Early Craniofacial Development in Children
Through breastfeeding, the child will develop a tongue posture which keeps the tongue comfortable with feeding and resting firmly upon the roof of the mouth/palate. In order to pull milk from the breast, the child must push the breast into the upper palate firmly and suck back into the mouth with the tongue. This trains the child to use the tongue as the primary method of swallowing, an act which is repeated hundreds of times per day to inject excess saliva. As the skull develops, it requires the proper functioning of the muscular system in order to guide its development forward and up. A child with proper posture will have the tongue pressed underneath the maxilla (the roof of the mouth) providing sufficient support to promote forward growth. There is a constant downward force of gravity which pushes the craniofacial complex downward; The proper tongue posture of the child counter-balances this force which will cause forward growth as opposed to downward growth.
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Warning: Stop Formula Feeding
New report warns of lead, arsenic, and other toxins in products for babies and toddlers. These contaminants may impact your little one's brain development.
Here's a breakdown of the results:
- 95 percent of containers contained toxic heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury).
- One-fourth of containers contained all of these toxic metals.
- Heavy metal contamination was highest in products containing rice, juice, and sweet potato.
- 88 percent of foods tested "lack any federal standards or guidance on maximum safe levels of toxic heavy metals like arsenic and lead," according to the HBBF findings.
The heavy metals tested in these studies—cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic—are harmful in any amount. Lead is toxic to children's brains, and no amount has been deemed safe. Arsenic and mercury are also neurotoxins. Infants and young children are particularly sensitive to these contaminants, since their brains and organ systems aren't fully developed. Finally, formula feeding leads to improper swallowing patterns. This will be discussed later in the thread.
Moving on, as the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. As the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. If there is an imbalance in strength between the tongue and masseter muscles, issues of TMD can occur. The temporomandibular joint or TMJ acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. Temporomandibular Dysfunction can lead to pain and discomfort. Jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and clicking and locking of the jaw joint are some of the symptoms.”Most medical media tell you to eat soft foods to avoid TMJ/TMD, but will ultimately make the issue worse as it does not fix it. You need to chew hard foods in order to fix this muscle imbalance which will eventually fix your TMJ/TMD. A counterintuitive approach, but it makes sense. Treat the causes not the symptoms. Eventually, when the child grows into an adult, the skull will fit into development with the rest of the body. The strong masseter muscle keeps the mandible/lower jaw firmly up and forward, and the strong tongue in turn keeps the teeth barely in contact and transfers all remaining force into the upper jaw/maxilla in order to counteract the downward pull of gravity on these bones. The child develops a fully grown craniofacial complex and has a large airway and sinus area allowing for easy breathing.
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Correcting Improper Tongue Posture
There are a variety of issues with development that will cause problems with both achieving and maintaining the proper tongue posture. Fortunately the body can correct and heal itself if given the time and effort – indeed even the bones will reform with pressure over time in accordance to Wolff’s Law. When trying to keep proper tongue posture, your tongue is partially in your throat and causes an inability to breathe fully. This means that your maxilla is not developed enough sagittally, and needs to be moved up and forward to give your tongue more room and free up the airway of your throat. Often a lack of development here results in an underbite or overbite.
When trying to keep proper tongue posture, you may not have enough room between your molar/wisdom teeth to fit the width of your tongue. This is a result of lacking transverse (side to side) growth, which also results in a narrow nasal airway and is a tell-tale sign of maxillary recession. The upper jaw, which is part of the lower maxilla, needs to be widened to allow the tongue to sit comfortably between the molars and to create a wide nasal airway.
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Solutions
One: The free solution that will result in permanent and continuing changes is to fix your tongue posture as much as you can and allow the bones of your face and skull to adapt over time. If you do not have enough forward growth, you will have to consciously focus on the tongue applying pressure all along the Mid-Palate Ridge, and especially towards the Front Ridges and Tip. This will develop your maxilla forwards and upwards over time, through both repositioning of the maxilla as well as growth at the sutures within the craniofacial complex. If you lack transverse (side to side) growth, you will need to fold your tongue to keep it resting along the Alveolar Ridge and Mid-Palate Ridge which will result in growth in the width of your maxilla as well as forward movement. The younger you are, the quicker these changes have the potential to happen. A child that is still growing will see phenomenally fast results, a fully developed adult will see slower but consistent change.
Two: The second solution is to pursue palate expansion with a device. The medical community is slowly moving past the incorrect notion that adult sutures fuse, and many medical professionals are now finding that adult palate expansion works. With a wide survey of your local dentists and orthodontists through email, you will most likely find a local professional who has experience in expanding the palate of adults without surgery (SARPE). There are many different devices on the market which may be used to expand the palate, each moving at different paces and covering different parts of the mouth. This expansion can happen as rapidly as 1mm per week. However you will likely need to wear a retainer, as there will be a relapse if you are unable to maintain proper tongue posture – which is why this is most important.
Keeping Teeth Together and Grinding
Like most postural issues, this is a result of one set of muscles being stronger/weaker than their corresponding set. This particular issue is caused by an imbalance between your muscles of mastication (chewing) and your tongue. When you keep proper tongue posture and find that your teeth now seem to rest apart, your tongue is overpowering the muscles which attempt to close the mouth, thus keeping your jaws open. The method to correct this is by chewing harder foods and/or chewing tough gum in order to strengthen the chewing muscles. The opposite case involves your tongue being too weak to keep the jaws apart, resulting in teeth grinding. This solution to this issue is to consciously apply force against the upper palate with the tongue throughout the day, with which you will find that the tongue gains strength quite rapidly. Eventually you should have both of these sets of muscles (And the muscles associated with them) in balance, and will be able to strengthen both in unison. Stronger chewing muscles will impart more force to a stronger tongue, which will keep the teeth gently touching by transferring this force upwards and forwards into the palate and maxilla.
Maintaining Tongue Posture While Sleeping/Pillowing
This is a very common problem that will take time and effort to correct – but once you are able to Mew / maintain tongue posture while asleep you will see more rapid changes. You will no longer be relapsing on the work done during the day while asleep, and in fact be providing upwards and forwards force on the maxilla virtually 24/7. Sleep posture can affect the development of your face. Some infants who habitually sleep on their bellies have shown marked effects of pillowing on the hands. Older children and many adults, among them several dentists, with more pronounced malformations, observed while asleep, were found pillowing on their hands or arms. A common facial deformation, due principally to pillow habits, is marked by a narrow upper jaw, a large mandible, a contracted palate, a narrow nose, and a deflected nasal septum. Since the dental arches and jaws form a great part of the face, this type of deformity has been designated by dentists as "narrowed upper jaw," "Gothic arch," "V-shaped" or "church roof" palate, etc. Faces having such oral features are referred to as "dished," "bell," or "urn" faces. When the deformity is confined to one side, the cheek is flattened or depressed, making the face seem twisted or "lop-jawed." The compression of one maxilla makes the jaws appear to close crosswise, hence the malocclusion is called a cross-bite.
There are numerous varieties of wrong pillowing habits. Perhaps the most common is illustrated in Figure 1, where the wrists and forearm are placed between pillow and cheek. This habit presses in all the upper teeth from the canine back, producing the typical cross-bite. When the hand alone is employed, the malocclusion is limited to fewer teeth, principally molars and bicuspids. In rare cases the child may suck the thumb or finger of one hand andrest its face on the back of the other, which produces constriction of the upper jaw on one side and an arrangement of incisors to accommodate the thumb.
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Figure 2 shows a child who lies on the abdomen and pillows on the back of one hand and an arm; when she turns over she assumes a similar position; the arrangement of the teeth shows the effect on the upper jaw. A child may lie on the abdomen, keeping one hand on top and the other underneath the pillow, with the cheek on the one above, and on turning over exchanges hands. In such a case one side is usually favored. In simple oral deformities where the hands are kept under the pillow or where the pillow is rolled, both dental arches are narrowed as in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the effect of a pillow habit on the arrangement of incisors. Thus, the hands may be kept under the pillow or under the cheek or one in each place. The variations in breathing habits, together with those in pillowing, make the descriptions, classifications, and diagnoses of sleeping postures complicated.
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Children are in bed for half of their lives; if they lie on their faces much, development of the jaws will be repressed. Any small constant external force will in time produce damaging imbalance in such a complicated organ as the mouth. But we have here a force, derived from the weight of the head, acting on the plastic bones of childhood throughout the greater part of each twenty-four hours, and, as case histories show, many children suffering from these deformations have been confined to bed for longer periods during which the force has continued for a greater time. It is well known that a letter-carrier's spine becomes deformed by carrying bundles constantly on the same shoulder. Similarly, facial depressions may be developed by pillowing the face habitually upon hard objects.
If a normal breather pillows alternately on his right and left arms, he may have both dental arches narrowed, or if infants rest habitually on just pillows, their deciduous dental arches will be narrowed and their permanent anterior teeth will be rotated and "bunched." Parents have been known to give their children hard foods, remove their tonsils and adenoids, taking every precaution to avoid malocclusion except preventing face-pillowing, yet their children have narrowed dental arches and croWded anterior teeth, due principally to pillow habits. When teeth are fully erupted and interdigitate normally, the tongue, filling the mouth cavity, presses outward on them, the alveolar processes and the palate, while the lips and cheeks bind the structures on the outside, preventing too great expansion. If the mouth is closed most of the time, or during swallowing, so that the opposing cusps interlock, the muscles of mastication and the hyoid muscles keep the lower jaw in position, indirectly protecting the upper dental arch against pillowing. While pillow habits damage the normal arrangement of teeth ,even when breathing and swallowing are normal, greatest damage is done to a mouth-breather before the age of six, since worn, deciduous teeth, by not locking firmly, afford the jaws very little intermaxillary bracing.
Sleeping Correctly for Proper Craniofacial Development
You probably do not know that nature has provided an automatic manipulator to correct most spinal and peripheral joint lesions. In common with millions of other so-called civilized people you suffer unnecessarily from musculoskeletal problems and are discouraged about how to treat the exponential rise in low back pain throughout the developed world.
Summary Points:
- Nature's automatic manipulator during sleep is the kickback against the vertebrae by the ribs when the chest is prevented from movement by the forest floor
- Various resting postures correct different joints
- Pillows are not necessary
Figure 1 shows a mountain gorilla lying on the ground on his side without a pillow—a position in which chimpanzees and gibbons sleep—and a Kenya African in a similar position on a palm leaf mattress on a concrete floor. Note how he uses his laterally rotated arm as a pillow. Look at how the Kenyan is not even touching his jaw and midface, preventing obstruction. Notice how his rotated arm touching his temporal bone. This position is perfect as it can also allow the tongue to fall onto the palate as well due to gravity, assisting constant proper tongue posture.
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When lying on one side you do not even need the arm as a pillow: when the lower shoulder is fully hunched, the neck is completely supported. The neck should deviate towards the ground as gravity then shuts the mouth which prevents mouth breathing as well. When the head is down, the vertebrae are stretched between two anchors and every time the ribs move through breathing the tension is increased, the vertebrae realign themselves, and the movement keeps the joints lubricated. Largely anecdotal evidence has been collected by “old timers” for over 50 years from non-Western societies that low back pain and joint stiffness is markedly reduced by adopting natural sleeping and resting postures.
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General Posture
Body posture and tongue posture go hand in hand. A quick fix to get proper posture is to do the following: keep your back straight by looking at your hands, you should have a neutral hand grip with no supination and pronation without using any forearm/biceps/shoulder muscle to pronate/supinate it. Correct your hand position by moving your back. The middle of your neck should be aligned with the middle of your shoulders (think of a vertical line running across the middle of your shoulders, it should be aligned with another vertical line running across the middle of your neck.) Keep a neutral pelvic tilt. Your feet and knees should be parallel to each other when standing. You can manspread when sitting though. Your knees and elbows should be relaxed. When you look down, rotate your head instead of looking down using your neck. You should stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles for this posture to feel natural (MEWING GUIDE).
Sphenoid Bone Alignment
A user by the name of @baboom babadabibi made an important thread on Sphenoid bone alignment. Here is what he has to say:
“The Sphenoid bone is the foundation of almost all maxillofacial problems. For it Is the area that the bones in your face emerge from. Improper environment, not bad genetic, is the reason many modern humans lack proper sphenoid alignment.
Here is an interesting study I found that looked at the relation to poor posture to malocclusion.
Relationships between Malocclusion, Body Posture, and Nasopharyngeal Pathology in Pre-Orthodontic Children
In the study it is stated that:
"There was a statistically significant correlation between presence of kyphotic posture and a reduction in the SNB angle, representing sagittal position of the mandible. Also, there was a statistically significant association between kyphotic posture and nasopharyngeal obstruction"
The most important takeaway is that It found that poor (kyphotic) posture had a significant correlation with obstruction of the nasopharynx.
To understand why this is so important, I'll ask you to refer to this image.
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The red area is the nasopharynx and the green area is the sphenoid. Notice how close they are together?
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Now look at the following gif, look at how as the sphenoid bone aligns properly, the nasopharynx becomes less obstructed.
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To put it simply, without the study even mentioning it. It demonstrated that poor posture causes sphenoid misalignment, which also inadvertently makes everything else about your face develop improperly. (malocclusion, sleep apnea etc..) It should start to make a bit more sense now. Everything in your skull is connected to your sphenoid, and the fact that modern orthodontics only addresses these problems on a surface level is nothing short of a travesty. Also note how the sphenoid misalignment causes downward growth as well, which causes an elongated face.”
Downward Growth vs. Forward Growth
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Unable to Get Tongue on the Palate and Swallowing
Tongue Chewing by Dr Mike Mew
(If you have a have a tongue-tie, in which you should practice Khechari Mudra or get a frenectomy/frenuloplasty)
This issue is most likely caused by a tongue tie, especially if you are unable to even reach the front/tip of your palate with the tongue. It is recommended that you visit a medical professional to have this examined, and very much urgent that you have this done if you see such problems in a child. The tongue tie keeps the tongue anchored to the floor of the mouth, and will often require surgery in order to correct. However, you need not jump to the conclusion that you have a tongue tie if you are unable to get the back of the tongue to the roof of the mouth the first few times that you attempt proper tongue posture. This position, after many years of holding incorrect posture, can feel so unnatural that you are unable to manipulate your tongue properly to achieve it. One trick is to hold a big and wide cheesy smile, as wide as you can, and then swallow. This ensures that you are swallowing with your tongue and not with your cheeks, and you will be able to feel how far back in your mouth your tongue lands using this method. Every time you swallow, your tongue in this position will correctly impart multiple pounds of force into the roof of your mouth and reform the skull. As you maintain this posture, make sure not to keep your teeth far apart, they should be comfortably making contact without clenching – this is what will keep your tongue glued to the roof of the mouth all day.
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Let your tongue slide against your incisive papilla, going down, sweep, and do the swallow shown in the video.
View attachment 1600979
When swallowing solid foods, use the 1st swallow. When swallowing liquids, use the 1st swallow until the liquid is too small to be swallowed with the 1st swallow, when you reach that point, use the tongue sweep. Beginners in mewing will have issues with saliva buildup, a solution to this is to tongue sweep, you will have to use slight buccinator (cheek muscle) activation as tongue sweeping alone will not fix the issue. (Buccinators are the muscles the push your cheeks inward) If your bolus is too large to be swallowed comfortably in 1 swallow, separate part of the bolus under the tongue until you can swallow comfortably in 1 swallow (MEWING GUIDE).”
Mewing
The correct tongue posture of a strong tongue combined with strong muscles of mastication (the chewing muscles of the Temporal, Masseter, Pterygoid) are required to grow the face to the beauty of whatever phenotype that the person exhibits. For all cases this proper development results in under-eye / orbital support, properly aligned jaws, ideal spinal posture, and most importantly in a large unobstructed airway of both the nose and throat.
The 28 bones of the human skull never fuse together in a healthy adult, and a restoration of correct muscle function will result in the slow but steady restoration of proper skull form (and as a result, spinal stability). Studies have shown that the sutures of your skull do not fuse until your late seventies. Your improper muscle posture is subconscious at this point, and you will have to retrain your conscious mind to maintain proper postures until you are (literally) doing it in your sleep. Some muscles may be too weak, some may be too tight, and some may be completely out of place: The tongue is the most obvious starting point from which to begin your process of correction.
A user by the name of @YouLiveForYourself on this forum talks about the proper way to bite while mewing. Here is what he has to say:
- First, put the very tip of your tongue directly on the point between your two front teeth (Incisors) where they meet the gum line. If you move the tip of your tongue around slightly in this area, you’ll feel a hard ridge that is directly in line with the space between your two front teeth – the Incisive Papilla. It is here that the tip of your tongue will be at home – We will call this the Tip.
- From this position, keep the tip of your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth and slowly follow that Incisive Papilla ridge along the middle of the roof of your mouth. The first thing you will encounter are a series of ridges called the Palatine Rugae – We will call these the Front Ridges.
- As you move back further along the middle of the roof of the mouth, you will notice a ridge along the middle (the Median Palatine Raphe). We will call this the Mid-Palate ridge.
- So far you will notice that the roof of your mouth is hard, which is suitable for the area of your Hard Palate. Continue your bring the tip of your tongue further back in your mouth until you abruptly reach a soft and fleshy area, the Soft Palate.
- With the tip of your tongue, now explore your mouth in the area where the teeth meet your gums. The ridge along this area is called the Alveolar Ridge.
- You now know as much of the geography of your mouth as is necessary to begin correcting the tongue posture! Take notice now with some exercises that your tongue is capable of simultaneously applying pressure upwards (towards the Mid-Palate ridge) and outwards (towards your Alveolar Ridge)
“The premise of mewing is that the force of the tongue on the palate combined with the teeth lightly touching each other leads to palatal expansion and facial upswing, while promoting forward growth. I want to focus on the contact of the teeth, as I believe it is essential. The aspect of mewing that actually leads to change. John and Mike have both emphasized that the teeth should be gently touching each other. However, with mewing being in its infancy, there is a great deal of trial and error involved. Both of them are intentionally ambiguous when it comes to details on the contact of the teeth, and it's because they don't exactly know how the action promotes upswing and forward growth, and Mike has mentioned this before. They just know that the correlation is there. Sometimes they will say to keep the molars in contact, sometimes all of the teeth. This, I believe, is a big mistake on their part.
Instead, I believe that the premolars (teeth that are more towards the front) should be in light contact, with minimal or no contact between the molars. This is especially for those who have an overbite, as it will help to reverse it. I don't mean keep the incisors together. You can do it if you want, but I think that it is detrimental. They aren't designed for chewing, and therefore cannot handle the sustained amount of pressure. You will damage them. Instead, you should keep your premolars in a light contact. For those with an overbite, moving your lower jaw forward so that the top and bottom incisors are side-to-side is important. Like so:
- Keeping the molars together leads to a CW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a longer, sunk midface and a recessed mandible. This is unattractive.
- Keeping all of the teeth together leads to no rotation of the maxilla. This leads to barely any progress made; a complete waste of time.
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Keeping the premolars together leads to a CCW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a shorter, compact midface that appears more forward grown and a more prominent mandible and chin.
Here is the skull, with the maxilla highlighted in green:
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These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the molars are gently touching:
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Upwards force on the back only. There will be a CW rotation and this is definitely what you don't want.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when all of the teeth are in contact:
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Upwards force on the back but also the front. No rotation. Minimal change. Waste of time.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the premolars are in contact:
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Upwards force on the front only. There will be a CCW rotation and this is definitely what you want. It's clear as day. However, since it is not right on the front edge the change will take slightly slower than if you were to keep the molars in contact.
I think that this explains why mewing doesn't work for a large number of people. They either put pressure on the molars alone or all of the teeth, leading to no results or even a worse face. I believe that those who achieve progress primarily keep contact with the premolars or don't keep the teeth in contact at all, which is okay but so much slower.”
Thank you @YouLiveForYourself again. Here is the original thread if you guys want it: https://looksmax.org/threads/the-me...es-progress-or-even-makes-faces-worse.455354/
Chewing
“It turns out that chewing has had a huge impact on the way we look. The jaw elevator muscles develop the main forces used in mastication. The force generated during routine mastication of food such as carrots or meat is about 70 to 150 newtons (16 to 34 lbf). The maximum masticatory force in some people may reach up to 500 to 700 newtons (110 to 160 lbf). Being we are aspies and can chew 5+ pieces of hard ass falim, and build up the strength of our masseters from constant chewing, it is not unreasonable to expect to be able to exert 350+ Newtons of force per mastication. To compare how significant this is maxilla protraction is generally done with 10 Newtons, and the tongue can exert around 5 while hard mewing, so it is safe to say that chewing is 60x more force than your tongue, making it an extremely potent change for actual bone change, many people when thinking of chewing only look at it as a way to build masseters, but this is simply a bonus (Chewing Megathread).”
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University(TMDU), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and Kyoto University found that mice that ate foods requiring higher chewing force showed increased bone formation, impacting jawbone shape. Throughout an animal’s lifespan, bone tissue in the skeleton is continuously restructured in response to changes in applied force, such as those associated with exercise and locomotion. Examining how the structure of the jawbone varies with the intense chewing force, or masticatory force, may illuminate the mechanisms that lead to the reconstruction of bone tissue. Additionally, they found that increasing the force applied to the jawbone stimulated osteocytes to produce more IGF-1, one of main growth factors that promotes bone formation. This alteration led to bone formation, resulting in morphological changes in the jawbone.
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Summary:
Strong chewing modulates IGF-1 expression in osteocytes for the jawbone reconstruction
a. Superimposition of the jawbone images acquired by the computer simulation. Blue: before remodeling and red: after remodeling. Left: coronal section and right: lateral projection. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
b. Distribution of the mechanical stress in the jawbone, before and after remodeling under the increased mastication.
c. Superimposition of the images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. Blue: ND and red: HD. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
d. Immunohistological images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. IGF-1 (red); and nuclei (blue). The dotted lines indicate the jawbone surface. Arrows indicates the osteocytes expressing IGF-1.
e. Graphical abstract. In order to consume harder foods, masticatory muscles generate stronger force that induces mechanical stress in the jawbone. The stress stimulates osteocytes to produce IGF-1. The upregulated IGF-1 enhances osteoblastogenesis to reconstruct the jawbone morphology so that it endures the loaded force.
Most of the facial movement is achievable through alveolar remodeling, which is a process that takes place even on adults (AGGA is the most obvious proof of this, although as an approach it is awkward). The correct way to develop the alveolar ridge is to bite forward with the mandible, so that the bicuspids, canines and incisors make contact. Your mandible is a face-pulling device (or more correctly, a face-pushing device). You are meant to use the mandible to push the maxilla forward, as this also locks in the cervical posture in a way tongue alone couldn't.
By doing this, you cause bone resorption behind the posterior maxillary alveolar ridge, and new bone formation in the anterior maxillary ridge in front of your teeth. This allows the teeth to effectively hover through the bone. At the same time, you are pushing the mandibular incisors and canines backwards with the maxillary teeth, which allows your jaw and chin to slide forward, increasing its projection. In short, the upper and lower front teeth are moving each other to opposite directions, which leads to a better balance of the jaws as the mandible is no longer trapped behind overly forward lower teeth and overly backward upper teeth
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TLDR: “Hard food, strong jaw: jawbone structure responds to forceful chewing”
Mouth Breathing and Thumbsucking
Your nose is designed to help you breathe safely, efficiently, and properly. It can do this due to its ability to:
The most common cause of normal and natural facial development is mouth breathing. At a tender age, nasal breathing can become difficult at times. Apart from other causes, tonsils and Adenoids are the most common causes of obstruction of nasal breathing. When you or your child begin to breathe through the mouth, the nasal passage begins to narrow stunting proper growth because the tongue does not press into the palate, which is its normal position. When the shape of the upper jaw changes (cheeks put pressure on the teeth and cause crowding), the lower jaw starts to grow to compensate and maintain an open airway. This results in a long facial profile, less prominent chin, and an overall small mouth. This leads to a smaller airway and a less desirable facial appearance. Take a look at your teeth— if you notice your bottom front teeth are taller than the bottom back teeth, then you are a mouth breather.
- Filter out foreign particles. Nasal hairs filter out dust, allergens, and pollen, which helps prevent them from entering your lungs.
- Humidify inhaled air. Your nose warms and moisturizes the air you breathe in. This brings the air you inhale to body temperature, making it easier for your lungs to use.
- Produce nitric oxide. During nasal breathing, your nose releases nitric oxide (NO). NO is a vasodilator, which means it helps to widen blood vessels. This can help improve oxygen circulation in your body.
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This person had a pet gerbil in his room that he was allergic to which made him develop a mouth breathing habit. The picture on the left shows the boy at 10 years old with a strong jawline. Seven years later, his chin is recessed, nose is hooked, and has poor craniofacial features overall. Do not be a mouth breather.
Although it appears harmless, thumb sucking can actually alter the facial structure of your child. In addition, it can cause problems with your child’s breathing, teeth and speech.
Here are several issues associated with sucking the thumb:
- Protruding Front Teeth- The two teeth in the center of your child’s upper palate endure a great deal of pressure from thumb sucking. As the thumb is pressed onto the roof of the mouth, it pulls the front teeth forward, causing the front upper teeth to buck outward.
- Jaw Distortion- The sensitive bones of your child’s developing palate can also be affected, altering the natural dimensions of your child’s face and distorting his or her appearance.
- Receding Lower Front Teeth- As the force of the thumb presses against the upper palate, it also pushes the lower front incisors backward.
- Open Bite- When your child closes his or her mouth, the teeth of the upper and lower palate should meet. This includes the teeth in the front and back of the mouth. Due to the dental misalignment caused by thumb sucking, when your child’s back teeth meet, there may still be a gap between the upper and lower front teeth. The opening that results will likely resemble the shape of your little one’s thumb.
- Narrowed Upper Palate- As your child’s upper jaw forms, thumb sucking can cause the roof of the mouth to curve more intensely, reducing the amount of space between the teeth on the left and right side of the upper jaw. The strong flexing of the cheek muscles as your child sucks exacerbates the narrowing effect. Over time, the narrowness of the upper jaw prevents it from resting properly on the lower jaw.
Types of Malocclusion
Class 1 malocclusion is an overlap of upper teeth over the lower teeth. It happens due to prolonged bottle use or thumb sucking in childhood. But it doesn’t affect your bite that much and can be fixed with minor malocclusion treatment. Class 1 malocclusion of teeth has 3 types. The teeth lean towards the tongue in type 1. In type 2, lower teeth are angled towards the tongue, and upper teeth stick out in narrow arches. In type 3 of malocclusion, the upper teeth are crowded, and they lean towards the tongue.
In class 2, malocclusion also the upper teeth stick out over lower teeth. But this malocclusion of teeth is severe enough to affect your bite significantly. It needs early orthodontic intervention. It may take time for malocclusion treatment to correct the alignment of your teeth. But it can be permanently treated. Class 2 malocclusion has 2 divisions. Upper teeth lean towards the lips in division 1. In division 2, the upper central incisors lean towards the tongue.
Class 3 malocclusion is a type of underbite where the lower teeth stick out over the upper teeth. However, it can be a crossbite also when some upper teeth and some lower teeth overlap each other. Class 3 malocclusion is divided into 3 types based on the alignment of the teeth. In type 1, teeth form an abnormally shaped arch. In type 2 malocclusion of teeth, the lower front teeth are angled towards the tongue. And in type 3, the upper arch is abnormal and upper teeth are angled towards the tongue.
Limitations of Orthodontic Treatment
- Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a common condition typically caused due to lack of space resulting from overlapping or crooked teeth.![]()
- Spacing
When there is too much or too little space for the teeth, it results in crowding which can adversely impact the eruption of permanent teeth.- Open Bite
When the upper and lower front teeth do not overlap each other, it results in the formation of an opening that leads straight into the mouth. The problem of an open bite can also occur on the sides of the mouth.- Overjet
An overjet is when the top front teeth extend beyond the lower front teeth horizontally, interfering with the functions of chewing food and speaking.- Overbite
Some overlapping of the lower front teeth is natural but when the upper front teeth are biting down right into the gums, an increased overbite is caused where the lower front teeth can also bite into the roof of the mouth.- Underbite
When the lower front teeth are positioned far forward than the upper front teeth, it results in an underbite which is also known as anterior crossbite.- Crossbite
A crossbite can happen on either or both the sides of the jaw when the upper front teeth are biting right inside the lower teeth. The condition can also affect your front or back teeth.- Diastema
Diastema refers to the space between two adjacent teeth, usually the front teeth.- Impacted Tooth
An impacted tooth is the one that cannot erupt from the gum naturally and needs to be extracted or exposed so that a brace can be fitted.- Missing tooth
Also known as hypodontia, this condition occurs as a result of trauma or improper
Introduction
Braces and extracting teeth in teenage years does not solve the underlying causes of crooked teeth and incorrect facial development. Orthodontics with braces has been used for decades to straighten teeth in early teens when all the permanent teeth have appeared, and although effective in forcing the teeth into straighter alignment, it's important to recognise that there are well-documented disadvantages. Along with leaving the underlying causes of crooked teeth untreated, traditional orthodontic techniques have several other risks or limitations including surgery, enamel and root damage as well as the high likelihood of relapse, unless a permanent commitment is made to wearing a fixed or removable retainer.
The main risks and limitations of treatment with braces are:
RELAPSE - up to 90%
ENAMEL DAMAGE
ROOT DAMAGE - 100%
RETENTION - For Life
Relapse
Long-term stability is a common problem with traditional orthodontic methods and treatment will most often result in relapse unless the teeth are permanently retained. Research shows that when braces are used with or without extractions, the chances are about 90% that they will return to their original position or become worse than before treatment. The pictured image illustrates teeth relapsing after treatment with braces.
"Relapse occurs in up to 90% of cases when retainers are removed."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1988
Enamel Damage
The surface of a tooth is made up of tooth enamel - a hard, mineral coating that protects the tooth against decay. When braces are fitted, they are bonded to the teeth through a chemical process. The enamel surface of the tooth is etched to allow for better bonding strength. Because they are bonded to the teeth it is more difficult to clean, which means the enamel can decay around the braces, causing white spots or stains. When the braces are removed, the enamel on the surface of the teeth can be permanently damaged in the process. If the teeth are not cleaned properly, problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, and decalcification (white or colored marks on the teeth) can result.
Root Damage
Research has now proven that orthodontic movement of teeth through the constant force of braces will cause root damage in nearly 100% of patients. This means part of the roots are dissolved away by the orthodontic treatment and some teeth can be lost over time as a result. The use of intermittent forces and removable appliances has been proven to cause little or no root damage. The pictured animation represents damage to the root tooth caused by braces.
100% of cases can expect root resorption of up to 4mm."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 2011
Permanent Retention
A retainer is an appliance that is used to stop the teeth from moving once the braces are removed. Due to the fact that conventional treatment with braces does not address the causes of crooked teeth, the only way to ensure the teeth stay straight is by fitting a permanent retainer. Newer treatments with clear aligners have the same problem of relapse and also require lifetime maintenance with retainers.
"The only way to ensure continued satisfactory alignment after treatment is by the use of fixed or removable retention for life."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1998
Diet
There are different factors affecting growth and facial development during the entire life cycle. All these factors could be categorized in two main groups: Genetic and environmental factors.. Nutrition is one of the environmental factors. If you choose to eat the right foods and drinks especially during puberty when you are still growing , it will be easier to develop proper bone structure. Other environmental factors like climate, urbanization and altitude will be at play.
During cell division and development, adequate provision of amino acids, calories, vitamins, fats, water and minerals is required thus, the foods you eat daily are closely linked to body growth and development. More than 50 essential nutrients for body growth and development can be found in the foods we normally consume.
1. Milk
Milk is one of the foods that will make you grow taller and even help with facial development. It contains several essential nutrients, especially protein and calcium. Look at the top milk consuming countries in the world relative to population size as an example. The Finns, the Swedes and the Dutch are some of the tallest populations in the world
2. Protein or amino acid Rich foods
Amino acids are the most important feature of proteins in terms of nutrition.
Out of the 20 amino acids required for normal growth and development, 12 can be manufactured by the human body thus, they are considered non essential.
The other 8 have to be obtained from the foods we eat thus they are termed essential amino acids and without them, tissue growth and repair is impaired .
All the essential amino acids can be found in protein from animal meats and other animal products .
Hence, eggs, dairy and animal meats like beef, fish, pork, and poultry are recognized as complete and high quality proteins .
A number of studies have linked protein from animal meat (fish inclusive ) to increased concentration of Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the blood.
IGF-1 is associated with bone mineralization and plays a vital role in bone lengthening since IGF-1 also triggers the rapid reproduction of cells and their differentiation at the growth plate cartilage zone.
Because plant food proteins like fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds, lack some of the essential amino acids, in most cases proteins from such foods are thought to be incomplete apart from soy and quinoa. Plants are not recommended because they contain anti-nutrients. See this thread: ANTI-NUTRIENTS MEGATHREAD - Plants are DANGEROUS
Protein intake is particularly crucial because it provides essential amino acids required for protein synthesis, which are necessary for growth.
Amino acids like lysine and arginine have also been linked to growth hormone and insulin release which catalyze accelerated growth.
Hence, When protein intake is too low, growth is restricted.
Best sources of animal protein:
Eggs, beef, diary (milk, cheese etc), mutton, pork, chicken, Fish, turkey and sea food.
Proteins found in milk, whey, egg, casein and beef have the highest score.
What if you are a vegan or prefer a vegetarian diet?
You don’t.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a nutrient that the body requires in small amounts to function and stay healthy.
Normal vitamin D concentration levels in the blood stimulate calcium and phosphorus absorption in the small intestines.
Without vitamin D, only 10–15% of dietary calcium and about 60% of phosphorus are absorbed.
That’s why vitamin D deficiency during childhood can cause delayed
growth and bone abnormalities while during adulthood, it increases risk of fractures.
Thus, the primary function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood calcium and phosphorus concentration levels to provide the conditions for bio chemical functions, including bone mineralization.
Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D can potentially make growth plate cells more sensitive to GH and IGF-1.
It’s also suggested that changes in seasons can affect growth for instance, during summer when the exposure to sun is greatest, children experience greater growth spurts than during winter when there is no exposure to sun. The body synthesizes vitamin D after sun exposure. [2]
Sources
In humans, the most important forms are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 ( cholecalciferol).
Vitamin D2 is found naturally in sun-exposed mushrooms.
Vitamin D3 is naturally obtained from the sun.
According to the journal of investigative dermatology ;
a) The ultra violent B-rays in sunlight trigger synthesis of D and this is the body’s principal vitamin D source because usually only small amounts are obtained from diet.
b) For most European and North American cities, 9–16minutes of mid day sun exposure to 35% of the body three times a week is enough for the body to synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D.
c) Mid day is the best time because at solar noon, sufficient amounts of ultra violent B-rays are available.
It’s when the sun is directly overhead.
Its the time when solar radiation takes the shortest path to the earth’s surface.
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble, It can be stored in the body fat for a limited time until the reserves get depleted. Cholesterol is needed for Vitamin D absorption.
Hence you don’t necessarily have to expose your skin to the sun every day.
Vitamin D from sun exposure may last at least twice as long in the blood compared with ingested vitamin D.
Vitamin D3 can also be obtained from most oily fish like mackerel, herring, and salmon.
Since only a couple of foods are good sources of vitamin D, besides sun exposure, the best way to get additional vitamin D is through supplements.
4. Minerals for Bone Growth
Can Calcium Help You Grow Taller ?
Calcium is a metallic element mainly stored in bones including teeth and up to 99% of calcium is deposited in bones by the body.
It’s therefore very important for normal bone development functioning and structure.
Calcium also plays a vital role in contracting muscles including your heart muscles as well as enabling blood coagulation though not more than 1% of total body calcium plays this role.
Bone is constantly remodeling by continuously removing old bone and replacing it with new one by deposition of calcium though age plays a role in this process.
Insufficient intake of both calcium and vitamin D during stages of rapid bone growth adversely affects bone development and it’s responsible for ailments like rickets – softening, and distortion of the bones typically resulting in bow legs.
Children therefore require plenty of calcium during puberty stage due to the accelerated muscular, skeletal and endocrine development.
Which calcium food Sources will help you to grow taller?
Egg shells are probably the highest sources of calcium with 38mg of calcium per gram of an egg shell.
Dairy products, like cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Tinned salmon and sardines with bones, some leafy green vegetables like Kale, broccoli, and calcium-fortified foods.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral present in the body in trace amounts, normally obtained from the diet and its daily intake is required to maintain a steady state because the body doesn’t have an efficient storage system of zinc.
The recommended daily consumption is 15 mg for adults.
It plays a role in protein synthesis, DNA synthesis , immune function- (referred to as the gateway to immune system), wound healing, cell division and also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
In human subjects, body growth and development is strictly dependent on Zinc and dietary zinc deficiency has been linked to impaired skeletal development and bone growth in both humans and animals.
Zinc plays a role when it comes to hormonal mediation by participating in;
a) Growth Hormone synthesis and secretion. Circulating levels of growth hormone and IGF-1 are reduced during zinc deficiency.
b) The action of Growth Hormone on liver somatomedin-C production. Somatomedin-C is secreted by the liver and muscles to foster the division and growth of cells in conjunction with growth hormones.
c) somatomedin-C activation in bone cartilage.
In addition to all the above functions, zinc interacts with hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones and testosterone.
Such hormones contribute to bone growth and development.
An assessment of the impact of zinc on growth among children and adolescents established that after 12 months of supplementing the diet with zinc, the body grows more rapidly. [3]
Fats:
The media tells you that saturated fats are harmful however it is the opposite. Ever since the food pyramid was released in 1977, where carbohydrates were the main consumption, obesity rates have increased dramatically. Saturated fats were replaced with PUFAS. Fats like PUFAS are used to lower cholesterol, however cholesterol is needed for proper function of the brain and hormone production, as well as absorption of nutrients such as vitamin D.
Best Orthodontic Treatment
https://myobrace.com/en-us
https://orthotropics.com/
https://www.earlyorthodontics.com/
http://www.thecranencrp.com/
At Home Appliances:
@nelson makes good videos on at home appliances. You can email him and add him on discord.
1kieranbright@gmail.com
kieranbright#5145
Dowden Appliance V1 Creation - Achieve Maxillary Forward Growth - YouTube
3D Printing Invisalign at Home
Invisalign at Home
Introduction
Warning: This thread was written on a google document that was over 30 pages long.
@Alexanderr @Gargantuan @AscendingHero @Chad1212 @Kingkellz please allow me to have access to future edits, so I can put more information if needed. I promise you I will never delete this thread.
Most people are unaware that the orthodontic profession openly admits that it does not know the causes of malocclusion, except for less than 5%, which are the cases of syndromes, diseases, infections, trauma, and genetic disfiguration. Many orthodontists tell you malocclusion is genetic. In my case they told me my overbite was genetic eventhough my mother and father have perfect occlusion, and never needed orthodontic treatment to get it fixed. Yes, everyone is born with different phenotypes, but your phenotype will not give you crooked teeth or malocclusion.. TLDR; The way you look is mostly genetic, but your misalignment and deformation is not (usually).![]()
The genetic influence on facial development is obvious and environmental things such as thumb sucking and mouth breathing have long been recognized. It is not often appreciated how influential the environment is and what a dramatic effect on facial shape changing this can make.Interestingly all our ancestors had perfectly straight teeth, as did all the other 5,400 species of mammals except some domesticated cats and dogs, some feral foxes (in Europe) and zoo animals. Over the last 10,000 years, while our genes have not changed at all; whenever, and wherever our ancestors became industrialized they developed crooked teeth (malocclusion).The irregularity has been in proportion to the level of civilization with the last hundred years have seeing a dramatic rise in the levels of malocclusion. The environment has a great influence over the tooth positions and shape of the face shape
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Ninety-nine percent of ancient skulls had great teeth. This skull is 1,000 yrs old. Teeth didn't start to become crooked until 500 years ago as our mouths got smaller and couldn't accommodate 32 teeth. Advent of modern agriculture accelerated this as we ate softer food and would chew less. Before agriculture, human jaws were a perfect fit for human teeth. Around four million years ago, a group of our ancestors, the small bodied pre-human australopithecines, had thick, strong muscles attached to massive jaw bones. The large muscles allowed australopithecines to bite with incredible force, which in turn was resisted by bony pillars and buttresses in their facial skeletons. Their cheek teeth—molars and premolars—were also large, round, and covered with an especially thick, hard outer coating of protective enamel.![]()
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During the agricultural revolution, due to the amount of soft foods that were being chewed, our jaws were not being worked enough. The smaller overall size has caused dental issues, such as dental crowning, impacted molars, and malocclusions, which is when the upper and lower teeth do not sit together properly. Tooth decay became more common. The fruits and vegetables that were eaten contained carbohydrates such as sugars and starches. Carbohydrates are the main reason for tooth decay even today. They trigger bacteria to create acid which can attack the enamel in the mouth, which is the protective layer on your teeth that helps fight off cavities. If the enamel is attacked, over time the tooth will rot and fall out. Our nomadic meat-eating ancestors had little to no tooth decay because animal meat contains little to no carbohydrates; solely protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The mainstream media does not tell you this, but you could completely cut off carbohydrates from your diet and you would not even have to brush your teeth.
In the images below, the left side shows indigenous tribes having good dental health due to their traditional diet; on the right shows the same people on the modern diet. Same genetics, but people on the modern diet have poor craniofacial features. Coincidence?
Alaskan Eskimos
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Africans
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Australian Aborigines
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Early Craniofacial Development in Children
Through breastfeeding, the child will develop a tongue posture which keeps the tongue comfortable with feeding and resting firmly upon the roof of the mouth/palate. In order to pull milk from the breast, the child must push the breast into the upper palate firmly and suck back into the mouth with the tongue. This trains the child to use the tongue as the primary method of swallowing, an act which is repeated hundreds of times per day to inject excess saliva. As the skull develops, it requires the proper functioning of the muscular system in order to guide its development forward and up. A child with proper posture will have the tongue pressed underneath the maxilla (the roof of the mouth) providing sufficient support to promote forward growth. There is a constant downward force of gravity which pushes the craniofacial complex downward; The proper tongue posture of the child counter-balances this force which will cause forward growth as opposed to downward growth.
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Warning: Stop Formula Feeding
New report warns of lead, arsenic, and other toxins in products for babies and toddlers. These contaminants may impact your little one's brain development.
Here's a breakdown of the results:
- 95 percent of containers contained toxic heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury).
- One-fourth of containers contained all of these toxic metals.
- Heavy metal contamination was highest in products containing rice, juice, and sweet potato.
- 88 percent of foods tested "lack any federal standards or guidance on maximum safe levels of toxic heavy metals like arsenic and lead," according to the HBBF findings.
The heavy metals tested in these studies—cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic—are harmful in any amount. Lead is toxic to children's brains, and no amount has been deemed safe. Arsenic and mercury are also neurotoxins. Infants and young children are particularly sensitive to these contaminants, since their brains and organ systems aren't fully developed. Finally, formula feeding leads to improper swallowing patterns. This will be discussed later in the thread.
Moving on, as the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. As the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. If there is an imbalance in strength between the tongue and masseter muscles, issues of TMD can occur. The temporomandibular joint or TMJ acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. Temporomandibular Dysfunction can lead to pain and discomfort. Jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and clicking and locking of the jaw joint are some of the symptoms.”Most medical media tell you to eat soft foods to avoid TMJ/TMD, but will ultimately make the issue worse as it does not fix it. You need to chew hard foods in order to fix this muscle imbalance which will eventually fix your TMJ/TMD. A counterintuitive approach, but it makes sense. Treat the causes not the symptoms. Eventually, when the child grows into an adult, the skull will fit into development with the rest of the body. The strong masseter muscle keeps the mandible/lower jaw firmly up and forward, and the strong tongue in turn keeps the teeth barely in contact and transfers all remaining force into the upper jaw/maxilla in order to counteract the downward pull of gravity on these bones. The child develops a fully grown craniofacial complex and has a large airway and sinus area allowing for easy breathing.
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Correcting Improper Tongue Posture
There are a variety of issues with development that will cause problems with both achieving and maintaining the proper tongue posture. Fortunately the body can correct and heal itself if given the time and effort – indeed even the bones will reform with pressure over time in accordance to Wolff’s Law. When trying to keep proper tongue posture, your tongue is partially in your throat and causes an inability to breathe fully. This means that your maxilla is not developed enough sagittally, and needs to be moved up and forward to give your tongue more room and free up the airway of your throat. Often a lack of development here results in an underbite or overbite.
When trying to keep proper tongue posture, you may not have enough room between your molar/wisdom teeth to fit the width of your tongue. This is a result of lacking transverse (side to side) growth, which also results in a narrow nasal airway and is a tell-tale sign of maxillary recession. The upper jaw, which is part of the lower maxilla, needs to be widened to allow the tongue to sit comfortably between the molars and to create a wide nasal airway.
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Solutions
One: The free solution that will result in permanent and continuing changes is to fix your tongue posture as much as you can and allow the bones of your face and skull to adapt over time. If you do not have enough forward growth, you will have to consciously focus on the tongue applying pressure all along the Mid-Palate Ridge, and especially towards the Front Ridges and Tip. This will develop your maxilla forwards and upwards over time, through both repositioning of the maxilla as well as growth at the sutures within the craniofacial complex. If you lack transverse (side to side) growth, you will need to fold your tongue to keep it resting along the Alveolar Ridge and Mid-Palate Ridge which will result in growth in the width of your maxilla as well as forward movement. The younger you are, the quicker these changes have the potential to happen. A child that is still growing will see phenomenally fast results, a fully developed adult will see slower but consistent change.
Two: The second solution is to pursue palate expansion with a device. The medical community is slowly moving past the incorrect notion that adult sutures fuse, and many medical professionals are now finding that adult palate expansion works. With a wide survey of your local dentists and orthodontists through email, you will most likely find a local professional who has experience in expanding the palate of adults without surgery (SARPE). There are many different devices on the market which may be used to expand the palate, each moving at different paces and covering different parts of the mouth. This expansion can happen as rapidly as 1mm per week. However you will likely need to wear a retainer, as there will be a relapse if you are unable to maintain proper tongue posture – which is why this is most important.
Keeping Teeth Together and Grinding
Like most postural issues, this is a result of one set of muscles being stronger/weaker than their corresponding set. This particular issue is caused by an imbalance between your muscles of mastication (chewing) and your tongue. When you keep proper tongue posture and find that your teeth now seem to rest apart, your tongue is overpowering the muscles which attempt to close the mouth, thus keeping your jaws open. The method to correct this is by chewing harder foods and/or chewing tough gum in order to strengthen the chewing muscles. The opposite case involves your tongue being too weak to keep the jaws apart, resulting in teeth grinding. This solution to this issue is to consciously apply force against the upper palate with the tongue throughout the day, with which you will find that the tongue gains strength quite rapidly. Eventually you should have both of these sets of muscles (And the muscles associated with them) in balance, and will be able to strengthen both in unison. Stronger chewing muscles will impart more force to a stronger tongue, which will keep the teeth gently touching by transferring this force upwards and forwards into the palate and maxilla.
Maintaining Tongue Posture While Sleeping/Pillowing
This is a very common problem that will take time and effort to correct – but once you are able to Mew / maintain tongue posture while asleep you will see more rapid changes. You will no longer be relapsing on the work done during the day while asleep, and in fact be providing upwards and forwards force on the maxilla virtually 24/7. Sleep posture can affect the development of your face. Some infants who habitually sleep on their bellies have shown marked effects of pillowing on the hands. Older children and many adults, among them several dentists, with more pronounced malformations, observed while asleep, were found pillowing on their hands or arms. A common facial deformation, due principally to pillow habits, is marked by a narrow upper jaw, a large mandible, a contracted palate, a narrow nose, and a deflected nasal septum. Since the dental arches and jaws form a great part of the face, this type of deformity has been designated by dentists as "narrowed upper jaw," "Gothic arch," "V-shaped" or "church roof" palate, etc. Faces having such oral features are referred to as "dished," "bell," or "urn" faces. When the deformity is confined to one side, the cheek is flattened or depressed, making the face seem twisted or "lop-jawed." The compression of one maxilla makes the jaws appear to close crosswise, hence the malocclusion is called a cross-bite.
There are numerous varieties of wrong pillowing habits. Perhaps the most common is illustrated in Figure 1, where the wrists and forearm are placed between pillow and cheek. This habit presses in all the upper teeth from the canine back, producing the typical cross-bite. When the hand alone is employed, the malocclusion is limited to fewer teeth, principally molars and bicuspids. In rare cases the child may suck the thumb or finger of one hand andrest its face on the back of the other, which produces constriction of the upper jaw on one side and an arrangement of incisors to accommodate the thumb.
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Figure 2 shows a child who lies on the abdomen and pillows on the back of one hand and an arm; when she turns over she assumes a similar position; the arrangement of the teeth shows the effect on the upper jaw. A child may lie on the abdomen, keeping one hand on top and the other underneath the pillow, with the cheek on the one above, and on turning over exchanges hands. In such a case one side is usually favored. In simple oral deformities where the hands are kept under the pillow or where the pillow is rolled, both dental arches are narrowed as in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the effect of a pillow habit on the arrangement of incisors. Thus, the hands may be kept under the pillow or under the cheek or one in each place. The variations in breathing habits, together with those in pillowing, make the descriptions, classifications, and diagnoses of sleeping postures complicated.
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Children are in bed for half of their lives; if they lie on their faces much, development of the jaws will be repressed. Any small constant external force will in time produce damaging imbalance in such a complicated organ as the mouth. But we have here a force, derived from the weight of the head, acting on the plastic bones of childhood throughout the greater part of each twenty-four hours, and, as case histories show, many children suffering from these deformations have been confined to bed for longer periods during which the force has continued for a greater time. It is well known that a letter-carrier's spine becomes deformed by carrying bundles constantly on the same shoulder. Similarly, facial depressions may be developed by pillowing the face habitually upon hard objects.
If a normal breather pillows alternately on his right and left arms, he may have both dental arches narrowed, or if infants rest habitually on just pillows, their deciduous dental arches will be narrowed and their permanent anterior teeth will be rotated and "bunched." Parents have been known to give their children hard foods, remove their tonsils and adenoids, taking every precaution to avoid malocclusion except preventing face-pillowing, yet their children have narrowed dental arches and croWded anterior teeth, due principally to pillow habits. When teeth are fully erupted and interdigitate normally, the tongue, filling the mouth cavity, presses outward on them, the alveolar processes and the palate, while the lips and cheeks bind the structures on the outside, preventing too great expansion. If the mouth is closed most of the time, or during swallowing, so that the opposing cusps interlock, the muscles of mastication and the hyoid muscles keep the lower jaw in position, indirectly protecting the upper dental arch against pillowing. While pillow habits damage the normal arrangement of teeth ,even when breathing and swallowing are normal, greatest damage is done to a mouth-breather before the age of six, since worn, deciduous teeth, by not locking firmly, afford the jaws very little intermaxillary bracing.
Sleeping Correctly for Proper Craniofacial Development
You probably do not know that nature has provided an automatic manipulator to correct most spinal and peripheral joint lesions. In common with millions of other so-called civilized people you suffer unnecessarily from musculoskeletal problems and are discouraged about how to treat the exponential rise in low back pain throughout the developed world.
Summary Points:
- Nature's automatic manipulator during sleep is the kickback against the vertebrae by the ribs when the chest is prevented from movement by the forest floor
- Various resting postures correct different joints
- Pillows are not necessary
Figure 1 shows a mountain gorilla lying on the ground on his side without a pillow—a position in which chimpanzees and gibbons sleep—and a Kenya African in a similar position on a palm leaf mattress on a concrete floor. Note how he uses his laterally rotated arm as a pillow. Look at how the Kenyan is not even touching his jaw and midface, preventing obstruction. Notice how his rotated arm touching his temporal bone. This position is perfect as it can also allow the tongue to fall onto the palate as well due to gravity, assisting constant proper tongue posture.
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When lying on one side you do not even need the arm as a pillow: when the lower shoulder is fully hunched, the neck is completely supported. The neck should deviate towards the ground as gravity then shuts the mouth which prevents mouth breathing as well. When the head is down, the vertebrae are stretched between two anchors and every time the ribs move through breathing the tension is increased, the vertebrae realign themselves, and the movement keeps the joints lubricated. Largely anecdotal evidence has been collected by “old timers” for over 50 years from non-Western societies that low back pain and joint stiffness is markedly reduced by adopting natural sleeping and resting postures.
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General Posture
Body posture and tongue posture go hand in hand. A quick fix to get proper posture is to do the following: keep your back straight by looking at your hands, you should have a neutral hand grip with no supination and pronation without using any forearm/biceps/shoulder muscle to pronate/supinate it. Correct your hand position by moving your back. The middle of your neck should be aligned with the middle of your shoulders (think of a vertical line running across the middle of your shoulders, it should be aligned with another vertical line running across the middle of your neck.) Keep a neutral pelvic tilt. Your feet and knees should be parallel to each other when standing. You can manspread when sitting though. Your knees and elbows should be relaxed. When you look down, rotate your head instead of looking down using your neck. You should stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles for this posture to feel natural (MEWING GUIDE).
Sphenoid Bone Alignment
A user by the name of @baboom babadabibi made an important thread on Sphenoid bone alignment. Here is what he has to say:
“The Sphenoid bone is the foundation of almost all maxillofacial problems. For it Is the area that the bones in your face emerge from. Improper environment, not bad genetic, is the reason many modern humans lack proper sphenoid alignment.
Here is an interesting study I found that looked at the relation to poor posture to malocclusion.
Relationships between Malocclusion, Body Posture, and Nasopharyngeal Pathology in Pre-Orthodontic Children
In the study it is stated that:
"There was a statistically significant correlation between presence of kyphotic posture and a reduction in the SNB angle, representing sagittal position of the mandible. Also, there was a statistically significant association between kyphotic posture and nasopharyngeal obstruction"
The most important takeaway is that It found that poor (kyphotic) posture had a significant correlation with obstruction of the nasopharynx.
To understand why this is so important, I'll ask you to refer to this image.
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The red area is the nasopharynx and the green area is the sphenoid. Notice how close they are together?
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Now look at the following gif, look at how as the sphenoid bone aligns properly, the nasopharynx becomes less obstructed.
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To put it simply, without the study even mentioning it. It demonstrated that poor posture causes sphenoid misalignment, which also inadvertently makes everything else about your face develop improperly. (malocclusion, sleep apnea etc..) It should start to make a bit more sense now. Everything in your skull is connected to your sphenoid, and the fact that modern orthodontics only addresses these problems on a surface level is nothing short of a travesty. Also note how the sphenoid misalignment causes downward growth as well, which causes an elongated face.”
Downward Growth vs. Forward Growth
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Unable to Get Tongue on the Palate and Swallowing
Tongue Chewing by Dr Mike Mew
(If you have a have a tongue-tie, in which you should practice Khechari Mudra or get a frenectomy/frenuloplasty)
This issue is most likely caused by a tongue tie, especially if you are unable to even reach the front/tip of your palate with the tongue. It is recommended that you visit a medical professional to have this examined, and very much urgent that you have this done if you see such problems in a child. The tongue tie keeps the tongue anchored to the floor of the mouth, and will often require surgery in order to correct. However, you need not jump to the conclusion that you have a tongue tie if you are unable to get the back of the tongue to the roof of the mouth the first few times that you attempt proper tongue posture. This position, after many years of holding incorrect posture, can feel so unnatural that you are unable to manipulate your tongue properly to achieve it. One trick is to hold a big and wide cheesy smile, as wide as you can, and then swallow. This ensures that you are swallowing with your tongue and not with your cheeks, and you will be able to feel how far back in your mouth your tongue lands using this method. Every time you swallow, your tongue in this position will correctly impart multiple pounds of force into the roof of your mouth and reform the skull. As you maintain this posture, make sure not to keep your teeth far apart, they should be comfortably making contact without clenching – this is what will keep your tongue glued to the roof of the mouth all day.
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Let your tongue slide against your incisive papilla, going down, sweep, and do the swallow shown in the video.
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When swallowing solid foods, use the 1st swallow. When swallowing liquids, use the 1st swallow until the liquid is too small to be swallowed with the 1st swallow, when you reach that point, use the tongue sweep. Beginners in mewing will have issues with saliva buildup, a solution to this is to tongue sweep, you will have to use slight buccinator (cheek muscle) activation as tongue sweeping alone will not fix the issue. (Buccinators are the muscles the push your cheeks inward) If your bolus is too large to be swallowed comfortably in 1 swallow, separate part of the bolus under the tongue until you can swallow comfortably in 1 swallow (MEWING GUIDE).”
Mewing
The correct tongue posture of a strong tongue combined with strong muscles of mastication (the chewing muscles of the Temporal, Masseter, Pterygoid) are required to grow the face to the beauty of whatever phenotype that the person exhibits. For all cases this proper development results in under-eye / orbital support, properly aligned jaws, ideal spinal posture, and most importantly in a large unobstructed airway of both the nose and throat.
The 28 bones of the human skull never fuse together in a healthy adult, and a restoration of correct muscle function will result in the slow but steady restoration of proper skull form (and as a result, spinal stability). Studies have shown that the sutures of your skull do not fuse until your late seventies. Your improper muscle posture is subconscious at this point, and you will have to retrain your conscious mind to maintain proper postures until you are (literally) doing it in your sleep. Some muscles may be too weak, some may be too tight, and some may be completely out of place: The tongue is the most obvious starting point from which to begin your process of correction.
A user by the name of @YouLiveForYourself on this forum talks about the proper way to bite while mewing. Here is what he has to say:
- First, put the very tip of your tongue directly on the point between your two front teeth (Incisors) where they meet the gum line. If you move the tip of your tongue around slightly in this area, you’ll feel a hard ridge that is directly in line with the space between your two front teeth – the Incisive Papilla. It is here that the tip of your tongue will be at home – We will call this the Tip.
- From this position, keep the tip of your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth and slowly follow that Incisive Papilla ridge along the middle of the roof of your mouth. The first thing you will encounter are a series of ridges called the Palatine Rugae – We will call these the Front Ridges.
- As you move back further along the middle of the roof of the mouth, you will notice a ridge along the middle (the Median Palatine Raphe). We will call this the Mid-Palate ridge.
- So far you will notice that the roof of your mouth is hard, which is suitable for the area of your Hard Palate. Continue your bring the tip of your tongue further back in your mouth until you abruptly reach a soft and fleshy area, the Soft Palate.
- With the tip of your tongue, now explore your mouth in the area where the teeth meet your gums. The ridge along this area is called the Alveolar Ridge.
- You now know as much of the geography of your mouth as is necessary to begin correcting the tongue posture! Take notice now with some exercises that your tongue is capable of simultaneously applying pressure upwards (towards the Mid-Palate ridge) and outwards (towards your Alveolar Ridge)
“The premise of mewing is that the force of the tongue on the palate combined with the teeth lightly touching each other leads to palatal expansion and facial upswing, while promoting forward growth. I want to focus on the contact of the teeth, as I believe it is essential. The aspect of mewing that actually leads to change. John and Mike have both emphasized that the teeth should be gently touching each other. However, with mewing being in its infancy, there is a great deal of trial and error involved. Both of them are intentionally ambiguous when it comes to details on the contact of the teeth, and it's because they don't exactly know how the action promotes upswing and forward growth, and Mike has mentioned this before. They just know that the correlation is there. Sometimes they will say to keep the molars in contact, sometimes all of the teeth. This, I believe, is a big mistake on their part.
Instead, I believe that the premolars (teeth that are more towards the front) should be in light contact, with minimal or no contact between the molars. This is especially for those who have an overbite, as it will help to reverse it. I don't mean keep the incisors together. You can do it if you want, but I think that it is detrimental. They aren't designed for chewing, and therefore cannot handle the sustained amount of pressure. You will damage them. Instead, you should keep your premolars in a light contact. For those with an overbite, moving your lower jaw forward so that the top and bottom incisors are side-to-side is important. Like so:
- Keeping the molars together leads to a CW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a longer, sunk midface and a recessed mandible. This is unattractive.
- Keeping all of the teeth together leads to no rotation of the maxilla. This leads to barely any progress made; a complete waste of time.
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Keeping the premolars together leads to a CCW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a shorter, compact midface that appears more forward grown and a more prominent mandible and chin.
Here is the skull, with the maxilla highlighted in green:
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These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the molars are gently touching:
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Upwards force on the back only. There will be a CW rotation and this is definitely what you don't want.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when all of the teeth are in contact:
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Upwards force on the back but also the front. No rotation. Minimal change. Waste of time.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the premolars are in contact:
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Upwards force on the front only. There will be a CCW rotation and this is definitely what you want. It's clear as day. However, since it is not right on the front edge the change will take slightly slower than if you were to keep the molars in contact.
I think that this explains why mewing doesn't work for a large number of people. They either put pressure on the molars alone or all of the teeth, leading to no results or even a worse face. I believe that those who achieve progress primarily keep contact with the premolars or don't keep the teeth in contact at all, which is okay but so much slower.”
Thank you @YouLiveForYourself again. Here is the original thread if you guys want it: https://looksmax.org/threads/the-me...es-progress-or-even-makes-faces-worse.455354/
Chewing
“It turns out that chewing has had a huge impact on the way we look. The jaw elevator muscles develop the main forces used in mastication. The force generated during routine mastication of food such as carrots or meat is about 70 to 150 newtons (16 to 34 lbf). The maximum masticatory force in some people may reach up to 500 to 700 newtons (110 to 160 lbf). Being we are aspies and can chew 5+ pieces of hard ass falim, and build up the strength of our masseters from constant chewing, it is not unreasonable to expect to be able to exert 350+ Newtons of force per mastication. To compare how significant this is maxilla protraction is generally done with 10 Newtons, and the tongue can exert around 5 while hard mewing, so it is safe to say that chewing is 60x more force than your tongue, making it an extremely potent change for actual bone change, many people when thinking of chewing only look at it as a way to build masseters, but this is simply a bonus (Chewing Megathread).”
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University(TMDU), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and Kyoto University found that mice that ate foods requiring higher chewing force showed increased bone formation, impacting jawbone shape. Throughout an animal’s lifespan, bone tissue in the skeleton is continuously restructured in response to changes in applied force, such as those associated with exercise and locomotion. Examining how the structure of the jawbone varies with the intense chewing force, or masticatory force, may illuminate the mechanisms that lead to the reconstruction of bone tissue. Additionally, they found that increasing the force applied to the jawbone stimulated osteocytes to produce more IGF-1, one of main growth factors that promotes bone formation. This alteration led to bone formation, resulting in morphological changes in the jawbone.
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Summary:
Strong chewing modulates IGF-1 expression in osteocytes for the jawbone reconstruction
a. Superimposition of the jawbone images acquired by the computer simulation. Blue: before remodeling and red: after remodeling. Left: coronal section and right: lateral projection. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
b. Distribution of the mechanical stress in the jawbone, before and after remodeling under the increased mastication.
c. Superimposition of the images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. Blue: ND and red: HD. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
d. Immunohistological images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. IGF-1 (red); and nuclei (blue). The dotted lines indicate the jawbone surface. Arrows indicates the osteocytes expressing IGF-1.
e. Graphical abstract. In order to consume harder foods, masticatory muscles generate stronger force that induces mechanical stress in the jawbone. The stress stimulates osteocytes to produce IGF-1. The upregulated IGF-1 enhances osteoblastogenesis to reconstruct the jawbone morphology so that it endures the loaded force.
Most of the facial movement is achievable through alveolar remodeling, which is a process that takes place even on adults (AGGA is the most obvious proof of this, although as an approach it is awkward). The correct way to develop the alveolar ridge is to bite forward with the mandible, so that the bicuspids, canines and incisors make contact. Your mandible is a face-pulling device (or more correctly, a face-pushing device). You are meant to use the mandible to push the maxilla forward, as this also locks in the cervical posture in a way tongue alone couldn't.
By doing this, you cause bone resorption behind the posterior maxillary alveolar ridge, and new bone formation in the anterior maxillary ridge in front of your teeth. This allows the teeth to effectively hover through the bone. At the same time, you are pushing the mandibular incisors and canines backwards with the maxillary teeth, which allows your jaw and chin to slide forward, increasing its projection. In short, the upper and lower front teeth are moving each other to opposite directions, which leads to a better balance of the jaws as the mandible is no longer trapped behind overly forward lower teeth and overly backward upper teeth
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TLDR: “Hard food, strong jaw: jawbone structure responds to forceful chewing”
Mouth Breathing and Thumbsucking
Your nose is designed to help you breathe safely, efficiently, and properly. It can do this due to its ability to:
The most common cause of normal and natural facial development is mouth breathing. At a tender age, nasal breathing can become difficult at times. Apart from other causes, tonsils and Adenoids are the most common causes of obstruction of nasal breathing. When you or your child begin to breathe through the mouth, the nasal passage begins to narrow stunting proper growth because the tongue does not press into the palate, which is its normal position. When the shape of the upper jaw changes (cheeks put pressure on the teeth and cause crowding), the lower jaw starts to grow to compensate and maintain an open airway. This results in a long facial profile, less prominent chin, and an overall small mouth. This leads to a smaller airway and a less desirable facial appearance. Take a look at your teeth— if you notice your bottom front teeth are taller than the bottom back teeth, then you are a mouth breather.
- Filter out foreign particles. Nasal hairs filter out dust, allergens, and pollen, which helps prevent them from entering your lungs.
- Humidify inhaled air. Your nose warms and moisturizes the air you breathe in. This brings the air you inhale to body temperature, making it easier for your lungs to use.
- Produce nitric oxide. During nasal breathing, your nose releases nitric oxide (NO). NO is a vasodilator, which means it helps to widen blood vessels. This can help improve oxygen circulation in your body.
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This person had a pet gerbil in his room that he was allergic to which made him develop a mouth breathing habit. The picture on the left shows the boy at 10 years old with a strong jawline. Seven years later, his chin is recessed, nose is hooked, and has poor craniofacial features overall. Do not be a mouth breather.
Although it appears harmless, thumb sucking can actually alter the facial structure of your child. In addition, it can cause problems with your child’s breathing, teeth and speech.
Here are several issues associated with sucking the thumb:
- Protruding Front Teeth- The two teeth in the center of your child’s upper palate endure a great deal of pressure from thumb sucking. As the thumb is pressed onto the roof of the mouth, it pulls the front teeth forward, causing the front upper teeth to buck outward.
- Jaw Distortion- The sensitive bones of your child’s developing palate can also be affected, altering the natural dimensions of your child’s face and distorting his or her appearance.
- Receding Lower Front Teeth- As the force of the thumb presses against the upper palate, it also pushes the lower front incisors backward.
- Open Bite- When your child closes his or her mouth, the teeth of the upper and lower palate should meet. This includes the teeth in the front and back of the mouth. Due to the dental misalignment caused by thumb sucking, when your child’s back teeth meet, there may still be a gap between the upper and lower front teeth. The opening that results will likely resemble the shape of your little one’s thumb.
- Narrowed Upper Palate- As your child’s upper jaw forms, thumb sucking can cause the roof of the mouth to curve more intensely, reducing the amount of space between the teeth on the left and right side of the upper jaw. The strong flexing of the cheek muscles as your child sucks exacerbates the narrowing effect. Over time, the narrowness of the upper jaw prevents it from resting properly on the lower jaw.
Types of Malocclusion
Class 1 malocclusion is an overlap of upper teeth over the lower teeth. It happens due to prolonged bottle use or thumb sucking in childhood. But it doesn’t affect your bite that much and can be fixed with minor malocclusion treatment. Class 1 malocclusion of teeth has 3 types. The teeth lean towards the tongue in type 1. In type 2, lower teeth are angled towards the tongue, and upper teeth stick out in narrow arches. In type 3 of malocclusion, the upper teeth are crowded, and they lean towards the tongue.
In class 2, malocclusion also the upper teeth stick out over lower teeth. But this malocclusion of teeth is severe enough to affect your bite significantly. It needs early orthodontic intervention. It may take time for malocclusion treatment to correct the alignment of your teeth. But it can be permanently treated. Class 2 malocclusion has 2 divisions. Upper teeth lean towards the lips in division 1. In division 2, the upper central incisors lean towards the tongue.
Class 3 malocclusion is a type of underbite where the lower teeth stick out over the upper teeth. However, it can be a crossbite also when some upper teeth and some lower teeth overlap each other. Class 3 malocclusion is divided into 3 types based on the alignment of the teeth. In type 1, teeth form an abnormally shaped arch. In type 2 malocclusion of teeth, the lower front teeth are angled towards the tongue. And in type 3, the upper arch is abnormal and upper teeth are angled towards the tongue.
Limitations of Orthodontic Treatment
- Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a common condition typically caused due to lack of space resulting from overlapping or crooked teeth.![]()
- Spacing
When there is too much or too little space for the teeth, it results in crowding which can adversely impact the eruption of permanent teeth.- Open Bite
When the upper and lower front teeth do not overlap each other, it results in the formation of an opening that leads straight into the mouth. The problem of an open bite can also occur on the sides of the mouth.- Overjet
An overjet is when the top front teeth extend beyond the lower front teeth horizontally, interfering with the functions of chewing food and speaking.- Overbite
Some overlapping of the lower front teeth is natural but when the upper front teeth are biting down right into the gums, an increased overbite is caused where the lower front teeth can also bite into the roof of the mouth.- Underbite
When the lower front teeth are positioned far forward than the upper front teeth, it results in an underbite which is also known as anterior crossbite.- Crossbite
A crossbite can happen on either or both the sides of the jaw when the upper front teeth are biting right inside the lower teeth. The condition can also affect your front or back teeth.- Diastema
Diastema refers to the space between two adjacent teeth, usually the front teeth.- Impacted Tooth
An impacted tooth is the one that cannot erupt from the gum naturally and needs to be extracted or exposed so that a brace can be fitted.- Missing tooth
Also known as hypodontia, this condition occurs as a result of trauma or improper
Introduction
Braces and extracting teeth in teenage years does not solve the underlying causes of crooked teeth and incorrect facial development. Orthodontics with braces has been used for decades to straighten teeth in early teens when all the permanent teeth have appeared, and although effective in forcing the teeth into straighter alignment, it's important to recognise that there are well-documented disadvantages. Along with leaving the underlying causes of crooked teeth untreated, traditional orthodontic techniques have several other risks or limitations including surgery, enamel and root damage as well as the high likelihood of relapse, unless a permanent commitment is made to wearing a fixed or removable retainer.
The main risks and limitations of treatment with braces are:
RELAPSE - up to 90%
ENAMEL DAMAGE
ROOT DAMAGE - 100%
RETENTION - For Life
Relapse
Long-term stability is a common problem with traditional orthodontic methods and treatment will most often result in relapse unless the teeth are permanently retained. Research shows that when braces are used with or without extractions, the chances are about 90% that they will return to their original position or become worse than before treatment. The pictured image illustrates teeth relapsing after treatment with braces.
"Relapse occurs in up to 90% of cases when retainers are removed."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1988
Enamel Damage
The surface of a tooth is made up of tooth enamel - a hard, mineral coating that protects the tooth against decay. When braces are fitted, they are bonded to the teeth through a chemical process. The enamel surface of the tooth is etched to allow for better bonding strength. Because they are bonded to the teeth it is more difficult to clean, which means the enamel can decay around the braces, causing white spots or stains. When the braces are removed, the enamel on the surface of the teeth can be permanently damaged in the process. If the teeth are not cleaned properly, problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, and decalcification (white or colored marks on the teeth) can result.
Root Damage
Research has now proven that orthodontic movement of teeth through the constant force of braces will cause root damage in nearly 100% of patients. This means part of the roots are dissolved away by the orthodontic treatment and some teeth can be lost over time as a result. The use of intermittent forces and removable appliances has been proven to cause little or no root damage. The pictured animation represents damage to the root tooth caused by braces.
100% of cases can expect root resorption of up to 4mm."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 2011
Permanent Retention
A retainer is an appliance that is used to stop the teeth from moving once the braces are removed. Due to the fact that conventional treatment with braces does not address the causes of crooked teeth, the only way to ensure the teeth stay straight is by fitting a permanent retainer. Newer treatments with clear aligners have the same problem of relapse and also require lifetime maintenance with retainers.
"The only way to ensure continued satisfactory alignment after treatment is by the use of fixed or removable retention for life."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1998
Diet
There are different factors affecting growth and facial development during the entire life cycle. All these factors could be categorized in two main groups: Genetic and environmental factors.. Nutrition is one of the environmental factors. If you choose to eat the right foods and drinks especially during puberty when you are still growing , it will be easier to develop proper bone structure. Other environmental factors like climate, urbanization and altitude will be at play.
During cell division and development, adequate provision of amino acids, calories, vitamins, fats, water and minerals is required thus, the foods you eat daily are closely linked to body growth and development. More than 50 essential nutrients for body growth and development can be found in the foods we normally consume.
1. Milk
Milk is one of the foods that will make you grow taller and even help with facial development. It contains several essential nutrients, especially protein and calcium. Look at the top milk consuming countries in the world relative to population size as an example. The Finns, the Swedes and the Dutch are some of the tallest populations in the world
2. Protein or amino acid Rich foods
Amino acids are the most important feature of proteins in terms of nutrition.
Out of the 20 amino acids required for normal growth and development, 12 can be manufactured by the human body thus, they are considered non essential.
The other 8 have to be obtained from the foods we eat thus they are termed essential amino acids and without them, tissue growth and repair is impaired .
All the essential amino acids can be found in protein from animal meats and other animal products .
Hence, eggs, dairy and animal meats like beef, fish, pork, and poultry are recognized as complete and high quality proteins .
A number of studies have linked protein from animal meat (fish inclusive ) to increased concentration of Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the blood.
IGF-1 is associated with bone mineralization and plays a vital role in bone lengthening since IGF-1 also triggers the rapid reproduction of cells and their differentiation at the growth plate cartilage zone.
Because plant food proteins like fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds, lack some of the essential amino acids, in most cases proteins from such foods are thought to be incomplete apart from soy and quinoa. Plants are not recommended because they contain anti-nutrients. See this thread: ANTI-NUTRIENTS MEGATHREAD - Plants are DANGEROUS
Protein intake is particularly crucial because it provides essential amino acids required for protein synthesis, which are necessary for growth.
Amino acids like lysine and arginine have also been linked to growth hormone and insulin release which catalyze accelerated growth.
Hence, When protein intake is too low, growth is restricted.
Best sources of animal protein:
Eggs, beef, diary (milk, cheese etc), mutton, pork, chicken, Fish, turkey and sea food.
Proteins found in milk, whey, egg, casein and beef have the highest score.
What if you are a vegan or prefer a vegetarian diet?
You don’t.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a nutrient that the body requires in small amounts to function and stay healthy.
Normal vitamin D concentration levels in the blood stimulate calcium and phosphorus absorption in the small intestines.
Without vitamin D, only 10–15% of dietary calcium and about 60% of phosphorus are absorbed.
That’s why vitamin D deficiency during childhood can cause delayed
growth and bone abnormalities while during adulthood, it increases risk of fractures.
Thus, the primary function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood calcium and phosphorus concentration levels to provide the conditions for bio chemical functions, including bone mineralization.
Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D can potentially make growth plate cells more sensitive to GH and IGF-1.
It’s also suggested that changes in seasons can affect growth for instance, during summer when the exposure to sun is greatest, children experience greater growth spurts than during winter when there is no exposure to sun. The body synthesizes vitamin D after sun exposure. [2]
Sources
In humans, the most important forms are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 ( cholecalciferol).
Vitamin D2 is found naturally in sun-exposed mushrooms.
Vitamin D3 is naturally obtained from the sun.
According to the journal of investigative dermatology ;
a) The ultra violent B-rays in sunlight trigger synthesis of D and this is the body’s principal vitamin D source because usually only small amounts are obtained from diet.
b) For most European and North American cities, 9–16minutes of mid day sun exposure to 35% of the body three times a week is enough for the body to synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D.
c) Mid day is the best time because at solar noon, sufficient amounts of ultra violent B-rays are available.
It’s when the sun is directly overhead.
Its the time when solar radiation takes the shortest path to the earth’s surface.
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble, It can be stored in the body fat for a limited time until the reserves get depleted. Cholesterol is needed for Vitamin D absorption.
Hence you don’t necessarily have to expose your skin to the sun every day.
Vitamin D from sun exposure may last at least twice as long in the blood compared with ingested vitamin D.
Vitamin D3 can also be obtained from most oily fish like mackerel, herring, and salmon.
Since only a couple of foods are good sources of vitamin D, besides sun exposure, the best way to get additional vitamin D is through supplements.
4. Minerals for Bone Growth
Can Calcium Help You Grow Taller ?
Calcium is a metallic element mainly stored in bones including teeth and up to 99% of calcium is deposited in bones by the body.
It’s therefore very important for normal bone development functioning and structure.
Calcium also plays a vital role in contracting muscles including your heart muscles as well as enabling blood coagulation though not more than 1% of total body calcium plays this role.
Bone is constantly remodeling by continuously removing old bone and replacing it with new one by deposition of calcium though age plays a role in this process.
Insufficient intake of both calcium and vitamin D during stages of rapid bone growth adversely affects bone development and it’s responsible for ailments like rickets – softening, and distortion of the bones typically resulting in bow legs.
Children therefore require plenty of calcium during puberty stage due to the accelerated muscular, skeletal and endocrine development.
Which calcium food Sources will help you to grow taller?
Egg shells are probably the highest sources of calcium with 38mg of calcium per gram of an egg shell.
Dairy products, like cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Tinned salmon and sardines with bones, some leafy green vegetables like Kale, broccoli, and calcium-fortified foods.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral present in the body in trace amounts, normally obtained from the diet and its daily intake is required to maintain a steady state because the body doesn’t have an efficient storage system of zinc.
The recommended daily consumption is 15 mg for adults.
It plays a role in protein synthesis, DNA synthesis , immune function- (referred to as the gateway to immune system), wound healing, cell division and also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
In human subjects, body growth and development is strictly dependent on Zinc and dietary zinc deficiency has been linked to impaired skeletal development and bone growth in both humans and animals.
Zinc plays a role when it comes to hormonal mediation by participating in;
a) Growth Hormone synthesis and secretion. Circulating levels of growth hormone and IGF-1 are reduced during zinc deficiency.
b) The action of Growth Hormone on liver somatomedin-C production. Somatomedin-C is secreted by the liver and muscles to foster the division and growth of cells in conjunction with growth hormones.
c) somatomedin-C activation in bone cartilage.
In addition to all the above functions, zinc interacts with hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones and testosterone.
Such hormones contribute to bone growth and development.
An assessment of the impact of zinc on growth among children and adolescents established that after 12 months of supplementing the diet with zinc, the body grows more rapidly. [3]
Fats:
The media tells you that saturated fats are harmful however it is the opposite. Ever since the food pyramid was released in 1977, where carbohydrates were the main consumption, obesity rates have increased dramatically. Saturated fats were replaced with PUFAS. Fats like PUFAS are used to lower cholesterol, however cholesterol is needed for proper function of the brain and hormone production, as well as absorption of nutrients such as vitamin D.
Best Orthodontic Treatment
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http://www.thecranencrp.com/
At Home Appliances:
@nelson makes good videos on at home appliances. You can email him and add him on discord.
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kieranbright#5145
Dowden Appliance V1 Creation - Achieve Maxillary Forward Growth - YouTube
3D Printing Invisalign at Home
Invisalign at Home
Introduction
Warning: This thread was written on a google document that was over 30 pages long.
@Alexanderr @Gargantuan @AscendingHero @Chad1212 @Kingkellz please allow me to have access to future edits, so I can put more information if needed. I promise you I will never delete this thread.
Most people are unaware that the orthodontic profession openly admits that it does not know the causes of malocclusion, except for less than 5%, which are the cases of syndromes, diseases, infections, trauma, and genetic disfiguration. Many orthodontists tell you malocclusion is genetic. In my case they told me my overbite was genetic eventhough my mother and father have perfect occlusion, and never needed orthodontic treatment to get it fixed. Yes, everyone is born with different phenotypes, but your phenotype will not give you crooked teeth or malocclusion.. TLDR; The way you look is mostly genetic, but your misalignment and deformation is not (usually).![]()
The genetic influence on facial development is obvious and environmental things such as thumb sucking and mouth breathing have long been recognized. It is not often appreciated how influential the environment is and what a dramatic effect on facial shape changing this can make.Interestingly all our ancestors had perfectly straight teeth, as did all the other 5,400 species of mammals except some domesticated cats and dogs, some feral foxes (in Europe) and zoo animals. Over the last 10,000 years, while our genes have not changed at all; whenever, and wherever our ancestors became industrialized they developed crooked teeth (malocclusion).The irregularity has been in proportion to the level of civilization with the last hundred years have seeing a dramatic rise in the levels of malocclusion. The environment has a great influence over the tooth positions and shape of the face shape
View attachment 1600985
Ninety-nine percent of ancient skulls had great teeth. This skull is 1,000 yrs old. Teeth didn't start to become crooked until 500 years ago as our mouths got smaller and couldn't accommodate 32 teeth. Advent of modern agriculture accelerated this as we ate softer food and would chew less. Before agriculture, human jaws were a perfect fit for human teeth. Around four million years ago, a group of our ancestors, the small bodied pre-human australopithecines, had thick, strong muscles attached to massive jaw bones. The large muscles allowed australopithecines to bite with incredible force, which in turn was resisted by bony pillars and buttresses in their facial skeletons. Their cheek teeth—molars and premolars—were also large, round, and covered with an especially thick, hard outer coating of protective enamel.![]()
View attachment 1600984
During the agricultural revolution, due to the amount of soft foods that were being chewed, our jaws were not being worked enough. The smaller overall size has caused dental issues, such as dental crowning, impacted molars, and malocclusions, which is when the upper and lower teeth do not sit together properly. Tooth decay became more common. The fruits and vegetables that were eaten contained carbohydrates such as sugars and starches. Carbohydrates are the main reason for tooth decay even today. They trigger bacteria to create acid which can attack the enamel in the mouth, which is the protective layer on your teeth that helps fight off cavities. If the enamel is attacked, over time the tooth will rot and fall out. Our nomadic meat-eating ancestors had little to no tooth decay because animal meat contains little to no carbohydrates; solely protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The mainstream media does not tell you this, but you could completely cut off carbohydrates from your diet and you would not even have to brush your teeth.
In the images below, the left side shows indigenous tribes having good dental health due to their traditional diet; on the right shows the same people on the modern diet. Same genetics, but people on the modern diet have poor craniofacial features. Coincidence?
Alaskan Eskimos
View attachment 1601016
Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Africans
View attachment 1601018
View attachment 1600976
Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Australian Aborigines
View attachment 1601019
Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Early Craniofacial Development in Children
Through breastfeeding, the child will develop a tongue posture which keeps the tongue comfortable with feeding and resting firmly upon the roof of the mouth/palate. In order to pull milk from the breast, the child must push the breast into the upper palate firmly and suck back into the mouth with the tongue. This trains the child to use the tongue as the primary method of swallowing, an act which is repeated hundreds of times per day to inject excess saliva. As the skull develops, it requires the proper functioning of the muscular system in order to guide its development forward and up. A child with proper posture will have the tongue pressed underneath the maxilla (the roof of the mouth) providing sufficient support to promote forward growth. There is a constant downward force of gravity which pushes the craniofacial complex downward; The proper tongue posture of the child counter-balances this force which will cause forward growth as opposed to downward growth.
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Warning: Stop Formula Feeding
New report warns of lead, arsenic, and other toxins in products for babies and toddlers. These contaminants may impact your little one's brain development.
Here's a breakdown of the results:
- 95 percent of containers contained toxic heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury).
- One-fourth of containers contained all of these toxic metals.
- Heavy metal contamination was highest in products containing rice, juice, and sweet potato.
- 88 percent of foods tested "lack any federal standards or guidance on maximum safe levels of toxic heavy metals like arsenic and lead," according to the HBBF findings.
The heavy metals tested in these studies—cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic—are harmful in any amount. Lead is toxic to children's brains, and no amount has been deemed safe. Arsenic and mercury are also neurotoxins. Infants and young children are particularly sensitive to these contaminants, since their brains and organ systems aren't fully developed. Finally, formula feeding leads to improper swallowing patterns. This will be discussed later in the thread.
Moving on, as the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. As the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. If there is an imbalance in strength between the tongue and masseter muscles, issues of TMD can occur. The temporomandibular joint or TMJ acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. Temporomandibular Dysfunction can lead to pain and discomfort. Jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and clicking and locking of the jaw joint are some of the symptoms.”Most medical media tell you to eat soft foods to avoid TMJ/TMD, but will ultimately make the issue worse as it does not fix it. You need to chew hard foods in order to fix this muscle imbalance which will eventually fix your TMJ/TMD. A counterintuitive approach, but it makes sense. Treat the causes not the symptoms. Eventually, when the child grows into an adult, the skull will fit into development with the rest of the body. The strong masseter muscle keeps the mandible/lower jaw firmly up and forward, and the strong tongue in turn keeps the teeth barely in contact and transfers all remaining force into the upper jaw/maxilla in order to counteract the downward pull of gravity on these bones. The child develops a fully grown craniofacial complex and has a large airway and sinus area allowing for easy breathing.
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Correcting Improper Tongue Posture
There are a variety of issues with development that will cause problems with both achieving and maintaining the proper tongue posture. Fortunately the body can correct and heal itself if given the time and effort – indeed even the bones will reform with pressure over time in accordance to Wolff’s Law. When trying to keep proper tongue posture, your tongue is partially in your throat and causes an inability to breathe fully. This means that your maxilla is not developed enough sagittally, and needs to be moved up and forward to give your tongue more room and free up the airway of your throat. Often a lack of development here results in an underbite or overbite.
When trying to keep proper tongue posture, you may not have enough room between your molar/wisdom teeth to fit the width of your tongue. This is a result of lacking transverse (side to side) growth, which also results in a narrow nasal airway and is a tell-tale sign of maxillary recession. The upper jaw, which is part of the lower maxilla, needs to be widened to allow the tongue to sit comfortably between the molars and to create a wide nasal airway.
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Solutions
One: The free solution that will result in permanent and continuing changes is to fix your tongue posture as much as you can and allow the bones of your face and skull to adapt over time. If you do not have enough forward growth, you will have to consciously focus on the tongue applying pressure all along the Mid-Palate Ridge, and especially towards the Front Ridges and Tip. This will develop your maxilla forwards and upwards over time, through both repositioning of the maxilla as well as growth at the sutures within the craniofacial complex. If you lack transverse (side to side) growth, you will need to fold your tongue to keep it resting along the Alveolar Ridge and Mid-Palate Ridge which will result in growth in the width of your maxilla as well as forward movement. The younger you are, the quicker these changes have the potential to happen. A child that is still growing will see phenomenally fast results, a fully developed adult will see slower but consistent change.
Two: The second solution is to pursue palate expansion with a device. The medical community is slowly moving past the incorrect notion that adult sutures fuse, and many medical professionals are now finding that adult palate expansion works. With a wide survey of your local dentists and orthodontists through email, you will most likely find a local professional who has experience in expanding the palate of adults without surgery (SARPE). There are many different devices on the market which may be used to expand the palate, each moving at different paces and covering different parts of the mouth. This expansion can happen as rapidly as 1mm per week. However you will likely need to wear a retainer, as there will be a relapse if you are unable to maintain proper tongue posture – which is why this is most important.
Keeping Teeth Together and Grinding
Like most postural issues, this is a result of one set of muscles being stronger/weaker than their corresponding set. This particular issue is caused by an imbalance between your muscles of mastication (chewing) and your tongue. When you keep proper tongue posture and find that your teeth now seem to rest apart, your tongue is overpowering the muscles which attempt to close the mouth, thus keeping your jaws open. The method to correct this is by chewing harder foods and/or chewing tough gum in order to strengthen the chewing muscles. The opposite case involves your tongue being too weak to keep the jaws apart, resulting in teeth grinding. This solution to this issue is to consciously apply force against the upper palate with the tongue throughout the day, with which you will find that the tongue gains strength quite rapidly. Eventually you should have both of these sets of muscles (And the muscles associated with them) in balance, and will be able to strengthen both in unison. Stronger chewing muscles will impart more force to a stronger tongue, which will keep the teeth gently touching by transferring this force upwards and forwards into the palate and maxilla.
Maintaining Tongue Posture While Sleeping/Pillowing
This is a very common problem that will take time and effort to correct – but once you are able to Mew / maintain tongue posture while asleep you will see more rapid changes. You will no longer be relapsing on the work done during the day while asleep, and in fact be providing upwards and forwards force on the maxilla virtually 24/7. Sleep posture can affect the development of your face. Some infants who habitually sleep on their bellies have shown marked effects of pillowing on the hands. Older children and many adults, among them several dentists, with more pronounced malformations, observed while asleep, were found pillowing on their hands or arms. A common facial deformation, due principally to pillow habits, is marked by a narrow upper jaw, a large mandible, a contracted palate, a narrow nose, and a deflected nasal septum. Since the dental arches and jaws form a great part of the face, this type of deformity has been designated by dentists as "narrowed upper jaw," "Gothic arch," "V-shaped" or "church roof" palate, etc. Faces having such oral features are referred to as "dished," "bell," or "urn" faces. When the deformity is confined to one side, the cheek is flattened or depressed, making the face seem twisted or "lop-jawed." The compression of one maxilla makes the jaws appear to close crosswise, hence the malocclusion is called a cross-bite.
There are numerous varieties of wrong pillowing habits. Perhaps the most common is illustrated in Figure 1, where the wrists and forearm are placed between pillow and cheek. This habit presses in all the upper teeth from the canine back, producing the typical cross-bite. When the hand alone is employed, the malocclusion is limited to fewer teeth, principally molars and bicuspids. In rare cases the child may suck the thumb or finger of one hand andrest its face on the back of the other, which produces constriction of the upper jaw on one side and an arrangement of incisors to accommodate the thumb.
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Figure 2 shows a child who lies on the abdomen and pillows on the back of one hand and an arm; when she turns over she assumes a similar position; the arrangement of the teeth shows the effect on the upper jaw. A child may lie on the abdomen, keeping one hand on top and the other underneath the pillow, with the cheek on the one above, and on turning over exchanges hands. In such a case one side is usually favored. In simple oral deformities where the hands are kept under the pillow or where the pillow is rolled, both dental arches are narrowed as in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the effect of a pillow habit on the arrangement of incisors. Thus, the hands may be kept under the pillow or under the cheek or one in each place. The variations in breathing habits, together with those in pillowing, make the descriptions, classifications, and diagnoses of sleeping postures complicated.
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Children are in bed for half of their lives; if they lie on their faces much, development of the jaws will be repressed. Any small constant external force will in time produce damaging imbalance in such a complicated organ as the mouth. But we have here a force, derived from the weight of the head, acting on the plastic bones of childhood throughout the greater part of each twenty-four hours, and, as case histories show, many children suffering from these deformations have been confined to bed for longer periods during which the force has continued for a greater time. It is well known that a letter-carrier's spine becomes deformed by carrying bundles constantly on the same shoulder. Similarly, facial depressions may be developed by pillowing the face habitually upon hard objects.
If a normal breather pillows alternately on his right and left arms, he may have both dental arches narrowed, or if infants rest habitually on just pillows, their deciduous dental arches will be narrowed and their permanent anterior teeth will be rotated and "bunched." Parents have been known to give their children hard foods, remove their tonsils and adenoids, taking every precaution to avoid malocclusion except preventing face-pillowing, yet their children have narrowed dental arches and croWded anterior teeth, due principally to pillow habits. When teeth are fully erupted and interdigitate normally, the tongue, filling the mouth cavity, presses outward on them, the alveolar processes and the palate, while the lips and cheeks bind the structures on the outside, preventing too great expansion. If the mouth is closed most of the time, or during swallowing, so that the opposing cusps interlock, the muscles of mastication and the hyoid muscles keep the lower jaw in position, indirectly protecting the upper dental arch against pillowing. While pillow habits damage the normal arrangement of teeth ,even when breathing and swallowing are normal, greatest damage is done to a mouth-breather before the age of six, since worn, deciduous teeth, by not locking firmly, afford the jaws very little intermaxillary bracing.
Sleeping Correctly for Proper Craniofacial Development
You probably do not know that nature has provided an automatic manipulator to correct most spinal and peripheral joint lesions. In common with millions of other so-called civilized people you suffer unnecessarily from musculoskeletal problems and are discouraged about how to treat the exponential rise in low back pain throughout the developed world.
Summary Points:
- Nature's automatic manipulator during sleep is the kickback against the vertebrae by the ribs when the chest is prevented from movement by the forest floor
- Various resting postures correct different joints
- Pillows are not necessary
Figure 1 shows a mountain gorilla lying on the ground on his side without a pillow—a position in which chimpanzees and gibbons sleep—and a Kenya African in a similar position on a palm leaf mattress on a concrete floor. Note how he uses his laterally rotated arm as a pillow. Look at how the Kenyan is not even touching his jaw and midface, preventing obstruction. Notice how his rotated arm touching his temporal bone. This position is perfect as it can also allow the tongue to fall onto the palate as well due to gravity, assisting constant proper tongue posture.
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When lying on one side you do not even need the arm as a pillow: when the lower shoulder is fully hunched, the neck is completely supported. The neck should deviate towards the ground as gravity then shuts the mouth which prevents mouth breathing as well. When the head is down, the vertebrae are stretched between two anchors and every time the ribs move through breathing the tension is increased, the vertebrae realign themselves, and the movement keeps the joints lubricated. Largely anecdotal evidence has been collected by “old timers” for over 50 years from non-Western societies that low back pain and joint stiffness is markedly reduced by adopting natural sleeping and resting postures.
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General Posture
Body posture and tongue posture go hand in hand. A quick fix to get proper posture is to do the following: keep your back straight by looking at your hands, you should have a neutral hand grip with no supination and pronation without using any forearm/biceps/shoulder muscle to pronate/supinate it. Correct your hand position by moving your back. The middle of your neck should be aligned with the middle of your shoulders (think of a vertical line running across the middle of your shoulders, it should be aligned with another vertical line running across the middle of your neck.) Keep a neutral pelvic tilt. Your feet and knees should be parallel to each other when standing. You can manspread when sitting though. Your knees and elbows should be relaxed. When you look down, rotate your head instead of looking down using your neck. You should stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles for this posture to feel natural (MEWING GUIDE).
Sphenoid Bone Alignment
A user by the name of @baboom babadabibi made an important thread on Sphenoid bone alignment. Here is what he has to say:
“The Sphenoid bone is the foundation of almost all maxillofacial problems. For it Is the area that the bones in your face emerge from. Improper environment, not bad genetic, is the reason many modern humans lack proper sphenoid alignment.
Here is an interesting study I found that looked at the relation to poor posture to malocclusion.
Relationships between Malocclusion, Body Posture, and Nasopharyngeal Pathology in Pre-Orthodontic Children
In the study it is stated that:
"There was a statistically significant correlation between presence of kyphotic posture and a reduction in the SNB angle, representing sagittal position of the mandible. Also, there was a statistically significant association between kyphotic posture and nasopharyngeal obstruction"
The most important takeaway is that It found that poor (kyphotic) posture had a significant correlation with obstruction of the nasopharynx.
To understand why this is so important, I'll ask you to refer to this image.
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The red area is the nasopharynx and the green area is the sphenoid. Notice how close they are together?
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Now look at the following gif, look at how as the sphenoid bone aligns properly, the nasopharynx becomes less obstructed.
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To put it simply, without the study even mentioning it. It demonstrated that poor posture causes sphenoid misalignment, which also inadvertently makes everything else about your face develop improperly. (malocclusion, sleep apnea etc..) It should start to make a bit more sense now. Everything in your skull is connected to your sphenoid, and the fact that modern orthodontics only addresses these problems on a surface level is nothing short of a travesty. Also note how the sphenoid misalignment causes downward growth as well, which causes an elongated face.”
Downward Growth vs. Forward Growth
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Unable to Get Tongue on the Palate and Swallowing
Tongue Chewing by Dr Mike Mew
(If you have a have a tongue-tie, in which you should practice Khechari Mudra or get a frenectomy/frenuloplasty)
This issue is most likely caused by a tongue tie, especially if you are unable to even reach the front/tip of your palate with the tongue. It is recommended that you visit a medical professional to have this examined, and very much urgent that you have this done if you see such problems in a child. The tongue tie keeps the tongue anchored to the floor of the mouth, and will often require surgery in order to correct. However, you need not jump to the conclusion that you have a tongue tie if you are unable to get the back of the tongue to the roof of the mouth the first few times that you attempt proper tongue posture. This position, after many years of holding incorrect posture, can feel so unnatural that you are unable to manipulate your tongue properly to achieve it. One trick is to hold a big and wide cheesy smile, as wide as you can, and then swallow. This ensures that you are swallowing with your tongue and not with your cheeks, and you will be able to feel how far back in your mouth your tongue lands using this method. Every time you swallow, your tongue in this position will correctly impart multiple pounds of force into the roof of your mouth and reform the skull. As you maintain this posture, make sure not to keep your teeth far apart, they should be comfortably making contact without clenching – this is what will keep your tongue glued to the roof of the mouth all day.
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Let your tongue slide against your incisive papilla, going down, sweep, and do the swallow shown in the video.
View attachment 1600979
When swallowing solid foods, use the 1st swallow. When swallowing liquids, use the 1st swallow until the liquid is too small to be swallowed with the 1st swallow, when you reach that point, use the tongue sweep. Beginners in mewing will have issues with saliva buildup, a solution to this is to tongue sweep, you will have to use slight buccinator (cheek muscle) activation as tongue sweeping alone will not fix the issue. (Buccinators are the muscles the push your cheeks inward) If your bolus is too large to be swallowed comfortably in 1 swallow, separate part of the bolus under the tongue until you can swallow comfortably in 1 swallow (MEWING GUIDE).”
Mewing
The correct tongue posture of a strong tongue combined with strong muscles of mastication (the chewing muscles of the Temporal, Masseter, Pterygoid) are required to grow the face to the beauty of whatever phenotype that the person exhibits. For all cases this proper development results in under-eye / orbital support, properly aligned jaws, ideal spinal posture, and most importantly in a large unobstructed airway of both the nose and throat.
The 28 bones of the human skull never fuse together in a healthy adult, and a restoration of correct muscle function will result in the slow but steady restoration of proper skull form (and as a result, spinal stability). Studies have shown that the sutures of your skull do not fuse until your late seventies. Your improper muscle posture is subconscious at this point, and you will have to retrain your conscious mind to maintain proper postures until you are (literally) doing it in your sleep. Some muscles may be too weak, some may be too tight, and some may be completely out of place: The tongue is the most obvious starting point from which to begin your process of correction.
A user by the name of @YouLiveForYourself on this forum talks about the proper way to bite while mewing. Here is what he has to say:
- First, put the very tip of your tongue directly on the point between your two front teeth (Incisors) where they meet the gum line. If you move the tip of your tongue around slightly in this area, you’ll feel a hard ridge that is directly in line with the space between your two front teeth – the Incisive Papilla. It is here that the tip of your tongue will be at home – We will call this the Tip.
- From this position, keep the tip of your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth and slowly follow that Incisive Papilla ridge along the middle of the roof of your mouth. The first thing you will encounter are a series of ridges called the Palatine Rugae – We will call these the Front Ridges.
- As you move back further along the middle of the roof of the mouth, you will notice a ridge along the middle (the Median Palatine Raphe). We will call this the Mid-Palate ridge.
- So far you will notice that the roof of your mouth is hard, which is suitable for the area of your Hard Palate. Continue your bring the tip of your tongue further back in your mouth until you abruptly reach a soft and fleshy area, the Soft Palate.
- With the tip of your tongue, now explore your mouth in the area where the teeth meet your gums. The ridge along this area is called the Alveolar Ridge.
- You now know as much of the geography of your mouth as is necessary to begin correcting the tongue posture! Take notice now with some exercises that your tongue is capable of simultaneously applying pressure upwards (towards the Mid-Palate ridge) and outwards (towards your Alveolar Ridge)
“The premise of mewing is that the force of the tongue on the palate combined with the teeth lightly touching each other leads to palatal expansion and facial upswing, while promoting forward growth. I want to focus on the contact of the teeth, as I believe it is essential. The aspect of mewing that actually leads to change. John and Mike have both emphasized that the teeth should be gently touching each other. However, with mewing being in its infancy, there is a great deal of trial and error involved. Both of them are intentionally ambiguous when it comes to details on the contact of the teeth, and it's because they don't exactly know how the action promotes upswing and forward growth, and Mike has mentioned this before. They just know that the correlation is there. Sometimes they will say to keep the molars in contact, sometimes all of the teeth. This, I believe, is a big mistake on their part.
Instead, I believe that the premolars (teeth that are more towards the front) should be in light contact, with minimal or no contact between the molars. This is especially for those who have an overbite, as it will help to reverse it. I don't mean keep the incisors together. You can do it if you want, but I think that it is detrimental. They aren't designed for chewing, and therefore cannot handle the sustained amount of pressure. You will damage them. Instead, you should keep your premolars in a light contact. For those with an overbite, moving your lower jaw forward so that the top and bottom incisors are side-to-side is important. Like so:
- Keeping the molars together leads to a CW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a longer, sunk midface and a recessed mandible. This is unattractive.
- Keeping all of the teeth together leads to no rotation of the maxilla. This leads to barely any progress made; a complete waste of time.
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Keeping the premolars together leads to a CCW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a shorter, compact midface that appears more forward grown and a more prominent mandible and chin.
Here is the skull, with the maxilla highlighted in green:
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These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the molars are gently touching:
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Upwards force on the back only. There will be a CW rotation and this is definitely what you don't want.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when all of the teeth are in contact:
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Upwards force on the back but also the front. No rotation. Minimal change. Waste of time.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the premolars are in contact:
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Upwards force on the front only. There will be a CCW rotation and this is definitely what you want. It's clear as day. However, since it is not right on the front edge the change will take slightly slower than if you were to keep the molars in contact.
I think that this explains why mewing doesn't work for a large number of people. They either put pressure on the molars alone or all of the teeth, leading to no results or even a worse face. I believe that those who achieve progress primarily keep contact with the premolars or don't keep the teeth in contact at all, which is okay but so much slower.”
Thank you @YouLiveForYourself again. Here is the original thread if you guys want it: https://looksmax.org/threads/the-me...es-progress-or-even-makes-faces-worse.455354/
Chewing
“It turns out that chewing has had a huge impact on the way we look. The jaw elevator muscles develop the main forces used in mastication. The force generated during routine mastication of food such as carrots or meat is about 70 to 150 newtons (16 to 34 lbf). The maximum masticatory force in some people may reach up to 500 to 700 newtons (110 to 160 lbf). Being we are aspies and can chew 5+ pieces of hard ass falim, and build up the strength of our masseters from constant chewing, it is not unreasonable to expect to be able to exert 350+ Newtons of force per mastication. To compare how significant this is maxilla protraction is generally done with 10 Newtons, and the tongue can exert around 5 while hard mewing, so it is safe to say that chewing is 60x more force than your tongue, making it an extremely potent change for actual bone change, many people when thinking of chewing only look at it as a way to build masseters, but this is simply a bonus (Chewing Megathread).”
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University(TMDU), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and Kyoto University found that mice that ate foods requiring higher chewing force showed increased bone formation, impacting jawbone shape. Throughout an animal’s lifespan, bone tissue in the skeleton is continuously restructured in response to changes in applied force, such as those associated with exercise and locomotion. Examining how the structure of the jawbone varies with the intense chewing force, or masticatory force, may illuminate the mechanisms that lead to the reconstruction of bone tissue. Additionally, they found that increasing the force applied to the jawbone stimulated osteocytes to produce more IGF-1, one of main growth factors that promotes bone formation. This alteration led to bone formation, resulting in morphological changes in the jawbone.
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Summary:
Strong chewing modulates IGF-1 expression in osteocytes for the jawbone reconstruction
a. Superimposition of the jawbone images acquired by the computer simulation. Blue: before remodeling and red: after remodeling. Left: coronal section and right: lateral projection. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
b. Distribution of the mechanical stress in the jawbone, before and after remodeling under the increased mastication.
c. Superimposition of the images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. Blue: ND and red: HD. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
d. Immunohistological images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. IGF-1 (red); and nuclei (blue). The dotted lines indicate the jawbone surface. Arrows indicates the osteocytes expressing IGF-1.
e. Graphical abstract. In order to consume harder foods, masticatory muscles generate stronger force that induces mechanical stress in the jawbone. The stress stimulates osteocytes to produce IGF-1. The upregulated IGF-1 enhances osteoblastogenesis to reconstruct the jawbone morphology so that it endures the loaded force.
Most of the facial movement is achievable through alveolar remodeling, which is a process that takes place even on adults (AGGA is the most obvious proof of this, although as an approach it is awkward). The correct way to develop the alveolar ridge is to bite forward with the mandible, so that the bicuspids, canines and incisors make contact. Your mandible is a face-pulling device (or more correctly, a face-pushing device). You are meant to use the mandible to push the maxilla forward, as this also locks in the cervical posture in a way tongue alone couldn't.
By doing this, you cause bone resorption behind the posterior maxillary alveolar ridge, and new bone formation in the anterior maxillary ridge in front of your teeth. This allows the teeth to effectively hover through the bone. At the same time, you are pushing the mandibular incisors and canines backwards with the maxillary teeth, which allows your jaw and chin to slide forward, increasing its projection. In short, the upper and lower front teeth are moving each other to opposite directions, which leads to a better balance of the jaws as the mandible is no longer trapped behind overly forward lower teeth and overly backward upper teeth
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TLDR: “Hard food, strong jaw: jawbone structure responds to forceful chewing”
Mouth Breathing and Thumbsucking
Your nose is designed to help you breathe safely, efficiently, and properly. It can do this due to its ability to:
The most common cause of normal and natural facial development is mouth breathing. At a tender age, nasal breathing can become difficult at times. Apart from other causes, tonsils and Adenoids are the most common causes of obstruction of nasal breathing. When you or your child begin to breathe through the mouth, the nasal passage begins to narrow stunting proper growth because the tongue does not press into the palate, which is its normal position. When the shape of the upper jaw changes (cheeks put pressure on the teeth and cause crowding), the lower jaw starts to grow to compensate and maintain an open airway. This results in a long facial profile, less prominent chin, and an overall small mouth. This leads to a smaller airway and a less desirable facial appearance. Take a look at your teeth— if you notice your bottom front teeth are taller than the bottom back teeth, then you are a mouth breather.
- Filter out foreign particles. Nasal hairs filter out dust, allergens, and pollen, which helps prevent them from entering your lungs.
- Humidify inhaled air. Your nose warms and moisturizes the air you breathe in. This brings the air you inhale to body temperature, making it easier for your lungs to use.
- Produce nitric oxide. During nasal breathing, your nose releases nitric oxide (NO). NO is a vasodilator, which means it helps to widen blood vessels. This can help improve oxygen circulation in your body.
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This person had a pet gerbil in his room that he was allergic to which made him develop a mouth breathing habit. The picture on the left shows the boy at 10 years old with a strong jawline. Seven years later, his chin is recessed, nose is hooked, and has poor craniofacial features overall. Do not be a mouth breather.
Although it appears harmless, thumb sucking can actually alter the facial structure of your child. In addition, it can cause problems with your child’s breathing, teeth and speech.
Here are several issues associated with sucking the thumb:
- Protruding Front Teeth- The two teeth in the center of your child’s upper palate endure a great deal of pressure from thumb sucking. As the thumb is pressed onto the roof of the mouth, it pulls the front teeth forward, causing the front upper teeth to buck outward.
- Jaw Distortion- The sensitive bones of your child’s developing palate can also be affected, altering the natural dimensions of your child’s face and distorting his or her appearance.
- Receding Lower Front Teeth- As the force of the thumb presses against the upper palate, it also pushes the lower front incisors backward.
- Open Bite- When your child closes his or her mouth, the teeth of the upper and lower palate should meet. This includes the teeth in the front and back of the mouth. Due to the dental misalignment caused by thumb sucking, when your child’s back teeth meet, there may still be a gap between the upper and lower front teeth. The opening that results will likely resemble the shape of your little one’s thumb.
- Narrowed Upper Palate- As your child’s upper jaw forms, thumb sucking can cause the roof of the mouth to curve more intensely, reducing the amount of space between the teeth on the left and right side of the upper jaw. The strong flexing of the cheek muscles as your child sucks exacerbates the narrowing effect. Over time, the narrowness of the upper jaw prevents it from resting properly on the lower jaw.
Types of Malocclusion
Class 1 malocclusion is an overlap of upper teeth over the lower teeth. It happens due to prolonged bottle use or thumb sucking in childhood. But it doesn’t affect your bite that much and can be fixed with minor malocclusion treatment. Class 1 malocclusion of teeth has 3 types. The teeth lean towards the tongue in type 1. In type 2, lower teeth are angled towards the tongue, and upper teeth stick out in narrow arches. In type 3 of malocclusion, the upper teeth are crowded, and they lean towards the tongue.
In class 2, malocclusion also the upper teeth stick out over lower teeth. But this malocclusion of teeth is severe enough to affect your bite significantly. It needs early orthodontic intervention. It may take time for malocclusion treatment to correct the alignment of your teeth. But it can be permanently treated. Class 2 malocclusion has 2 divisions. Upper teeth lean towards the lips in division 1. In division 2, the upper central incisors lean towards the tongue.
Class 3 malocclusion is a type of underbite where the lower teeth stick out over the upper teeth. However, it can be a crossbite also when some upper teeth and some lower teeth overlap each other. Class 3 malocclusion is divided into 3 types based on the alignment of the teeth. In type 1, teeth form an abnormally shaped arch. In type 2 malocclusion of teeth, the lower front teeth are angled towards the tongue. And in type 3, the upper arch is abnormal and upper teeth are angled towards the tongue.
Limitations of Orthodontic Treatment
- Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a common condition typically caused due to lack of space resulting from overlapping or crooked teeth.![]()
- Spacing
When there is too much or too little space for the teeth, it results in crowding which can adversely impact the eruption of permanent teeth.- Open Bite
When the upper and lower front teeth do not overlap each other, it results in the formation of an opening that leads straight into the mouth. The problem of an open bite can also occur on the sides of the mouth.- Overjet
An overjet is when the top front teeth extend beyond the lower front teeth horizontally, interfering with the functions of chewing food and speaking.- Overbite
Some overlapping of the lower front teeth is natural but when the upper front teeth are biting down right into the gums, an increased overbite is caused where the lower front teeth can also bite into the roof of the mouth.- Underbite
When the lower front teeth are positioned far forward than the upper front teeth, it results in an underbite which is also known as anterior crossbite.- Crossbite
A crossbite can happen on either or both the sides of the jaw when the upper front teeth are biting right inside the lower teeth. The condition can also affect your front or back teeth.- Diastema
Diastema refers to the space between two adjacent teeth, usually the front teeth.- Impacted Tooth
An impacted tooth is the one that cannot erupt from the gum naturally and needs to be extracted or exposed so that a brace can be fitted.- Missing tooth
Also known as hypodontia, this condition occurs as a result of trauma or improper
Introduction
Braces and extracting teeth in teenage years does not solve the underlying causes of crooked teeth and incorrect facial development. Orthodontics with braces has been used for decades to straighten teeth in early teens when all the permanent teeth have appeared, and although effective in forcing the teeth into straighter alignment, it's important to recognise that there are well-documented disadvantages. Along with leaving the underlying causes of crooked teeth untreated, traditional orthodontic techniques have several other risks or limitations including surgery, enamel and root damage as well as the high likelihood of relapse, unless a permanent commitment is made to wearing a fixed or removable retainer.
The main risks and limitations of treatment with braces are:
RELAPSE - up to 90%
ENAMEL DAMAGE
ROOT DAMAGE - 100%
RETENTION - For Life
Relapse
Long-term stability is a common problem with traditional orthodontic methods and treatment will most often result in relapse unless the teeth are permanently retained. Research shows that when braces are used with or without extractions, the chances are about 90% that they will return to their original position or become worse than before treatment. The pictured image illustrates teeth relapsing after treatment with braces.
"Relapse occurs in up to 90% of cases when retainers are removed."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1988
Enamel Damage
The surface of a tooth is made up of tooth enamel - a hard, mineral coating that protects the tooth against decay. When braces are fitted, they are bonded to the teeth through a chemical process. The enamel surface of the tooth is etched to allow for better bonding strength. Because they are bonded to the teeth it is more difficult to clean, which means the enamel can decay around the braces, causing white spots or stains. When the braces are removed, the enamel on the surface of the teeth can be permanently damaged in the process. If the teeth are not cleaned properly, problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, and decalcification (white or colored marks on the teeth) can result.
Root Damage
Research has now proven that orthodontic movement of teeth through the constant force of braces will cause root damage in nearly 100% of patients. This means part of the roots are dissolved away by the orthodontic treatment and some teeth can be lost over time as a result. The use of intermittent forces and removable appliances has been proven to cause little or no root damage. The pictured animation represents damage to the root tooth caused by braces.
100% of cases can expect root resorption of up to 4mm."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 2011
Permanent Retention
A retainer is an appliance that is used to stop the teeth from moving once the braces are removed. Due to the fact that conventional treatment with braces does not address the causes of crooked teeth, the only way to ensure the teeth stay straight is by fitting a permanent retainer. Newer treatments with clear aligners have the same problem of relapse and also require lifetime maintenance with retainers.
"The only way to ensure continued satisfactory alignment after treatment is by the use of fixed or removable retention for life."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1998
Diet
There are different factors affecting growth and facial development during the entire life cycle. All these factors could be categorized in two main groups: Genetic and environmental factors.. Nutrition is one of the environmental factors. If you choose to eat the right foods and drinks especially during puberty when you are still growing , it will be easier to develop proper bone structure. Other environmental factors like climate, urbanization and altitude will be at play.
During cell division and development, adequate provision of amino acids, calories, vitamins, fats, water and minerals is required thus, the foods you eat daily are closely linked to body growth and development. More than 50 essential nutrients for body growth and development can be found in the foods we normally consume.
1. Milk
Milk is one of the foods that will make you grow taller and even help with facial development. It contains several essential nutrients, especially protein and calcium. Look at the top milk consuming countries in the world relative to population size as an example. The Finns, the Swedes and the Dutch are some of the tallest populations in the world
2. Protein or amino acid Rich foods
Amino acids are the most important feature of proteins in terms of nutrition.
Out of the 20 amino acids required for normal growth and development, 12 can be manufactured by the human body thus, they are considered non essential.
The other 8 have to be obtained from the foods we eat thus they are termed essential amino acids and without them, tissue growth and repair is impaired .
All the essential amino acids can be found in protein from animal meats and other animal products .
Hence, eggs, dairy and animal meats like beef, fish, pork, and poultry are recognized as complete and high quality proteins .
A number of studies have linked protein from animal meat (fish inclusive ) to increased concentration of Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the blood.
IGF-1 is associated with bone mineralization and plays a vital role in bone lengthening since IGF-1 also triggers the rapid reproduction of cells and their differentiation at the growth plate cartilage zone.
Because plant food proteins like fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds, lack some of the essential amino acids, in most cases proteins from such foods are thought to be incomplete apart from soy and quinoa. Plants are not recommended because they contain anti-nutrients. See this thread: ANTI-NUTRIENTS MEGATHREAD - Plants are DANGEROUS
Protein intake is particularly crucial because it provides essential amino acids required for protein synthesis, which are necessary for growth.
Amino acids like lysine and arginine have also been linked to growth hormone and insulin release which catalyze accelerated growth.
Hence, When protein intake is too low, growth is restricted.
Best sources of animal protein:
Eggs, beef, diary (milk, cheese etc), mutton, pork, chicken, Fish, turkey and sea food.
Proteins found in milk, whey, egg, casein and beef have the highest score.
What if you are a vegan or prefer a vegetarian diet?
You don’t.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a nutrient that the body requires in small amounts to function and stay healthy.
Normal vitamin D concentration levels in the blood stimulate calcium and phosphorus absorption in the small intestines.
Without vitamin D, only 10–15% of dietary calcium and about 60% of phosphorus are absorbed.
That’s why vitamin D deficiency during childhood can cause delayed
growth and bone abnormalities while during adulthood, it increases risk of fractures.
Thus, the primary function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood calcium and phosphorus concentration levels to provide the conditions for bio chemical functions, including bone mineralization.
Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D can potentially make growth plate cells more sensitive to GH and IGF-1.
It’s also suggested that changes in seasons can affect growth for instance, during summer when the exposure to sun is greatest, children experience greater growth spurts than during winter when there is no exposure to sun. The body synthesizes vitamin D after sun exposure. [2]
Sources
In humans, the most important forms are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 ( cholecalciferol).
Vitamin D2 is found naturally in sun-exposed mushrooms.
Vitamin D3 is naturally obtained from the sun.
According to the journal of investigative dermatology ;
a) The ultra violent B-rays in sunlight trigger synthesis of D and this is the body’s principal vitamin D source because usually only small amounts are obtained from diet.
b) For most European and North American cities, 9–16minutes of mid day sun exposure to 35% of the body three times a week is enough for the body to synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D.
c) Mid day is the best time because at solar noon, sufficient amounts of ultra violent B-rays are available.
It’s when the sun is directly overhead.
Its the time when solar radiation takes the shortest path to the earth’s surface.
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble, It can be stored in the body fat for a limited time until the reserves get depleted. Cholesterol is needed for Vitamin D absorption.
Hence you don’t necessarily have to expose your skin to the sun every day.
Vitamin D from sun exposure may last at least twice as long in the blood compared with ingested vitamin D.
Vitamin D3 can also be obtained from most oily fish like mackerel, herring, and salmon.
Since only a couple of foods are good sources of vitamin D, besides sun exposure, the best way to get additional vitamin D is through supplements.
4. Minerals for Bone Growth
Can Calcium Help You Grow Taller ?
Calcium is a metallic element mainly stored in bones including teeth and up to 99% of calcium is deposited in bones by the body.
It’s therefore very important for normal bone development functioning and structure.
Calcium also plays a vital role in contracting muscles including your heart muscles as well as enabling blood coagulation though not more than 1% of total body calcium plays this role.
Bone is constantly remodeling by continuously removing old bone and replacing it with new one by deposition of calcium though age plays a role in this process.
Insufficient intake of both calcium and vitamin D during stages of rapid bone growth adversely affects bone development and it’s responsible for ailments like rickets – softening, and distortion of the bones typically resulting in bow legs.
Children therefore require plenty of calcium during puberty stage due to the accelerated muscular, skeletal and endocrine development.
Which calcium food Sources will help you to grow taller?
Egg shells are probably the highest sources of calcium with 38mg of calcium per gram of an egg shell.
Dairy products, like cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Tinned salmon and sardines with bones, some leafy green vegetables like Kale, broccoli, and calcium-fortified foods.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral present in the body in trace amounts, normally obtained from the diet and its daily intake is required to maintain a steady state because the body doesn’t have an efficient storage system of zinc.
The recommended daily consumption is 15 mg for adults.
It plays a role in protein synthesis, DNA synthesis , immune function- (referred to as the gateway to immune system), wound healing, cell division and also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
In human subjects, body growth and development is strictly dependent on Zinc and dietary zinc deficiency has been linked to impaired skeletal development and bone growth in both humans and animals.
Zinc plays a role when it comes to hormonal mediation by participating in;
a) Growth Hormone synthesis and secretion. Circulating levels of growth hormone and IGF-1 are reduced during zinc deficiency.
b) The action of Growth Hormone on liver somatomedin-C production. Somatomedin-C is secreted by the liver and muscles to foster the division and growth of cells in conjunction with growth hormones.
c) somatomedin-C activation in bone cartilage.
In addition to all the above functions, zinc interacts with hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones and testosterone.
Such hormones contribute to bone growth and development.
An assessment of the impact of zinc on growth among children and adolescents established that after 12 months of supplementing the diet with zinc, the body grows more rapidly. [3]
Fats:
The media tells you that saturated fats are harmful however it is the opposite. Ever since the food pyramid was released in 1977, where carbohydrates were the main consumption, obesity rates have increased dramatically. Saturated fats were replaced with PUFAS. Fats like PUFAS are used to lower cholesterol, however cholesterol is needed for proper function of the brain and hormone production, as well as absorption of nutrients such as vitamin D.
Best Orthodontic Treatment
https://myobrace.com/en-us
https://orthotropics.com/
https://www.earlyorthodontics.com/
http://www.thecranencrp.com/
At Home Appliances:
@nelson makes good videos on at home appliances. You can email him and add him on discord.
1kieranbright@gmail.com
kieranbright#5145
Dowden Appliance V1 Creation - Achieve Maxillary Forward Growth - YouTube
3D Printing Invisalign at Home
Invisalign at Home
this guy did copied Weston Price work placed as it was his and got into this botb section lol>ctrl+f
>Weston Price
>0 results
All the tribal people images you used were from his work... Would have been better to post the man's whole work:
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Weston Price’s Appalling Legacy
One of our readers requested a post about the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF). I knew it was not a trustworthy source of medical information, but I had not imagined just how atrocious it reallysciencebasedmedicine.org
Yes lol but that's not even the problem for me: is that people would profit much more of the COMPLETE work instead of a butchered post imo...this guy did copied Weston Price work placed as it was his and got into this botb section lol
??My left premolars are completely fine, and in my normal position of the jaw they are touching, but, in order to touch my right premolars (which are tilted a bit toward the inside) I have to move my jaw to the right, but then I won't be touching my left premolars together. What should I do??
mewing is just good oral posture, you need to get your bite fixed to get rid of a deep bite. If you are still growing they can fix it with braces+appliances. Avoid any sort of retractive treatment(pulling maxillary teeth out, elastics etc.)I have deep bite i am still in puberty can mewing chewing etc completely fix my bite or i need orthodontic treatment? And if so what kind?
so only braces its a safe choice for my jaw?mewing is just good oral posture, you need to get your bite fixed to get rid of a deep bite. If you are still growing they can fix it with braces+appliances. Avoid any sort of retractive treatment(pulling maxillary teeth out, elastics etc.)
Introduction
Warning: This thread was written on a google document that was over 30 pages long.
@Alexanderr @Gargantuan @AscendingHero @Chad1212 @Kingkellz please allow me to have access to future edits, so I can put more information if needed. I promise you I will never delete this thread.
Most people are unaware that the orthodontic profession openly admits that it does not know the causes of malocclusion, except for less than 5%, which are the cases of syndromes, diseases, infections, trauma, and genetic disfiguration. Many orthodontists tell you malocclusion is genetic. In my case they told me my overbite was genetic eventhough my mother and father have perfect occlusion, and never needed orthodontic treatment to get it fixed. Yes, everyone is born with different phenotypes, but your phenotype will not give you crooked teeth or malocclusion.. TLDR; The way you look is mostly genetic, but your misalignment and deformation is not (usually).![]()
The genetic influence on facial development is obvious and environmental things such as thumb sucking and mouth breathing have long been recognized. It is not often appreciated how influential the environment is and what a dramatic effect on facial shape changing this can make.Interestingly all our ancestors had perfectly straight teeth, as did all the other 5,400 species of mammals except some domesticated cats and dogs, some feral foxes (in Europe) and zoo animals. Over the last 10,000 years, while our genes have not changed at all; whenever, and wherever our ancestors became industrialized they developed crooked teeth (malocclusion).The irregularity has been in proportion to the level of civilization with the last hundred years have seeing a dramatic rise in the levels of malocclusion. The environment has a great influence over the tooth positions and shape of the face shape
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Ninety-nine percent of ancient skulls had great teeth. This skull is 1,000 yrs old. Teeth didn't start to become crooked until 500 years ago as our mouths got smaller and couldn't accommodate 32 teeth. Advent of modern agriculture accelerated this as we ate softer food and would chew less. Before agriculture, human jaws were a perfect fit for human teeth. Around four million years ago, a group of our ancestors, the small bodied pre-human australopithecines, had thick, strong muscles attached to massive jaw bones. The large muscles allowed australopithecines to bite with incredible force, which in turn was resisted by bony pillars and buttresses in their facial skeletons. Their cheek teeth—molars and premolars—were also large, round, and covered with an especially thick, hard outer coating of protective enamel.![]()
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During the agricultural revolution, due to the amount of soft foods that were being chewed, our jaws were not being worked enough. The smaller overall size has caused dental issues, such as dental crowning, impacted molars, and malocclusions, which is when the upper and lower teeth do not sit together properly. Tooth decay became more common. The fruits and vegetables that were eaten contained carbohydrates such as sugars and starches. Carbohydrates are the main reason for tooth decay even today. They trigger bacteria to create acid which can attack the enamel in the mouth, which is the protective layer on your teeth that helps fight off cavities. If the enamel is attacked, over time the tooth will rot and fall out. Our nomadic meat-eating ancestors had little to no tooth decay because animal meat contains little to no carbohydrates; solely protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The mainstream media does not tell you this, but you could completely cut off carbohydrates from your diet and you would not even have to brush your teeth.
In the images below, the left side shows indigenous tribes having good dental health due to their traditional diet; on the right shows the same people on the modern diet. Same genetics, but people on the modern diet have poor craniofacial features. Coincidence?
Alaskan Eskimos
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Africans
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Australian Aborigines
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Early Craniofacial Development in Children
Through breastfeeding, the child will develop a tongue posture which keeps the tongue comfortable with feeding and resting firmly upon the roof of the mouth/palate. In order to pull milk from the breast, the child must push the breast into the upper palate firmly and suck back into the mouth with the tongue. This trains the child to use the tongue as the primary method of swallowing, an act which is repeated hundreds of times per day to inject excess saliva. As the skull develops, it requires the proper functioning of the muscular system in order to guide its development forward and up. A child with proper posture will have the tongue pressed underneath the maxilla (the roof of the mouth) providing sufficient support to promote forward growth. There is a constant downward force of gravity which pushes the craniofacial complex downward; The proper tongue posture of the child counter-balances this force which will cause forward growth as opposed to downward growth.
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Warning: Stop Formula Feeding
New report warns of lead, arsenic, and other toxins in products for babies and toddlers. These contaminants may impact your little one's brain development.
Here's a breakdown of the results:
- 95 percent of containers contained toxic heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury).
- One-fourth of containers contained all of these toxic metals.
- Heavy metal contamination was highest in products containing rice, juice, and sweet potato.
- 88 percent of foods tested "lack any federal standards or guidance on maximum safe levels of toxic heavy metals like arsenic and lead," according to the HBBF findings.
The heavy metals tested in these studies—cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic—are harmful in any amount. Lead is toxic to children's brains, and no amount has been deemed safe. Arsenic and mercury are also neurotoxins. Infants and young children are particularly sensitive to these contaminants, since their brains and organ systems aren't fully developed. Finally, formula feeding leads to improper swallowing patterns. This will be discussed later in the thread.
Moving on, as the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. As the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. If there is an imbalance in strength between the tongue and masseter muscles, issues of TMD can occur. The temporomandibular joint or TMJ acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. Temporomandibular Dysfunction can lead to pain and discomfort. Jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and clicking and locking of the jaw joint are some of the symptoms.”Most medical media tell you to eat soft foods to avoid TMJ/TMD, but will ultimately make the issue worse as it does not fix it. You need to chew hard foods in order to fix this muscle imbalance which will eventually fix your TMJ/TMD. A counterintuitive approach, but it makes sense. Treat the causes not the symptoms. Eventually, when the child grows into an adult, the skull will fit into development with the rest of the body. The strong masseter muscle keeps the mandible/lower jaw firmly up and forward, and the strong tongue in turn keeps the teeth barely in contact and transfers all remaining force into the upper jaw/maxilla in order to counteract the downward pull of gravity on these bones. The child develops a fully grown craniofacial complex and has a large airway and sinus area allowing for easy breathing.
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Correcting Improper Tongue Posture
There are a variety of issues with development that will cause problems with both achieving and maintaining the proper tongue posture. Fortunately the body can correct and heal itself if given the time and effort – indeed even the bones will reform with pressure over time in accordance to Wolff’s Law. When trying to keep proper tongue posture, your tongue is partially in your throat and causes an inability to breathe fully. This means that your maxilla is not developed enough sagittally, and needs to be moved up and forward to give your tongue more room and free up the airway of your throat. Often a lack of development here results in an underbite or overbite.
When trying to keep proper tongue posture, you may not have enough room between your molar/wisdom teeth to fit the width of your tongue. This is a result of lacking transverse (side to side) growth, which also results in a narrow nasal airway and is a tell-tale sign of maxillary recession. The upper jaw, which is part of the lower maxilla, needs to be widened to allow the tongue to sit comfortably between the molars and to create a wide nasal airway.
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Solutions
One: The free solution that will result in permanent and continuing changes is to fix your tongue posture as much as you can and allow the bones of your face and skull to adapt over time. If you do not have enough forward growth, you will have to consciously focus on the tongue applying pressure all along the Mid-Palate Ridge, and especially towards the Front Ridges and Tip. This will develop your maxilla forwards and upwards over time, through both repositioning of the maxilla as well as growth at the sutures within the craniofacial complex. If you lack transverse (side to side) growth, you will need to fold your tongue to keep it resting along the Alveolar Ridge and Mid-Palate Ridge which will result in growth in the width of your maxilla as well as forward movement. The younger you are, the quicker these changes have the potential to happen. A child that is still growing will see phenomenally fast results, a fully developed adult will see slower but consistent change.
Two: The second solution is to pursue palate expansion with a device. The medical community is slowly moving past the incorrect notion that adult sutures fuse, and many medical professionals are now finding that adult palate expansion works. With a wide survey of your local dentists and orthodontists through email, you will most likely find a local professional who has experience in expanding the palate of adults without surgery (SARPE). There are many different devices on the market which may be used to expand the palate, each moving at different paces and covering different parts of the mouth. This expansion can happen as rapidly as 1mm per week. However you will likely need to wear a retainer, as there will be a relapse if you are unable to maintain proper tongue posture – which is why this is most important.
Keeping Teeth Together and Grinding
Like most postural issues, this is a result of one set of muscles being stronger/weaker than their corresponding set. This particular issue is caused by an imbalance between your muscles of mastication (chewing) and your tongue. When you keep proper tongue posture and find that your teeth now seem to rest apart, your tongue is overpowering the muscles which attempt to close the mouth, thus keeping your jaws open. The method to correct this is by chewing harder foods and/or chewing tough gum in order to strengthen the chewing muscles. The opposite case involves your tongue being too weak to keep the jaws apart, resulting in teeth grinding. This solution to this issue is to consciously apply force against the upper palate with the tongue throughout the day, with which you will find that the tongue gains strength quite rapidly. Eventually you should have both of these sets of muscles (And the muscles associated with them) in balance, and will be able to strengthen both in unison. Stronger chewing muscles will impart more force to a stronger tongue, which will keep the teeth gently touching by transferring this force upwards and forwards into the palate and maxilla.
Maintaining Tongue Posture While Sleeping/Pillowing
This is a very common problem that will take time and effort to correct – but once you are able to Mew / maintain tongue posture while asleep you will see more rapid changes. You will no longer be relapsing on the work done during the day while asleep, and in fact be providing upwards and forwards force on the maxilla virtually 24/7. Sleep posture can affect the development of your face. Some infants who habitually sleep on their bellies have shown marked effects of pillowing on the hands. Older children and many adults, among them several dentists, with more pronounced malformations, observed while asleep, were found pillowing on their hands or arms. A common facial deformation, due principally to pillow habits, is marked by a narrow upper jaw, a large mandible, a contracted palate, a narrow nose, and a deflected nasal septum. Since the dental arches and jaws form a great part of the face, this type of deformity has been designated by dentists as "narrowed upper jaw," "Gothic arch," "V-shaped" or "church roof" palate, etc. Faces having such oral features are referred to as "dished," "bell," or "urn" faces. When the deformity is confined to one side, the cheek is flattened or depressed, making the face seem twisted or "lop-jawed." The compression of one maxilla makes the jaws appear to close crosswise, hence the malocclusion is called a cross-bite.
There are numerous varieties of wrong pillowing habits. Perhaps the most common is illustrated in Figure 1, where the wrists and forearm are placed between pillow and cheek. This habit presses in all the upper teeth from the canine back, producing the typical cross-bite. When the hand alone is employed, the malocclusion is limited to fewer teeth, principally molars and bicuspids. In rare cases the child may suck the thumb or finger of one hand andrest its face on the back of the other, which produces constriction of the upper jaw on one side and an arrangement of incisors to accommodate the thumb.
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Figure 2 shows a child who lies on the abdomen and pillows on the back of one hand and an arm; when she turns over she assumes a similar position; the arrangement of the teeth shows the effect on the upper jaw. A child may lie on the abdomen, keeping one hand on top and the other underneath the pillow, with the cheek on the one above, and on turning over exchanges hands. In such a case one side is usually favored. In simple oral deformities where the hands are kept under the pillow or where the pillow is rolled, both dental arches are narrowed as in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the effect of a pillow habit on the arrangement of incisors. Thus, the hands may be kept under the pillow or under the cheek or one in each place. The variations in breathing habits, together with those in pillowing, make the descriptions, classifications, and diagnoses of sleeping postures complicated.
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Children are in bed for half of their lives; if they lie on their faces much, development of the jaws will be repressed. Any small constant external force will in time produce damaging imbalance in such a complicated organ as the mouth. But we have here a force, derived from the weight of the head, acting on the plastic bones of childhood throughout the greater part of each twenty-four hours, and, as case histories show, many children suffering from these deformations have been confined to bed for longer periods during which the force has continued for a greater time. It is well known that a letter-carrier's spine becomes deformed by carrying bundles constantly on the same shoulder. Similarly, facial depressions may be developed by pillowing the face habitually upon hard objects.
If a normal breather pillows alternately on his right and left arms, he may have both dental arches narrowed, or if infants rest habitually on just pillows, their deciduous dental arches will be narrowed and their permanent anterior teeth will be rotated and "bunched." Parents have been known to give their children hard foods, remove their tonsils and adenoids, taking every precaution to avoid malocclusion except preventing face-pillowing, yet their children have narrowed dental arches and croWded anterior teeth, due principally to pillow habits. When teeth are fully erupted and interdigitate normally, the tongue, filling the mouth cavity, presses outward on them, the alveolar processes and the palate, while the lips and cheeks bind the structures on the outside, preventing too great expansion. If the mouth is closed most of the time, or during swallowing, so that the opposing cusps interlock, the muscles of mastication and the hyoid muscles keep the lower jaw in position, indirectly protecting the upper dental arch against pillowing. While pillow habits damage the normal arrangement of teeth ,even when breathing and swallowing are normal, greatest damage is done to a mouth-breather before the age of six, since worn, deciduous teeth, by not locking firmly, afford the jaws very little intermaxillary bracing.
Sleeping Correctly for Proper Craniofacial Development
You probably do not know that nature has provided an automatic manipulator to correct most spinal and peripheral joint lesions. In common with millions of other so-called civilized people you suffer unnecessarily from musculoskeletal problems and are discouraged about how to treat the exponential rise in low back pain throughout the developed world.
Summary Points:
- Nature's automatic manipulator during sleep is the kickback against the vertebrae by the ribs when the chest is prevented from movement by the forest floor
- Various resting postures correct different joints
- Pillows are not necessary
Figure 1 shows a mountain gorilla lying on the ground on his side without a pillow—a position in which chimpanzees and gibbons sleep—and a Kenya African in a similar position on a palm leaf mattress on a concrete floor. Note how he uses his laterally rotated arm as a pillow. Look at how the Kenyan is not even touching his jaw and midface, preventing obstruction. Notice how his rotated arm touching his temporal bone. This position is perfect as it can also allow the tongue to fall onto the palate as well due to gravity, assisting constant proper tongue posture.
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When lying on one side you do not even need the arm as a pillow: when the lower shoulder is fully hunched, the neck is completely supported. The neck should deviate towards the ground as gravity then shuts the mouth which prevents mouth breathing as well. When the head is down, the vertebrae are stretched between two anchors and every time the ribs move through breathing the tension is increased, the vertebrae realign themselves, and the movement keeps the joints lubricated. Largely anecdotal evidence has been collected by “old timers” for over 50 years from non-Western societies that low back pain and joint stiffness is markedly reduced by adopting natural sleeping and resting postures.
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General Posture
Body posture and tongue posture go hand in hand. A quick fix to get proper posture is to do the following: keep your back straight by looking at your hands, you should have a neutral hand grip with no supination and pronation without using any forearm/biceps/shoulder muscle to pronate/supinate it. Correct your hand position by moving your back. The middle of your neck should be aligned with the middle of your shoulders (think of a vertical line running across the middle of your shoulders, it should be aligned with another vertical line running across the middle of your neck.) Keep a neutral pelvic tilt. Your feet and knees should be parallel to each other when standing. You can manspread when sitting though. Your knees and elbows should be relaxed. When you look down, rotate your head instead of looking down using your neck. You should stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles for this posture to feel natural (MEWING GUIDE).
Sphenoid Bone Alignment
A user by the name of @baboom babadabibi made an important thread on Sphenoid bone alignment. Here is what he has to say:
“The Sphenoid bone is the foundation of almost all maxillofacial problems. For it Is the area that the bones in your face emerge from. Improper environment, not bad genetic, is the reason many modern humans lack proper sphenoid alignment.
Here is an interesting study I found that looked at the relation to poor posture to malocclusion.
Relationships between Malocclusion, Body Posture, and Nasopharyngeal Pathology in Pre-Orthodontic Children
In the study it is stated that:
"There was a statistically significant correlation between presence of kyphotic posture and a reduction in the SNB angle, representing sagittal position of the mandible. Also, there was a statistically significant association between kyphotic posture and nasopharyngeal obstruction"
The most important takeaway is that It found that poor (kyphotic) posture had a significant correlation with obstruction of the nasopharynx.
To understand why this is so important, I'll ask you to refer to this image.
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The red area is the nasopharynx and the green area is the sphenoid. Notice how close they are together?
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Now look at the following gif, look at how as the sphenoid bone aligns properly, the nasopharynx becomes less obstructed.
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To put it simply, without the study even mentioning it. It demonstrated that poor posture causes sphenoid misalignment, which also inadvertently makes everything else about your face develop improperly. (malocclusion, sleep apnea etc..) It should start to make a bit more sense now. Everything in your skull is connected to your sphenoid, and the fact that modern orthodontics only addresses these problems on a surface level is nothing short of a travesty. Also note how the sphenoid misalignment causes downward growth as well, which causes an elongated face.”
Downward Growth vs. Forward Growth
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Unable to Get Tongue on the Palate and Swallowing
Tongue Chewing by Dr Mike Mew
(If you have a have a tongue-tie, in which you should practice Khechari Mudra or get a frenectomy/frenuloplasty)
This issue is most likely caused by a tongue tie, especially if you are unable to even reach the front/tip of your palate with the tongue. It is recommended that you visit a medical professional to have this examined, and very much urgent that you have this done if you see such problems in a child. The tongue tie keeps the tongue anchored to the floor of the mouth, and will often require surgery in order to correct. However, you need not jump to the conclusion that you have a tongue tie if you are unable to get the back of the tongue to the roof of the mouth the first few times that you attempt proper tongue posture. This position, after many years of holding incorrect posture, can feel so unnatural that you are unable to manipulate your tongue properly to achieve it. One trick is to hold a big and wide cheesy smile, as wide as you can, and then swallow. This ensures that you are swallowing with your tongue and not with your cheeks, and you will be able to feel how far back in your mouth your tongue lands using this method. Every time you swallow, your tongue in this position will correctly impart multiple pounds of force into the roof of your mouth and reform the skull. As you maintain this posture, make sure not to keep your teeth far apart, they should be comfortably making contact without clenching – this is what will keep your tongue glued to the roof of the mouth all day.
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Let your tongue slide against your incisive papilla, going down, sweep, and do the swallow shown in the video.
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When swallowing solid foods, use the 1st swallow. When swallowing liquids, use the 1st swallow until the liquid is too small to be swallowed with the 1st swallow, when you reach that point, use the tongue sweep. Beginners in mewing will have issues with saliva buildup, a solution to this is to tongue sweep, you will have to use slight buccinator (cheek muscle) activation as tongue sweeping alone will not fix the issue. (Buccinators are the muscles the push your cheeks inward) If your bolus is too large to be swallowed comfortably in 1 swallow, separate part of the bolus under the tongue until you can swallow comfortably in 1 swallow (MEWING GUIDE).”
Mewing
The correct tongue posture of a strong tongue combined with strong muscles of mastication (the chewing muscles of the Temporal, Masseter, Pterygoid) are required to grow the face to the beauty of whatever phenotype that the person exhibits. For all cases this proper development results in under-eye / orbital support, properly aligned jaws, ideal spinal posture, and most importantly in a large unobstructed airway of both the nose and throat.
The 28 bones of the human skull never fuse together in a healthy adult, and a restoration of correct muscle function will result in the slow but steady restoration of proper skull form (and as a result, spinal stability). Studies have shown that the sutures of your skull do not fuse until your late seventies. Your improper muscle posture is subconscious at this point, and you will have to retrain your conscious mind to maintain proper postures until you are (literally) doing it in your sleep. Some muscles may be too weak, some may be too tight, and some may be completely out of place: The tongue is the most obvious starting point from which to begin your process of correction.
A user by the name of @YouLiveForYourself on this forum talks about the proper way to bite while mewing. Here is what he has to say:
- First, put the very tip of your tongue directly on the point between your two front teeth (Incisors) where they meet the gum line. If you move the tip of your tongue around slightly in this area, you’ll feel a hard ridge that is directly in line with the space between your two front teeth – the Incisive Papilla. It is here that the tip of your tongue will be at home – We will call this the Tip.
- From this position, keep the tip of your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth and slowly follow that Incisive Papilla ridge along the middle of the roof of your mouth. The first thing you will encounter are a series of ridges called the Palatine Rugae – We will call these the Front Ridges.
- As you move back further along the middle of the roof of the mouth, you will notice a ridge along the middle (the Median Palatine Raphe). We will call this the Mid-Palate ridge.
- So far you will notice that the roof of your mouth is hard, which is suitable for the area of your Hard Palate. Continue your bring the tip of your tongue further back in your mouth until you abruptly reach a soft and fleshy area, the Soft Palate.
- With the tip of your tongue, now explore your mouth in the area where the teeth meet your gums. The ridge along this area is called the Alveolar Ridge.
- You now know as much of the geography of your mouth as is necessary to begin correcting the tongue posture! Take notice now with some exercises that your tongue is capable of simultaneously applying pressure upwards (towards the Mid-Palate ridge) and outwards (towards your Alveolar Ridge)
“The premise of mewing is that the force of the tongue on the palate combined with the teeth lightly touching each other leads to palatal expansion and facial upswing, while promoting forward growth. I want to focus on the contact of the teeth, as I believe it is essential. The aspect of mewing that actually leads to change. John and Mike have both emphasized that the teeth should be gently touching each other. However, with mewing being in its infancy, there is a great deal of trial and error involved. Both of them are intentionally ambiguous when it comes to details on the contact of the teeth, and it's because they don't exactly know how the action promotes upswing and forward growth, and Mike has mentioned this before. They just know that the correlation is there. Sometimes they will say to keep the molars in contact, sometimes all of the teeth. This, I believe, is a big mistake on their part.
Instead, I believe that the premolars (teeth that are more towards the front) should be in light contact, with minimal or no contact between the molars. This is especially for those who have an overbite, as it will help to reverse it. I don't mean keep the incisors together. You can do it if you want, but I think that it is detrimental. They aren't designed for chewing, and therefore cannot handle the sustained amount of pressure. You will damage them. Instead, you should keep your premolars in a light contact. For those with an overbite, moving your lower jaw forward so that the top and bottom incisors are side-to-side is important. Like so:
- Keeping the molars together leads to a CW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a longer, sunk midface and a recessed mandible. This is unattractive.
- Keeping all of the teeth together leads to no rotation of the maxilla. This leads to barely any progress made; a complete waste of time.
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Keeping the premolars together leads to a CCW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a shorter, compact midface that appears more forward grown and a more prominent mandible and chin.
Here is the skull, with the maxilla highlighted in green:
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These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the molars are gently touching:
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Upwards force on the back only. There will be a CW rotation and this is definitely what you don't want.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when all of the teeth are in contact:
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Upwards force on the back but also the front. No rotation. Minimal change. Waste of time.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the premolars are in contact:
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Upwards force on the front only. There will be a CCW rotation and this is definitely what you want. It's clear as day. However, since it is not right on the front edge the change will take slightly slower than if you were to keep the molars in contact.
I think that this explains why mewing doesn't work for a large number of people. They either put pressure on the molars alone or all of the teeth, leading to no results or even a worse face. I believe that those who achieve progress primarily keep contact with the premolars or don't keep the teeth in contact at all, which is okay but so much slower.”
Thank you @YouLiveForYourself again. Here is the original thread if you guys want it: https://looksmax.org/threads/the-me...es-progress-or-even-makes-faces-worse.455354/
Chewing
“It turns out that chewing has had a huge impact on the way we look. The jaw elevator muscles develop the main forces used in mastication. The force generated during routine mastication of food such as carrots or meat is about 70 to 150 newtons (16 to 34 lbf). The maximum masticatory force in some people may reach up to 500 to 700 newtons (110 to 160 lbf). Being we are aspies and can chew 5+ pieces of hard ass falim, and build up the strength of our masseters from constant chewing, it is not unreasonable to expect to be able to exert 350+ Newtons of force per mastication. To compare how significant this is maxilla protraction is generally done with 10 Newtons, and the tongue can exert around 5 while hard mewing, so it is safe to say that chewing is 60x more force than your tongue, making it an extremely potent change for actual bone change, many people when thinking of chewing only look at it as a way to build masseters, but this is simply a bonus (Chewing Megathread).”
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University(TMDU), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and Kyoto University found that mice that ate foods requiring higher chewing force showed increased bone formation, impacting jawbone shape. Throughout an animal’s lifespan, bone tissue in the skeleton is continuously restructured in response to changes in applied force, such as those associated with exercise and locomotion. Examining how the structure of the jawbone varies with the intense chewing force, or masticatory force, may illuminate the mechanisms that lead to the reconstruction of bone tissue. Additionally, they found that increasing the force applied to the jawbone stimulated osteocytes to produce more IGF-1, one of main growth factors that promotes bone formation. This alteration led to bone formation, resulting in morphological changes in the jawbone.
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Summary:
Strong chewing modulates IGF-1 expression in osteocytes for the jawbone reconstruction
a. Superimposition of the jawbone images acquired by the computer simulation. Blue: before remodeling and red: after remodeling. Left: coronal section and right: lateral projection. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
b. Distribution of the mechanical stress in the jawbone, before and after remodeling under the increased mastication.
c. Superimposition of the images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. Blue: ND and red: HD. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
d. Immunohistological images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. IGF-1 (red); and nuclei (blue). The dotted lines indicate the jawbone surface. Arrows indicates the osteocytes expressing IGF-1.
e. Graphical abstract. In order to consume harder foods, masticatory muscles generate stronger force that induces mechanical stress in the jawbone. The stress stimulates osteocytes to produce IGF-1. The upregulated IGF-1 enhances osteoblastogenesis to reconstruct the jawbone morphology so that it endures the loaded force.
Most of the facial movement is achievable through alveolar remodeling, which is a process that takes place even on adults (AGGA is the most obvious proof of this, although as an approach it is awkward). The correct way to develop the alveolar ridge is to bite forward with the mandible, so that the bicuspids, canines and incisors make contact. Your mandible is a face-pulling device (or more correctly, a face-pushing device). You are meant to use the mandible to push the maxilla forward, as this also locks in the cervical posture in a way tongue alone couldn't.
By doing this, you cause bone resorption behind the posterior maxillary alveolar ridge, and new bone formation in the anterior maxillary ridge in front of your teeth. This allows the teeth to effectively hover through the bone. At the same time, you are pushing the mandibular incisors and canines backwards with the maxillary teeth, which allows your jaw and chin to slide forward, increasing its projection. In short, the upper and lower front teeth are moving each other to opposite directions, which leads to a better balance of the jaws as the mandible is no longer trapped behind overly forward lower teeth and overly backward upper teeth
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TLDR: “Hard food, strong jaw: jawbone structure responds to forceful chewing”
Mouth Breathing and Thumbsucking
Your nose is designed to help you breathe safely, efficiently, and properly. It can do this due to its ability to:
The most common cause of normal and natural facial development is mouth breathing. At a tender age, nasal breathing can become difficult at times. Apart from other causes, tonsils and Adenoids are the most common causes of obstruction of nasal breathing. When you or your child begin to breathe through the mouth, the nasal passage begins to narrow stunting proper growth because the tongue does not press into the palate, which is its normal position. When the shape of the upper jaw changes (cheeks put pressure on the teeth and cause crowding), the lower jaw starts to grow to compensate and maintain an open airway. This results in a long facial profile, less prominent chin, and an overall small mouth. This leads to a smaller airway and a less desirable facial appearance. Take a look at your teeth— if you notice your bottom front teeth are taller than the bottom back teeth, then you are a mouth breather.
- Filter out foreign particles. Nasal hairs filter out dust, allergens, and pollen, which helps prevent them from entering your lungs.
- Humidify inhaled air. Your nose warms and moisturizes the air you breathe in. This brings the air you inhale to body temperature, making it easier for your lungs to use.
- Produce nitric oxide. During nasal breathing, your nose releases nitric oxide (NO). NO is a vasodilator, which means it helps to widen blood vessels. This can help improve oxygen circulation in your body.
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This person had a pet gerbil in his room that he was allergic to which made him develop a mouth breathing habit. The picture on the left shows the boy at 10 years old with a strong jawline. Seven years later, his chin is recessed, nose is hooked, and has poor craniofacial features overall. Do not be a mouth breather.
Although it appears harmless, thumb sucking can actually alter the facial structure of your child. In addition, it can cause problems with your child’s breathing, teeth and speech.
Here are several issues associated with sucking the thumb:
- Protruding Front Teeth- The two teeth in the center of your child’s upper palate endure a great deal of pressure from thumb sucking. As the thumb is pressed onto the roof of the mouth, it pulls the front teeth forward, causing the front upper teeth to buck outward.
- Jaw Distortion- The sensitive bones of your child’s developing palate can also be affected, altering the natural dimensions of your child’s face and distorting his or her appearance.
- Receding Lower Front Teeth- As the force of the thumb presses against the upper palate, it also pushes the lower front incisors backward.
- Open Bite- When your child closes his or her mouth, the teeth of the upper and lower palate should meet. This includes the teeth in the front and back of the mouth. Due to the dental misalignment caused by thumb sucking, when your child’s back teeth meet, there may still be a gap between the upper and lower front teeth. The opening that results will likely resemble the shape of your little one’s thumb.
- Narrowed Upper Palate- As your child’s upper jaw forms, thumb sucking can cause the roof of the mouth to curve more intensely, reducing the amount of space between the teeth on the left and right side of the upper jaw. The strong flexing of the cheek muscles as your child sucks exacerbates the narrowing effect. Over time, the narrowness of the upper jaw prevents it from resting properly on the lower jaw.
Types of Malocclusion
Class 1 malocclusion is an overlap of upper teeth over the lower teeth. It happens due to prolonged bottle use or thumb sucking in childhood. But it doesn’t affect your bite that much and can be fixed with minor malocclusion treatment. Class 1 malocclusion of teeth has 3 types. The teeth lean towards the tongue in type 1. In type 2, lower teeth are angled towards the tongue, and upper teeth stick out in narrow arches. In type 3 of malocclusion, the upper teeth are crowded, and they lean towards the tongue.
In class 2, malocclusion also the upper teeth stick out over lower teeth. But this malocclusion of teeth is severe enough to affect your bite significantly. It needs early orthodontic intervention. It may take time for malocclusion treatment to correct the alignment of your teeth. But it can be permanently treated. Class 2 malocclusion has 2 divisions. Upper teeth lean towards the lips in division 1. In division 2, the upper central incisors lean towards the tongue.
Class 3 malocclusion is a type of underbite where the lower teeth stick out over the upper teeth. However, it can be a crossbite also when some upper teeth and some lower teeth overlap each other. Class 3 malocclusion is divided into 3 types based on the alignment of the teeth. In type 1, teeth form an abnormally shaped arch. In type 2 malocclusion of teeth, the lower front teeth are angled towards the tongue. And in type 3, the upper arch is abnormal and upper teeth are angled towards the tongue.
Limitations of Orthodontic Treatment
- Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a common condition typically caused due to lack of space resulting from overlapping or crooked teeth.![]()
- Spacing
When there is too much or too little space for the teeth, it results in crowding which can adversely impact the eruption of permanent teeth.- Open Bite
When the upper and lower front teeth do not overlap each other, it results in the formation of an opening that leads straight into the mouth. The problem of an open bite can also occur on the sides of the mouth.- Overjet
An overjet is when the top front teeth extend beyond the lower front teeth horizontally, interfering with the functions of chewing food and speaking.- Overbite
Some overlapping of the lower front teeth is natural but when the upper front teeth are biting down right into the gums, an increased overbite is caused where the lower front teeth can also bite into the roof of the mouth.- Underbite
When the lower front teeth are positioned far forward than the upper front teeth, it results in an underbite which is also known as anterior crossbite.- Crossbite
A crossbite can happen on either or both the sides of the jaw when the upper front teeth are biting right inside the lower teeth. The condition can also affect your front or back teeth.- Diastema
Diastema refers to the space between two adjacent teeth, usually the front teeth.- Impacted Tooth
An impacted tooth is the one that cannot erupt from the gum naturally and needs to be extracted or exposed so that a brace can be fitted.- Missing tooth
Also known as hypodontia, this condition occurs as a result of trauma or improper
Introduction
Braces and extracting teeth in teenage years does not solve the underlying causes of crooked teeth and incorrect facial development. Orthodontics with braces has been used for decades to straighten teeth in early teens when all the permanent teeth have appeared, and although effective in forcing the teeth into straighter alignment, it's important to recognise that there are well-documented disadvantages. Along with leaving the underlying causes of crooked teeth untreated, traditional orthodontic techniques have several other risks or limitations including surgery, enamel and root damage as well as the high likelihood of relapse, unless a permanent commitment is made to wearing a fixed or removable retainer.
The main risks and limitations of treatment with braces are:
RELAPSE - up to 90%
ENAMEL DAMAGE
ROOT DAMAGE - 100%
RETENTION - For Life
Relapse
Long-term stability is a common problem with traditional orthodontic methods and treatment will most often result in relapse unless the teeth are permanently retained. Research shows that when braces are used with or without extractions, the chances are about 90% that they will return to their original position or become worse than before treatment. The pictured image illustrates teeth relapsing after treatment with braces.
"Relapse occurs in up to 90% of cases when retainers are removed."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1988
Enamel Damage
The surface of a tooth is made up of tooth enamel - a hard, mineral coating that protects the tooth against decay. When braces are fitted, they are bonded to the teeth through a chemical process. The enamel surface of the tooth is etched to allow for better bonding strength. Because they are bonded to the teeth it is more difficult to clean, which means the enamel can decay around the braces, causing white spots or stains. When the braces are removed, the enamel on the surface of the teeth can be permanently damaged in the process. If the teeth are not cleaned properly, problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, and decalcification (white or colored marks on the teeth) can result.
Root Damage
Research has now proven that orthodontic movement of teeth through the constant force of braces will cause root damage in nearly 100% of patients. This means part of the roots are dissolved away by the orthodontic treatment and some teeth can be lost over time as a result. The use of intermittent forces and removable appliances has been proven to cause little or no root damage. The pictured animation represents damage to the root tooth caused by braces.
100% of cases can expect root resorption of up to 4mm."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 2011
Permanent Retention
A retainer is an appliance that is used to stop the teeth from moving once the braces are removed. Due to the fact that conventional treatment with braces does not address the causes of crooked teeth, the only way to ensure the teeth stay straight is by fitting a permanent retainer. Newer treatments with clear aligners have the same problem of relapse and also require lifetime maintenance with retainers.
"The only way to ensure continued satisfactory alignment after treatment is by the use of fixed or removable retention for life."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1998
Diet
There are different factors affecting growth and facial development during the entire life cycle. All these factors could be categorized in two main groups: Genetic and environmental factors.. Nutrition is one of the environmental factors. If you choose to eat the right foods and drinks especially during puberty when you are still growing , it will be easier to develop proper bone structure. Other environmental factors like climate, urbanization and altitude will be at play.
During cell division and development, adequate provision of amino acids, calories, vitamins, fats, water and minerals is required thus, the foods you eat daily are closely linked to body growth and development. More than 50 essential nutrients for body growth and development can be found in the foods we normally consume.
1. Milk
Milk is one of the foods that will make you grow taller and even help with facial development. It contains several essential nutrients, especially protein and calcium. Look at the top milk consuming countries in the world relative to population size as an example. The Finns, the Swedes and the Dutch are some of the tallest populations in the world
2. Protein or amino acid Rich foods
Amino acids are the most important feature of proteins in terms of nutrition.
Out of the 20 amino acids required for normal growth and development, 12 can be manufactured by the human body thus, they are considered non essential.
The other 8 have to be obtained from the foods we eat thus they are termed essential amino acids and without them, tissue growth and repair is impaired .
All the essential amino acids can be found in protein from animal meats and other animal products .
Hence, eggs, dairy and animal meats like beef, fish, pork, and poultry are recognized as complete and high quality proteins .
A number of studies have linked protein from animal meat (fish inclusive ) to increased concentration of Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the blood.
IGF-1 is associated with bone mineralization and plays a vital role in bone lengthening since IGF-1 also triggers the rapid reproduction of cells and their differentiation at the growth plate cartilage zone.
Because plant food proteins like fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds, lack some of the essential amino acids, in most cases proteins from such foods are thought to be incomplete apart from soy and quinoa. Plants are not recommended because they contain anti-nutrients. See this thread: ANTI-NUTRIENTS MEGATHREAD - Plants are DANGEROUS
Protein intake is particularly crucial because it provides essential amino acids required for protein synthesis, which are necessary for growth.
Amino acids like lysine and arginine have also been linked to growth hormone and insulin release which catalyze accelerated growth.
Hence, When protein intake is too low, growth is restricted.
Best sources of animal protein:
Eggs, beef, diary (milk, cheese etc), mutton, pork, chicken, Fish, turkey and sea food.
Proteins found in milk, whey, egg, casein and beef have the highest score.
What if you are a vegan or prefer a vegetarian diet?
You don’t.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a nutrient that the body requires in small amounts to function and stay healthy.
Normal vitamin D concentration levels in the blood stimulate calcium and phosphorus absorption in the small intestines.
Without vitamin D, only 10–15% of dietary calcium and about 60% of phosphorus are absorbed.
That’s why vitamin D deficiency during childhood can cause delayed
growth and bone abnormalities while during adulthood, it increases risk of fractures.
Thus, the primary function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood calcium and phosphorus concentration levels to provide the conditions for bio chemical functions, including bone mineralization.
Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D can potentially make growth plate cells more sensitive to GH and IGF-1.
It’s also suggested that changes in seasons can affect growth for instance, during summer when the exposure to sun is greatest, children experience greater growth spurts than during winter when there is no exposure to sun. The body synthesizes vitamin D after sun exposure. [2]
Sources
In humans, the most important forms are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 ( cholecalciferol).
Vitamin D2 is found naturally in sun-exposed mushrooms.
Vitamin D3 is naturally obtained from the sun.
According to the journal of investigative dermatology ;
a) The ultra violent B-rays in sunlight trigger synthesis of D and this is the body’s principal vitamin D source because usually only small amounts are obtained from diet.
b) For most European and North American cities, 9–16minutes of mid day sun exposure to 35% of the body three times a week is enough for the body to synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D.
c) Mid day is the best time because at solar noon, sufficient amounts of ultra violent B-rays are available.
It’s when the sun is directly overhead.
Its the time when solar radiation takes the shortest path to the earth’s surface.
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble, It can be stored in the body fat for a limited time until the reserves get depleted. Cholesterol is needed for Vitamin D absorption.
Hence you don’t necessarily have to expose your skin to the sun every day.
Vitamin D from sun exposure may last at least twice as long in the blood compared with ingested vitamin D.
Vitamin D3 can also be obtained from most oily fish like mackerel, herring, and salmon.
Since only a couple of foods are good sources of vitamin D, besides sun exposure, the best way to get additional vitamin D is through supplements.
4. Minerals for Bone Growth
Can Calcium Help You Grow Taller ?
Calcium is a metallic element mainly stored in bones including teeth and up to 99% of calcium is deposited in bones by the body.
It’s therefore very important for normal bone development functioning and structure.
Calcium also plays a vital role in contracting muscles including your heart muscles as well as enabling blood coagulation though not more than 1% of total body calcium plays this role.
Bone is constantly remodeling by continuously removing old bone and replacing it with new one by deposition of calcium though age plays a role in this process.
Insufficient intake of both calcium and vitamin D during stages of rapid bone growth adversely affects bone development and it’s responsible for ailments like rickets – softening, and distortion of the bones typically resulting in bow legs.
Children therefore require plenty of calcium during puberty stage due to the accelerated muscular, skeletal and endocrine development.
Which calcium food Sources will help you to grow taller?
Egg shells are probably the highest sources of calcium with 38mg of calcium per gram of an egg shell.
Dairy products, like cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Tinned salmon and sardines with bones, some leafy green vegetables like Kale, broccoli, and calcium-fortified foods.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral present in the body in trace amounts, normally obtained from the diet and its daily intake is required to maintain a steady state because the body doesn’t have an efficient storage system of zinc.
The recommended daily consumption is 15 mg for adults.
It plays a role in protein synthesis, DNA synthesis , immune function- (referred to as the gateway to immune system), wound healing, cell division and also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
In human subjects, body growth and development is strictly dependent on Zinc and dietary zinc deficiency has been linked to impaired skeletal development and bone growth in both humans and animals.
Zinc plays a role when it comes to hormonal mediation by participating in;
a) Growth Hormone synthesis and secretion. Circulating levels of growth hormone and IGF-1 are reduced during zinc deficiency.
b) The action of Growth Hormone on liver somatomedin-C production. Somatomedin-C is secreted by the liver and muscles to foster the division and growth of cells in conjunction with growth hormones.
c) somatomedin-C activation in bone cartilage.
In addition to all the above functions, zinc interacts with hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones and testosterone.
Such hormones contribute to bone growth and development.
An assessment of the impact of zinc on growth among children and adolescents established that after 12 months of supplementing the diet with zinc, the body grows more rapidly. [3]
Fats:
The media tells you that saturated fats are harmful however it is the opposite. Ever since the food pyramid was released in 1977, where carbohydrates were the main consumption, obesity rates have increased dramatically. Saturated fats were replaced with PUFAS. Fats like PUFAS are used to lower cholesterol, however cholesterol is needed for proper function of the brain and hormone production, as well as absorption of nutrients such as vitamin D.
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noMy molars touch when my premolars touch is that a problem in addition i have a slight overbite should i reduce the overbite while mewing? Bottom teeth touching incisors or increase the distance between incisors and bottom teeth while mewing
Introduction
Warning: This thread was written on a google document that was over 30 pages long.
@Alexanderr @Gargantuan @AscendingHero @Chad1212 @Kingkellz please allow me to have access to future edits, so I can put more information if needed. I promise you I will never delete this thread.
Most people are unaware that the orthodontic profession openly admits that it does not know the causes of malocclusion, except for less than 5%, which are the cases of syndromes, diseases, infections, trauma, and genetic disfiguration. Many orthodontists tell you malocclusion is genetic. In my case they told me my overbite was genetic eventhough my mother and father have perfect occlusion, and never needed orthodontic treatment to get it fixed. Yes, everyone is born with different phenotypes, but your phenotype will not give you crooked teeth or malocclusion.. TLDR; The way you look is mostly genetic, but your misalignment and deformation is not (usually).![]()
The genetic influence on facial development is obvious and environmental things such as thumb sucking and mouth breathing have long been recognized. It is not often appreciated how influential the environment is and what a dramatic effect on facial shape changing this can make.Interestingly all our ancestors had perfectly straight teeth, as did all the other 5,400 species of mammals except some domesticated cats and dogs, some feral foxes (in Europe) and zoo animals. Over the last 10,000 years, while our genes have not changed at all; whenever, and wherever our ancestors became industrialized they developed crooked teeth (malocclusion).The irregularity has been in proportion to the level of civilization with the last hundred years have seeing a dramatic rise in the levels of malocclusion. The environment has a great influence over the tooth positions and shape of the face shape
View attachment 1600985
Ninety-nine percent of ancient skulls had great teeth. This skull is 1,000 yrs old. Teeth didn't start to become crooked until 500 years ago as our mouths got smaller and couldn't accommodate 32 teeth. Advent of modern agriculture accelerated this as we ate softer food and would chew less. Before agriculture, human jaws were a perfect fit for human teeth. Around four million years ago, a group of our ancestors, the small bodied pre-human australopithecines, had thick, strong muscles attached to massive jaw bones. The large muscles allowed australopithecines to bite with incredible force, which in turn was resisted by bony pillars and buttresses in their facial skeletons. Their cheek teeth—molars and premolars—were also large, round, and covered with an especially thick, hard outer coating of protective enamel.![]()
View attachment 1600984
During the agricultural revolution, due to the amount of soft foods that were being chewed, our jaws were not being worked enough. The smaller overall size has caused dental issues, such as dental crowning, impacted molars, and malocclusions, which is when the upper and lower teeth do not sit together properly. Tooth decay became more common. The fruits and vegetables that were eaten contained carbohydrates such as sugars and starches. Carbohydrates are the main reason for tooth decay even today. They trigger bacteria to create acid which can attack the enamel in the mouth, which is the protective layer on your teeth that helps fight off cavities. If the enamel is attacked, over time the tooth will rot and fall out. Our nomadic meat-eating ancestors had little to no tooth decay because animal meat contains little to no carbohydrates; solely protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The mainstream media does not tell you this, but you could completely cut off carbohydrates from your diet and you would not even have to brush your teeth.
In the images below, the left side shows indigenous tribes having good dental health due to their traditional diet; on the right shows the same people on the modern diet. Same genetics, but people on the modern diet have poor craniofacial features. Coincidence?
Alaskan Eskimos
View attachment 1601016
Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Africans
View attachment 1601018
View attachment 1600976
Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Australian Aborigines
View attachment 1601019
Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Early Craniofacial Development in Children
Through breastfeeding, the child will develop a tongue posture which keeps the tongue comfortable with feeding and resting firmly upon the roof of the mouth/palate. In order to pull milk from the breast, the child must push the breast into the upper palate firmly and suck back into the mouth with the tongue. This trains the child to use the tongue as the primary method of swallowing, an act which is repeated hundreds of times per day to inject excess saliva. As the skull develops, it requires the proper functioning of the muscular system in order to guide its development forward and up. A child with proper posture will have the tongue pressed underneath the maxilla (the roof of the mouth) providing sufficient support to promote forward growth. There is a constant downward force of gravity which pushes the craniofacial complex downward; The proper tongue posture of the child counter-balances this force which will cause forward growth as opposed to downward growth.
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Warning: Stop Formula Feeding
New report warns of lead, arsenic, and other toxins in products for babies and toddlers. These contaminants may impact your little one's brain development.
Here's a breakdown of the results:
- 95 percent of containers contained toxic heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury).
- One-fourth of containers contained all of these toxic metals.
- Heavy metal contamination was highest in products containing rice, juice, and sweet potato.
- 88 percent of foods tested "lack any federal standards or guidance on maximum safe levels of toxic heavy metals like arsenic and lead," according to the HBBF findings.
The heavy metals tested in these studies—cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic—are harmful in any amount. Lead is toxic to children's brains, and no amount has been deemed safe. Arsenic and mercury are also neurotoxins. Infants and young children are particularly sensitive to these contaminants, since their brains and organ systems aren't fully developed. Finally, formula feeding leads to improper swallowing patterns. This will be discussed later in the thread.
Moving on, as the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. As the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. If there is an imbalance in strength between the tongue and masseter muscles, issues of TMD can occur. The temporomandibular joint or TMJ acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. Temporomandibular Dysfunction can lead to pain and discomfort. Jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and clicking and locking of the jaw joint are some of the symptoms.”Most medical media tell you to eat soft foods to avoid TMJ/TMD, but will ultimately make the issue worse as it does not fix it. You need to chew hard foods in order to fix this muscle imbalance which will eventually fix your TMJ/TMD. A counterintuitive approach, but it makes sense. Treat the causes not the symptoms. Eventually, when the child grows into an adult, the skull will fit into development with the rest of the body. The strong masseter muscle keeps the mandible/lower jaw firmly up and forward, and the strong tongue in turn keeps the teeth barely in contact and transfers all remaining force into the upper jaw/maxilla in order to counteract the downward pull of gravity on these bones. The child develops a fully grown craniofacial complex and has a large airway and sinus area allowing for easy breathing.
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Correcting Improper Tongue Posture
There are a variety of issues with development that will cause problems with both achieving and maintaining the proper tongue posture. Fortunately the body can correct and heal itself if given the time and effort – indeed even the bones will reform with pressure over time in accordance to Wolff’s Law. When trying to keep proper tongue posture, your tongue is partially in your throat and causes an inability to breathe fully. This means that your maxilla is not developed enough sagittally, and needs to be moved up and forward to give your tongue more room and free up the airway of your throat. Often a lack of development here results in an underbite or overbite.
When trying to keep proper tongue posture, you may not have enough room between your molar/wisdom teeth to fit the width of your tongue. This is a result of lacking transverse (side to side) growth, which also results in a narrow nasal airway and is a tell-tale sign of maxillary recession. The upper jaw, which is part of the lower maxilla, needs to be widened to allow the tongue to sit comfortably between the molars and to create a wide nasal airway.
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Solutions
One: The free solution that will result in permanent and continuing changes is to fix your tongue posture as much as you can and allow the bones of your face and skull to adapt over time. If you do not have enough forward growth, you will have to consciously focus on the tongue applying pressure all along the Mid-Palate Ridge, and especially towards the Front Ridges and Tip. This will develop your maxilla forwards and upwards over time, through both repositioning of the maxilla as well as growth at the sutures within the craniofacial complex. If you lack transverse (side to side) growth, you will need to fold your tongue to keep it resting along the Alveolar Ridge and Mid-Palate Ridge which will result in growth in the width of your maxilla as well as forward movement. The younger you are, the quicker these changes have the potential to happen. A child that is still growing will see phenomenally fast results, a fully developed adult will see slower but consistent change.
Two: The second solution is to pursue palate expansion with a device. The medical community is slowly moving past the incorrect notion that adult sutures fuse, and many medical professionals are now finding that adult palate expansion works. With a wide survey of your local dentists and orthodontists through email, you will most likely find a local professional who has experience in expanding the palate of adults without surgery (SARPE). There are many different devices on the market which may be used to expand the palate, each moving at different paces and covering different parts of the mouth. This expansion can happen as rapidly as 1mm per week. However you will likely need to wear a retainer, as there will be a relapse if you are unable to maintain proper tongue posture – which is why this is most important.
Keeping Teeth Together and Grinding
Like most postural issues, this is a result of one set of muscles being stronger/weaker than their corresponding set. This particular issue is caused by an imbalance between your muscles of mastication (chewing) and your tongue. When you keep proper tongue posture and find that your teeth now seem to rest apart, your tongue is overpowering the muscles which attempt to close the mouth, thus keeping your jaws open. The method to correct this is by chewing harder foods and/or chewing tough gum in order to strengthen the chewing muscles. The opposite case involves your tongue being too weak to keep the jaws apart, resulting in teeth grinding. This solution to this issue is to consciously apply force against the upper palate with the tongue throughout the day, with which you will find that the tongue gains strength quite rapidly. Eventually you should have both of these sets of muscles (And the muscles associated with them) in balance, and will be able to strengthen both in unison. Stronger chewing muscles will impart more force to a stronger tongue, which will keep the teeth gently touching by transferring this force upwards and forwards into the palate and maxilla.
Maintaining Tongue Posture While Sleeping/Pillowing
This is a very common problem that will take time and effort to correct – but once you are able to Mew / maintain tongue posture while asleep you will see more rapid changes. You will no longer be relapsing on the work done during the day while asleep, and in fact be providing upwards and forwards force on the maxilla virtually 24/7. Sleep posture can affect the development of your face. Some infants who habitually sleep on their bellies have shown marked effects of pillowing on the hands. Older children and many adults, among them several dentists, with more pronounced malformations, observed while asleep, were found pillowing on their hands or arms. A common facial deformation, due principally to pillow habits, is marked by a narrow upper jaw, a large mandible, a contracted palate, a narrow nose, and a deflected nasal septum. Since the dental arches and jaws form a great part of the face, this type of deformity has been designated by dentists as "narrowed upper jaw," "Gothic arch," "V-shaped" or "church roof" palate, etc. Faces having such oral features are referred to as "dished," "bell," or "urn" faces. When the deformity is confined to one side, the cheek is flattened or depressed, making the face seem twisted or "lop-jawed." The compression of one maxilla makes the jaws appear to close crosswise, hence the malocclusion is called a cross-bite.
There are numerous varieties of wrong pillowing habits. Perhaps the most common is illustrated in Figure 1, where the wrists and forearm are placed between pillow and cheek. This habit presses in all the upper teeth from the canine back, producing the typical cross-bite. When the hand alone is employed, the malocclusion is limited to fewer teeth, principally molars and bicuspids. In rare cases the child may suck the thumb or finger of one hand andrest its face on the back of the other, which produces constriction of the upper jaw on one side and an arrangement of incisors to accommodate the thumb.
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Figure 2 shows a child who lies on the abdomen and pillows on the back of one hand and an arm; when she turns over she assumes a similar position; the arrangement of the teeth shows the effect on the upper jaw. A child may lie on the abdomen, keeping one hand on top and the other underneath the pillow, with the cheek on the one above, and on turning over exchanges hands. In such a case one side is usually favored. In simple oral deformities where the hands are kept under the pillow or where the pillow is rolled, both dental arches are narrowed as in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the effect of a pillow habit on the arrangement of incisors. Thus, the hands may be kept under the pillow or under the cheek or one in each place. The variations in breathing habits, together with those in pillowing, make the descriptions, classifications, and diagnoses of sleeping postures complicated.
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Children are in bed for half of their lives; if they lie on their faces much, development of the jaws will be repressed. Any small constant external force will in time produce damaging imbalance in such a complicated organ as the mouth. But we have here a force, derived from the weight of the head, acting on the plastic bones of childhood throughout the greater part of each twenty-four hours, and, as case histories show, many children suffering from these deformations have been confined to bed for longer periods during which the force has continued for a greater time. It is well known that a letter-carrier's spine becomes deformed by carrying bundles constantly on the same shoulder. Similarly, facial depressions may be developed by pillowing the face habitually upon hard objects.
If a normal breather pillows alternately on his right and left arms, he may have both dental arches narrowed, or if infants rest habitually on just pillows, their deciduous dental arches will be narrowed and their permanent anterior teeth will be rotated and "bunched." Parents have been known to give their children hard foods, remove their tonsils and adenoids, taking every precaution to avoid malocclusion except preventing face-pillowing, yet their children have narrowed dental arches and croWded anterior teeth, due principally to pillow habits. When teeth are fully erupted and interdigitate normally, the tongue, filling the mouth cavity, presses outward on them, the alveolar processes and the palate, while the lips and cheeks bind the structures on the outside, preventing too great expansion. If the mouth is closed most of the time, or during swallowing, so that the opposing cusps interlock, the muscles of mastication and the hyoid muscles keep the lower jaw in position, indirectly protecting the upper dental arch against pillowing. While pillow habits damage the normal arrangement of teeth ,even when breathing and swallowing are normal, greatest damage is done to a mouth-breather before the age of six, since worn, deciduous teeth, by not locking firmly, afford the jaws very little intermaxillary bracing.
Sleeping Correctly for Proper Craniofacial Development
You probably do not know that nature has provided an automatic manipulator to correct most spinal and peripheral joint lesions. In common with millions of other so-called civilized people you suffer unnecessarily from musculoskeletal problems and are discouraged about how to treat the exponential rise in low back pain throughout the developed world.
Summary Points:
- Nature's automatic manipulator during sleep is the kickback against the vertebrae by the ribs when the chest is prevented from movement by the forest floor
- Various resting postures correct different joints
- Pillows are not necessary
Figure 1 shows a mountain gorilla lying on the ground on his side without a pillow—a position in which chimpanzees and gibbons sleep—and a Kenya African in a similar position on a palm leaf mattress on a concrete floor. Note how he uses his laterally rotated arm as a pillow. Look at how the Kenyan is not even touching his jaw and midface, preventing obstruction. Notice how his rotated arm touching his temporal bone. This position is perfect as it can also allow the tongue to fall onto the palate as well due to gravity, assisting constant proper tongue posture.
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When lying on one side you do not even need the arm as a pillow: when the lower shoulder is fully hunched, the neck is completely supported. The neck should deviate towards the ground as gravity then shuts the mouth which prevents mouth breathing as well. When the head is down, the vertebrae are stretched between two anchors and every time the ribs move through breathing the tension is increased, the vertebrae realign themselves, and the movement keeps the joints lubricated. Largely anecdotal evidence has been collected by “old timers” for over 50 years from non-Western societies that low back pain and joint stiffness is markedly reduced by adopting natural sleeping and resting postures.
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General Posture
Body posture and tongue posture go hand in hand. A quick fix to get proper posture is to do the following: keep your back straight by looking at your hands, you should have a neutral hand grip with no supination and pronation without using any forearm/biceps/shoulder muscle to pronate/supinate it. Correct your hand position by moving your back. The middle of your neck should be aligned with the middle of your shoulders (think of a vertical line running across the middle of your shoulders, it should be aligned with another vertical line running across the middle of your neck.) Keep a neutral pelvic tilt. Your feet and knees should be parallel to each other when standing. You can manspread when sitting though. Your knees and elbows should be relaxed. When you look down, rotate your head instead of looking down using your neck. You should stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles for this posture to feel natural (MEWING GUIDE).
Sphenoid Bone Alignment
A user by the name of @baboom babadabibi made an important thread on Sphenoid bone alignment. Here is what he has to say:
“The Sphenoid bone is the foundation of almost all maxillofacial problems. For it Is the area that the bones in your face emerge from. Improper environment, not bad genetic, is the reason many modern humans lack proper sphenoid alignment.
Here is an interesting study I found that looked at the relation to poor posture to malocclusion.
Relationships between Malocclusion, Body Posture, and Nasopharyngeal Pathology in Pre-Orthodontic Children
In the study it is stated that:
"There was a statistically significant correlation between presence of kyphotic posture and a reduction in the SNB angle, representing sagittal position of the mandible. Also, there was a statistically significant association between kyphotic posture and nasopharyngeal obstruction"
The most important takeaway is that It found that poor (kyphotic) posture had a significant correlation with obstruction of the nasopharynx.
To understand why this is so important, I'll ask you to refer to this image.
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The red area is the nasopharynx and the green area is the sphenoid. Notice how close they are together?
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Now look at the following gif, look at how as the sphenoid bone aligns properly, the nasopharynx becomes less obstructed.
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To put it simply, without the study even mentioning it. It demonstrated that poor posture causes sphenoid misalignment, which also inadvertently makes everything else about your face develop improperly. (malocclusion, sleep apnea etc..) It should start to make a bit more sense now. Everything in your skull is connected to your sphenoid, and the fact that modern orthodontics only addresses these problems on a surface level is nothing short of a travesty. Also note how the sphenoid misalignment causes downward growth as well, which causes an elongated face.”
Downward Growth vs. Forward Growth
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Unable to Get Tongue on the Palate and Swallowing
Tongue Chewing by Dr Mike Mew
(If you have a have a tongue-tie, in which you should practice Khechari Mudra or get a frenectomy/frenuloplasty)
This issue is most likely caused by a tongue tie, especially if you are unable to even reach the front/tip of your palate with the tongue. It is recommended that you visit a medical professional to have this examined, and very much urgent that you have this done if you see such problems in a child. The tongue tie keeps the tongue anchored to the floor of the mouth, and will often require surgery in order to correct. However, you need not jump to the conclusion that you have a tongue tie if you are unable to get the back of the tongue to the roof of the mouth the first few times that you attempt proper tongue posture. This position, after many years of holding incorrect posture, can feel so unnatural that you are unable to manipulate your tongue properly to achieve it. One trick is to hold a big and wide cheesy smile, as wide as you can, and then swallow. This ensures that you are swallowing with your tongue and not with your cheeks, and you will be able to feel how far back in your mouth your tongue lands using this method. Every time you swallow, your tongue in this position will correctly impart multiple pounds of force into the roof of your mouth and reform the skull. As you maintain this posture, make sure not to keep your teeth far apart, they should be comfortably making contact without clenching – this is what will keep your tongue glued to the roof of the mouth all day.
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Let your tongue slide against your incisive papilla, going down, sweep, and do the swallow shown in the video.
View attachment 1600979
When swallowing solid foods, use the 1st swallow. When swallowing liquids, use the 1st swallow until the liquid is too small to be swallowed with the 1st swallow, when you reach that point, use the tongue sweep. Beginners in mewing will have issues with saliva buildup, a solution to this is to tongue sweep, you will have to use slight buccinator (cheek muscle) activation as tongue sweeping alone will not fix the issue. (Buccinators are the muscles the push your cheeks inward) If your bolus is too large to be swallowed comfortably in 1 swallow, separate part of the bolus under the tongue until you can swallow comfortably in 1 swallow (MEWING GUIDE).”
Mewing
The correct tongue posture of a strong tongue combined with strong muscles of mastication (the chewing muscles of the Temporal, Masseter, Pterygoid) are required to grow the face to the beauty of whatever phenotype that the person exhibits. For all cases this proper development results in under-eye / orbital support, properly aligned jaws, ideal spinal posture, and most importantly in a large unobstructed airway of both the nose and throat.
The 28 bones of the human skull never fuse together in a healthy adult, and a restoration of correct muscle function will result in the slow but steady restoration of proper skull form (and as a result, spinal stability). Studies have shown that the sutures of your skull do not fuse until your late seventies. Your improper muscle posture is subconscious at this point, and you will have to retrain your conscious mind to maintain proper postures until you are (literally) doing it in your sleep. Some muscles may be too weak, some may be too tight, and some may be completely out of place: The tongue is the most obvious starting point from which to begin your process of correction.
A user by the name of @YouLiveForYourself on this forum talks about the proper way to bite while mewing. Here is what he has to say:
- First, put the very tip of your tongue directly on the point between your two front teeth (Incisors) where they meet the gum line. If you move the tip of your tongue around slightly in this area, you’ll feel a hard ridge that is directly in line with the space between your two front teeth – the Incisive Papilla. It is here that the tip of your tongue will be at home – We will call this the Tip.
- From this position, keep the tip of your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth and slowly follow that Incisive Papilla ridge along the middle of the roof of your mouth. The first thing you will encounter are a series of ridges called the Palatine Rugae – We will call these the Front Ridges.
- As you move back further along the middle of the roof of the mouth, you will notice a ridge along the middle (the Median Palatine Raphe). We will call this the Mid-Palate ridge.
- So far you will notice that the roof of your mouth is hard, which is suitable for the area of your Hard Palate. Continue your bring the tip of your tongue further back in your mouth until you abruptly reach a soft and fleshy area, the Soft Palate.
- With the tip of your tongue, now explore your mouth in the area where the teeth meet your gums. The ridge along this area is called the Alveolar Ridge.
- You now know as much of the geography of your mouth as is necessary to begin correcting the tongue posture! Take notice now with some exercises that your tongue is capable of simultaneously applying pressure upwards (towards the Mid-Palate ridge) and outwards (towards your Alveolar Ridge)
“The premise of mewing is that the force of the tongue on the palate combined with the teeth lightly touching each other leads to palatal expansion and facial upswing, while promoting forward growth. I want to focus on the contact of the teeth, as I believe it is essential. The aspect of mewing that actually leads to change. John and Mike have both emphasized that the teeth should be gently touching each other. However, with mewing being in its infancy, there is a great deal of trial and error involved. Both of them are intentionally ambiguous when it comes to details on the contact of the teeth, and it's because they don't exactly know how the action promotes upswing and forward growth, and Mike has mentioned this before. They just know that the correlation is there. Sometimes they will say to keep the molars in contact, sometimes all of the teeth. This, I believe, is a big mistake on their part.
Instead, I believe that the premolars (teeth that are more towards the front) should be in light contact, with minimal or no contact between the molars. This is especially for those who have an overbite, as it will help to reverse it. I don't mean keep the incisors together. You can do it if you want, but I think that it is detrimental. They aren't designed for chewing, and therefore cannot handle the sustained amount of pressure. You will damage them. Instead, you should keep your premolars in a light contact. For those with an overbite, moving your lower jaw forward so that the top and bottom incisors are side-to-side is important. Like so:
- Keeping the molars together leads to a CW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a longer, sunk midface and a recessed mandible. This is unattractive.
- Keeping all of the teeth together leads to no rotation of the maxilla. This leads to barely any progress made; a complete waste of time.
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Keeping the premolars together leads to a CCW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a shorter, compact midface that appears more forward grown and a more prominent mandible and chin.
Here is the skull, with the maxilla highlighted in green:
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These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the molars are gently touching:
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Upwards force on the back only. There will be a CW rotation and this is definitely what you don't want.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when all of the teeth are in contact:
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Upwards force on the back but also the front. No rotation. Minimal change. Waste of time.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the premolars are in contact:
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Upwards force on the front only. There will be a CCW rotation and this is definitely what you want. It's clear as day. However, since it is not right on the front edge the change will take slightly slower than if you were to keep the molars in contact.
I think that this explains why mewing doesn't work for a large number of people. They either put pressure on the molars alone or all of the teeth, leading to no results or even a worse face. I believe that those who achieve progress primarily keep contact with the premolars or don't keep the teeth in contact at all, which is okay but so much slower.”
Thank you @YouLiveForYourself again. Here is the original thread if you guys want it: https://looksmax.org/threads/the-me...es-progress-or-even-makes-faces-worse.455354/
Chewing
“It turns out that chewing has had a huge impact on the way we look. The jaw elevator muscles develop the main forces used in mastication. The force generated during routine mastication of food such as carrots or meat is about 70 to 150 newtons (16 to 34 lbf). The maximum masticatory force in some people may reach up to 500 to 700 newtons (110 to 160 lbf). Being we are aspies and can chew 5+ pieces of hard ass falim, and build up the strength of our masseters from constant chewing, it is not unreasonable to expect to be able to exert 350+ Newtons of force per mastication. To compare how significant this is maxilla protraction is generally done with 10 Newtons, and the tongue can exert around 5 while hard mewing, so it is safe to say that chewing is 60x more force than your tongue, making it an extremely potent change for actual bone change, many people when thinking of chewing only look at it as a way to build masseters, but this is simply a bonus (Chewing Megathread).”
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University(TMDU), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and Kyoto University found that mice that ate foods requiring higher chewing force showed increased bone formation, impacting jawbone shape. Throughout an animal’s lifespan, bone tissue in the skeleton is continuously restructured in response to changes in applied force, such as those associated with exercise and locomotion. Examining how the structure of the jawbone varies with the intense chewing force, or masticatory force, may illuminate the mechanisms that lead to the reconstruction of bone tissue. Additionally, they found that increasing the force applied to the jawbone stimulated osteocytes to produce more IGF-1, one of main growth factors that promotes bone formation. This alteration led to bone formation, resulting in morphological changes in the jawbone.
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Summary:
Strong chewing modulates IGF-1 expression in osteocytes for the jawbone reconstruction
a. Superimposition of the jawbone images acquired by the computer simulation. Blue: before remodeling and red: after remodeling. Left: coronal section and right: lateral projection. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
b. Distribution of the mechanical stress in the jawbone, before and after remodeling under the increased mastication.
c. Superimposition of the images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. Blue: ND and red: HD. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
d. Immunohistological images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. IGF-1 (red); and nuclei (blue). The dotted lines indicate the jawbone surface. Arrows indicates the osteocytes expressing IGF-1.
e. Graphical abstract. In order to consume harder foods, masticatory muscles generate stronger force that induces mechanical stress in the jawbone. The stress stimulates osteocytes to produce IGF-1. The upregulated IGF-1 enhances osteoblastogenesis to reconstruct the jawbone morphology so that it endures the loaded force.
Most of the facial movement is achievable through alveolar remodeling, which is a process that takes place even on adults (AGGA is the most obvious proof of this, although as an approach it is awkward). The correct way to develop the alveolar ridge is to bite forward with the mandible, so that the bicuspids, canines and incisors make contact. Your mandible is a face-pulling device (or more correctly, a face-pushing device). You are meant to use the mandible to push the maxilla forward, as this also locks in the cervical posture in a way tongue alone couldn't.
By doing this, you cause bone resorption behind the posterior maxillary alveolar ridge, and new bone formation in the anterior maxillary ridge in front of your teeth. This allows the teeth to effectively hover through the bone. At the same time, you are pushing the mandibular incisors and canines backwards with the maxillary teeth, which allows your jaw and chin to slide forward, increasing its projection. In short, the upper and lower front teeth are moving each other to opposite directions, which leads to a better balance of the jaws as the mandible is no longer trapped behind overly forward lower teeth and overly backward upper teeth
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TLDR: “Hard food, strong jaw: jawbone structure responds to forceful chewing”
Mouth Breathing and Thumbsucking
Your nose is designed to help you breathe safely, efficiently, and properly. It can do this due to its ability to:
The most common cause of normal and natural facial development is mouth breathing. At a tender age, nasal breathing can become difficult at times. Apart from other causes, tonsils and Adenoids are the most common causes of obstruction of nasal breathing. When you or your child begin to breathe through the mouth, the nasal passage begins to narrow stunting proper growth because the tongue does not press into the palate, which is its normal position. When the shape of the upper jaw changes (cheeks put pressure on the teeth and cause crowding), the lower jaw starts to grow to compensate and maintain an open airway. This results in a long facial profile, less prominent chin, and an overall small mouth. This leads to a smaller airway and a less desirable facial appearance. Take a look at your teeth— if you notice your bottom front teeth are taller than the bottom back teeth, then you are a mouth breather.
- Filter out foreign particles. Nasal hairs filter out dust, allergens, and pollen, which helps prevent them from entering your lungs.
- Humidify inhaled air. Your nose warms and moisturizes the air you breathe in. This brings the air you inhale to body temperature, making it easier for your lungs to use.
- Produce nitric oxide. During nasal breathing, your nose releases nitric oxide (NO). NO is a vasodilator, which means it helps to widen blood vessels. This can help improve oxygen circulation in your body.
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This person had a pet gerbil in his room that he was allergic to which made him develop a mouth breathing habit. The picture on the left shows the boy at 10 years old with a strong jawline. Seven years later, his chin is recessed, nose is hooked, and has poor craniofacial features overall. Do not be a mouth breather.
Although it appears harmless, thumb sucking can actually alter the facial structure of your child. In addition, it can cause problems with your child’s breathing, teeth and speech.
Here are several issues associated with sucking the thumb:
- Protruding Front Teeth- The two teeth in the center of your child’s upper palate endure a great deal of pressure from thumb sucking. As the thumb is pressed onto the roof of the mouth, it pulls the front teeth forward, causing the front upper teeth to buck outward.
- Jaw Distortion- The sensitive bones of your child’s developing palate can also be affected, altering the natural dimensions of your child’s face and distorting his or her appearance.
- Receding Lower Front Teeth- As the force of the thumb presses against the upper palate, it also pushes the lower front incisors backward.
- Open Bite- When your child closes his or her mouth, the teeth of the upper and lower palate should meet. This includes the teeth in the front and back of the mouth. Due to the dental misalignment caused by thumb sucking, when your child’s back teeth meet, there may still be a gap between the upper and lower front teeth. The opening that results will likely resemble the shape of your little one’s thumb.
- Narrowed Upper Palate- As your child’s upper jaw forms, thumb sucking can cause the roof of the mouth to curve more intensely, reducing the amount of space between the teeth on the left and right side of the upper jaw. The strong flexing of the cheek muscles as your child sucks exacerbates the narrowing effect. Over time, the narrowness of the upper jaw prevents it from resting properly on the lower jaw.
Types of Malocclusion
Class 1 malocclusion is an overlap of upper teeth over the lower teeth. It happens due to prolonged bottle use or thumb sucking in childhood. But it doesn’t affect your bite that much and can be fixed with minor malocclusion treatment. Class 1 malocclusion of teeth has 3 types. The teeth lean towards the tongue in type 1. In type 2, lower teeth are angled towards the tongue, and upper teeth stick out in narrow arches. In type 3 of malocclusion, the upper teeth are crowded, and they lean towards the tongue.
In class 2, malocclusion also the upper teeth stick out over lower teeth. But this malocclusion of teeth is severe enough to affect your bite significantly. It needs early orthodontic intervention. It may take time for malocclusion treatment to correct the alignment of your teeth. But it can be permanently treated. Class 2 malocclusion has 2 divisions. Upper teeth lean towards the lips in division 1. In division 2, the upper central incisors lean towards the tongue.
Class 3 malocclusion is a type of underbite where the lower teeth stick out over the upper teeth. However, it can be a crossbite also when some upper teeth and some lower teeth overlap each other. Class 3 malocclusion is divided into 3 types based on the alignment of the teeth. In type 1, teeth form an abnormally shaped arch. In type 2 malocclusion of teeth, the lower front teeth are angled towards the tongue. And in type 3, the upper arch is abnormal and upper teeth are angled towards the tongue.
Limitations of Orthodontic Treatment
- Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a common condition typically caused due to lack of space resulting from overlapping or crooked teeth.![]()
- Spacing
When there is too much or too little space for the teeth, it results in crowding which can adversely impact the eruption of permanent teeth.- Open Bite
When the upper and lower front teeth do not overlap each other, it results in the formation of an opening that leads straight into the mouth. The problem of an open bite can also occur on the sides of the mouth.- Overjet
An overjet is when the top front teeth extend beyond the lower front teeth horizontally, interfering with the functions of chewing food and speaking.- Overbite
Some overlapping of the lower front teeth is natural but when the upper front teeth are biting down right into the gums, an increased overbite is caused where the lower front teeth can also bite into the roof of the mouth.- Underbite
When the lower front teeth are positioned far forward than the upper front teeth, it results in an underbite which is also known as anterior crossbite.- Crossbite
A crossbite can happen on either or both the sides of the jaw when the upper front teeth are biting right inside the lower teeth. The condition can also affect your front or back teeth.- Diastema
Diastema refers to the space between two adjacent teeth, usually the front teeth.- Impacted Tooth
An impacted tooth is the one that cannot erupt from the gum naturally and needs to be extracted or exposed so that a brace can be fitted.- Missing tooth
Also known as hypodontia, this condition occurs as a result of trauma or improper
Introduction
Braces and extracting teeth in teenage years does not solve the underlying causes of crooked teeth and incorrect facial development. Orthodontics with braces has been used for decades to straighten teeth in early teens when all the permanent teeth have appeared, and although effective in forcing the teeth into straighter alignment, it's important to recognise that there are well-documented disadvantages. Along with leaving the underlying causes of crooked teeth untreated, traditional orthodontic techniques have several other risks or limitations including surgery, enamel and root damage as well as the high likelihood of relapse, unless a permanent commitment is made to wearing a fixed or removable retainer.
The main risks and limitations of treatment with braces are:
RELAPSE - up to 90%
ENAMEL DAMAGE
ROOT DAMAGE - 100%
RETENTION - For Life
Relapse
Long-term stability is a common problem with traditional orthodontic methods and treatment will most often result in relapse unless the teeth are permanently retained. Research shows that when braces are used with or without extractions, the chances are about 90% that they will return to their original position or become worse than before treatment. The pictured image illustrates teeth relapsing after treatment with braces.
"Relapse occurs in up to 90% of cases when retainers are removed."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1988
Enamel Damage
The surface of a tooth is made up of tooth enamel - a hard, mineral coating that protects the tooth against decay. When braces are fitted, they are bonded to the teeth through a chemical process. The enamel surface of the tooth is etched to allow for better bonding strength. Because they are bonded to the teeth it is more difficult to clean, which means the enamel can decay around the braces, causing white spots or stains. When the braces are removed, the enamel on the surface of the teeth can be permanently damaged in the process. If the teeth are not cleaned properly, problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, and decalcification (white or colored marks on the teeth) can result.
Root Damage
Research has now proven that orthodontic movement of teeth through the constant force of braces will cause root damage in nearly 100% of patients. This means part of the roots are dissolved away by the orthodontic treatment and some teeth can be lost over time as a result. The use of intermittent forces and removable appliances has been proven to cause little or no root damage. The pictured animation represents damage to the root tooth caused by braces.
100% of cases can expect root resorption of up to 4mm."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 2011
Permanent Retention
A retainer is an appliance that is used to stop the teeth from moving once the braces are removed. Due to the fact that conventional treatment with braces does not address the causes of crooked teeth, the only way to ensure the teeth stay straight is by fitting a permanent retainer. Newer treatments with clear aligners have the same problem of relapse and also require lifetime maintenance with retainers.
"The only way to ensure continued satisfactory alignment after treatment is by the use of fixed or removable retention for life."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1998
Diet
There are different factors affecting growth and facial development during the entire life cycle. All these factors could be categorized in two main groups: Genetic and environmental factors.. Nutrition is one of the environmental factors. If you choose to eat the right foods and drinks especially during puberty when you are still growing , it will be easier to develop proper bone structure. Other environmental factors like climate, urbanization and altitude will be at play.
During cell division and development, adequate provision of amino acids, calories, vitamins, fats, water and minerals is required thus, the foods you eat daily are closely linked to body growth and development. More than 50 essential nutrients for body growth and development can be found in the foods we normally consume.
1. Milk
Milk is one of the foods that will make you grow taller and even help with facial development. It contains several essential nutrients, especially protein and calcium. Look at the top milk consuming countries in the world relative to population size as an example. The Finns, the Swedes and the Dutch are some of the tallest populations in the world
2. Protein or amino acid Rich foods
Amino acids are the most important feature of proteins in terms of nutrition.
Out of the 20 amino acids required for normal growth and development, 12 can be manufactured by the human body thus, they are considered non essential.
The other 8 have to be obtained from the foods we eat thus they are termed essential amino acids and without them, tissue growth and repair is impaired .
All the essential amino acids can be found in protein from animal meats and other animal products .
Hence, eggs, dairy and animal meats like beef, fish, pork, and poultry are recognized as complete and high quality proteins .
A number of studies have linked protein from animal meat (fish inclusive ) to increased concentration of Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the blood.
IGF-1 is associated with bone mineralization and plays a vital role in bone lengthening since IGF-1 also triggers the rapid reproduction of cells and their differentiation at the growth plate cartilage zone.
Because plant food proteins like fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds, lack some of the essential amino acids, in most cases proteins from such foods are thought to be incomplete apart from soy and quinoa. Plants are not recommended because they contain anti-nutrients. See this thread: ANTI-NUTRIENTS MEGATHREAD - Plants are DANGEROUS
Protein intake is particularly crucial because it provides essential amino acids required for protein synthesis, which are necessary for growth.
Amino acids like lysine and arginine have also been linked to growth hormone and insulin release which catalyze accelerated growth.
Hence, When protein intake is too low, growth is restricted.
Best sources of animal protein:
Eggs, beef, diary (milk, cheese etc), mutton, pork, chicken, Fish, turkey and sea food.
Proteins found in milk, whey, egg, casein and beef have the highest score.
What if you are a vegan or prefer a vegetarian diet?
You don’t.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a nutrient that the body requires in small amounts to function and stay healthy.
Normal vitamin D concentration levels in the blood stimulate calcium and phosphorus absorption in the small intestines.
Without vitamin D, only 10–15% of dietary calcium and about 60% of phosphorus are absorbed.
That’s why vitamin D deficiency during childhood can cause delayed
growth and bone abnormalities while during adulthood, it increases risk of fractures.
Thus, the primary function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood calcium and phosphorus concentration levels to provide the conditions for bio chemical functions, including bone mineralization.
Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D can potentially make growth plate cells more sensitive to GH and IGF-1.
It’s also suggested that changes in seasons can affect growth for instance, during summer when the exposure to sun is greatest, children experience greater growth spurts than during winter when there is no exposure to sun. The body synthesizes vitamin D after sun exposure. [2]
Sources
In humans, the most important forms are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 ( cholecalciferol).
Vitamin D2 is found naturally in sun-exposed mushrooms.
Vitamin D3 is naturally obtained from the sun.
According to the journal of investigative dermatology ;
a) The ultra violent B-rays in sunlight trigger synthesis of D and this is the body’s principal vitamin D source because usually only small amounts are obtained from diet.
b) For most European and North American cities, 9–16minutes of mid day sun exposure to 35% of the body three times a week is enough for the body to synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D.
c) Mid day is the best time because at solar noon, sufficient amounts of ultra violent B-rays are available.
It’s when the sun is directly overhead.
Its the time when solar radiation takes the shortest path to the earth’s surface.
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble, It can be stored in the body fat for a limited time until the reserves get depleted. Cholesterol is needed for Vitamin D absorption.
Hence you don’t necessarily have to expose your skin to the sun every day.
Vitamin D from sun exposure may last at least twice as long in the blood compared with ingested vitamin D.
Vitamin D3 can also be obtained from most oily fish like mackerel, herring, and salmon.
Since only a couple of foods are good sources of vitamin D, besides sun exposure, the best way to get additional vitamin D is through supplements.
4. Minerals for Bone Growth
Can Calcium Help You Grow Taller ?
Calcium is a metallic element mainly stored in bones including teeth and up to 99% of calcium is deposited in bones by the body.
It’s therefore very important for normal bone development functioning and structure.
Calcium also plays a vital role in contracting muscles including your heart muscles as well as enabling blood coagulation though not more than 1% of total body calcium plays this role.
Bone is constantly remodeling by continuously removing old bone and replacing it with new one by deposition of calcium though age plays a role in this process.
Insufficient intake of both calcium and vitamin D during stages of rapid bone growth adversely affects bone development and it’s responsible for ailments like rickets – softening, and distortion of the bones typically resulting in bow legs.
Children therefore require plenty of calcium during puberty stage due to the accelerated muscular, skeletal and endocrine development.
Which calcium food Sources will help you to grow taller?
Egg shells are probably the highest sources of calcium with 38mg of calcium per gram of an egg shell.
Dairy products, like cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Tinned salmon and sardines with bones, some leafy green vegetables like Kale, broccoli, and calcium-fortified foods.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral present in the body in trace amounts, normally obtained from the diet and its daily intake is required to maintain a steady state because the body doesn’t have an efficient storage system of zinc.
The recommended daily consumption is 15 mg for adults.
It plays a role in protein synthesis, DNA synthesis , immune function- (referred to as the gateway to immune system), wound healing, cell division and also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
In human subjects, body growth and development is strictly dependent on Zinc and dietary zinc deficiency has been linked to impaired skeletal development and bone growth in both humans and animals.
Zinc plays a role when it comes to hormonal mediation by participating in;
a) Growth Hormone synthesis and secretion. Circulating levels of growth hormone and IGF-1 are reduced during zinc deficiency.
b) The action of Growth Hormone on liver somatomedin-C production. Somatomedin-C is secreted by the liver and muscles to foster the division and growth of cells in conjunction with growth hormones.
c) somatomedin-C activation in bone cartilage.
In addition to all the above functions, zinc interacts with hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones and testosterone.
Such hormones contribute to bone growth and development.
An assessment of the impact of zinc on growth among children and adolescents established that after 12 months of supplementing the diet with zinc, the body grows more rapidly. [3]
Fats:
The media tells you that saturated fats are harmful however it is the opposite. Ever since the food pyramid was released in 1977, where carbohydrates were the main consumption, obesity rates have increased dramatically. Saturated fats were replaced with PUFAS. Fats like PUFAS are used to lower cholesterol, however cholesterol is needed for proper function of the brain and hormone production, as well as absorption of nutrients such as vitamin D.
Best Orthodontic Treatment
https://myobrace.com/en-us
https://orthotropics.com/
https://www.earlyorthodontics.com/
http://www.thecranencrp.com/
At Home Appliances:
@nelson makes good videos on at home appliances. You can email him and add him on discord.
1kieranbright@gmail.com
kieranbright#5145
Dowden Appliance V1 Creation - Achieve Maxillary Forward Growth - YouTube
3D Printing Invisalign at Home
Invisalign at Home
Introduction
Warning: This thread was written on a google document that was over 30 pages long.
@Alexanderr @Gargantuan @AscendingHero @Chad1212 @Kingkellz please allow me to have access to future edits, so I can put more information if needed. I promise you I will never delete this thread.
Most people are unaware that the orthodontic profession openly admits that it does not know the causes of malocclusion, except for less than 5%, which are the cases of syndromes, diseases, infections, trauma, and genetic disfiguration. Many orthodontists tell you malocclusion is genetic. In my case they told me my overbite was genetic eventhough my mother and father have perfect occlusion, and never needed orthodontic treatment to get it fixed. Yes, everyone is born with different phenotypes, but your phenotype will not give you crooked teeth or malocclusion.. TLDR; The way you look is mostly genetic, but your misalignment and deformation is not (usually).![]()
The genetic influence on facial development is obvious and environmental things such as thumb sucking and mouth breathing have long been recognized. It is not often appreciated how influential the environment is and what a dramatic effect on facial shape changing this can make.Interestingly all our ancestors had perfectly straight teeth, as did all the other 5,400 species of mammals except some domesticated cats and dogs, some feral foxes (in Europe) and zoo animals. Over the last 10,000 years, while our genes have not changed at all; whenever, and wherever our ancestors became industrialized they developed crooked teeth (malocclusion).The irregularity has been in proportion to the level of civilization with the last hundred years have seeing a dramatic rise in the levels of malocclusion. The environment has a great influence over the tooth positions and shape of the face shape
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Ninety-nine percent of ancient skulls had great teeth. This skull is 1,000 yrs old. Teeth didn't start to become crooked until 500 years ago as our mouths got smaller and couldn't accommodate 32 teeth. Advent of modern agriculture accelerated this as we ate softer food and would chew less. Before agriculture, human jaws were a perfect fit for human teeth. Around four million years ago, a group of our ancestors, the small bodied pre-human australopithecines, had thick, strong muscles attached to massive jaw bones. The large muscles allowed australopithecines to bite with incredible force, which in turn was resisted by bony pillars and buttresses in their facial skeletons. Their cheek teeth—molars and premolars—were also large, round, and covered with an especially thick, hard outer coating of protective enamel.![]()
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During the agricultural revolution, due to the amount of soft foods that were being chewed, our jaws were not being worked enough. The smaller overall size has caused dental issues, such as dental crowning, impacted molars, and malocclusions, which is when the upper and lower teeth do not sit together properly. Tooth decay became more common. The fruits and vegetables that were eaten contained carbohydrates such as sugars and starches. Carbohydrates are the main reason for tooth decay even today. They trigger bacteria to create acid which can attack the enamel in the mouth, which is the protective layer on your teeth that helps fight off cavities. If the enamel is attacked, over time the tooth will rot and fall out. Our nomadic meat-eating ancestors had little to no tooth decay because animal meat contains little to no carbohydrates; solely protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The mainstream media does not tell you this, but you could completely cut off carbohydrates from your diet and you would not even have to brush your teeth.
In the images below, the left side shows indigenous tribes having good dental health due to their traditional diet; on the right shows the same people on the modern diet. Same genetics, but people on the modern diet have poor craniofacial features. Coincidence?
Alaskan Eskimos
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Africans
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Australian Aborigines
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Normal Occlusion, wide palate Crowding, Crooked teeth, overbites
Early Craniofacial Development in Children
Through breastfeeding, the child will develop a tongue posture which keeps the tongue comfortable with feeding and resting firmly upon the roof of the mouth/palate. In order to pull milk from the breast, the child must push the breast into the upper palate firmly and suck back into the mouth with the tongue. This trains the child to use the tongue as the primary method of swallowing, an act which is repeated hundreds of times per day to inject excess saliva. As the skull develops, it requires the proper functioning of the muscular system in order to guide its development forward and up. A child with proper posture will have the tongue pressed underneath the maxilla (the roof of the mouth) providing sufficient support to promote forward growth. There is a constant downward force of gravity which pushes the craniofacial complex downward; The proper tongue posture of the child counter-balances this force which will cause forward growth as opposed to downward growth.
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Warning: Stop Formula Feeding
New report warns of lead, arsenic, and other toxins in products for babies and toddlers. These contaminants may impact your little one's brain development.
Here's a breakdown of the results:
- 95 percent of containers contained toxic heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury).
- One-fourth of containers contained all of these toxic metals.
- Heavy metal contamination was highest in products containing rice, juice, and sweet potato.
- 88 percent of foods tested "lack any federal standards or guidance on maximum safe levels of toxic heavy metals like arsenic and lead," according to the HBBF findings.
The heavy metals tested in these studies—cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic—are harmful in any amount. Lead is toxic to children's brains, and no amount has been deemed safe. Arsenic and mercury are also neurotoxins. Infants and young children are particularly sensitive to these contaminants, since their brains and organ systems aren't fully developed. Finally, formula feeding leads to improper swallowing patterns. This will be discussed later in the thread.
Moving on, as the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. As the child moves onto hard foods, the muscle with which the lower jaw/mandible chews (masseter and temporalis) will develop and strengthen. As the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps, the tongue pushes up into the roof of the mouth in order to oppose the growing strength of the masseter. Both will work together to provide the upwards and forward force which drives the maxilla/palatine bones up and forward instead of down and backward. If there is an imbalance in strength between the tongue and masseter muscles, issues of TMD can occur. The temporomandibular joint or TMJ acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. Temporomandibular Dysfunction can lead to pain and discomfort. Jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and clicking and locking of the jaw joint are some of the symptoms.”Most medical media tell you to eat soft foods to avoid TMJ/TMD, but will ultimately make the issue worse as it does not fix it. You need to chew hard foods in order to fix this muscle imbalance which will eventually fix your TMJ/TMD. A counterintuitive approach, but it makes sense. Treat the causes not the symptoms. Eventually, when the child grows into an adult, the skull will fit into development with the rest of the body. The strong masseter muscle keeps the mandible/lower jaw firmly up and forward, and the strong tongue in turn keeps the teeth barely in contact and transfers all remaining force into the upper jaw/maxilla in order to counteract the downward pull of gravity on these bones. The child develops a fully grown craniofacial complex and has a large airway and sinus area allowing for easy breathing.
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Correcting Improper Tongue Posture
There are a variety of issues with development that will cause problems with both achieving and maintaining the proper tongue posture. Fortunately the body can correct and heal itself if given the time and effort – indeed even the bones will reform with pressure over time in accordance to Wolff’s Law. When trying to keep proper tongue posture, your tongue is partially in your throat and causes an inability to breathe fully. This means that your maxilla is not developed enough sagittally, and needs to be moved up and forward to give your tongue more room and free up the airway of your throat. Often a lack of development here results in an underbite or overbite.
When trying to keep proper tongue posture, you may not have enough room between your molar/wisdom teeth to fit the width of your tongue. This is a result of lacking transverse (side to side) growth, which also results in a narrow nasal airway and is a tell-tale sign of maxillary recession. The upper jaw, which is part of the lower maxilla, needs to be widened to allow the tongue to sit comfortably between the molars and to create a wide nasal airway.
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Solutions
One: The free solution that will result in permanent and continuing changes is to fix your tongue posture as much as you can and allow the bones of your face and skull to adapt over time. If you do not have enough forward growth, you will have to consciously focus on the tongue applying pressure all along the Mid-Palate Ridge, and especially towards the Front Ridges and Tip. This will develop your maxilla forwards and upwards over time, through both repositioning of the maxilla as well as growth at the sutures within the craniofacial complex. If you lack transverse (side to side) growth, you will need to fold your tongue to keep it resting along the Alveolar Ridge and Mid-Palate Ridge which will result in growth in the width of your maxilla as well as forward movement. The younger you are, the quicker these changes have the potential to happen. A child that is still growing will see phenomenally fast results, a fully developed adult will see slower but consistent change.
Two: The second solution is to pursue palate expansion with a device. The medical community is slowly moving past the incorrect notion that adult sutures fuse, and many medical professionals are now finding that adult palate expansion works. With a wide survey of your local dentists and orthodontists through email, you will most likely find a local professional who has experience in expanding the palate of adults without surgery (SARPE). There are many different devices on the market which may be used to expand the palate, each moving at different paces and covering different parts of the mouth. This expansion can happen as rapidly as 1mm per week. However you will likely need to wear a retainer, as there will be a relapse if you are unable to maintain proper tongue posture – which is why this is most important.
Keeping Teeth Together and Grinding
Like most postural issues, this is a result of one set of muscles being stronger/weaker than their corresponding set. This particular issue is caused by an imbalance between your muscles of mastication (chewing) and your tongue. When you keep proper tongue posture and find that your teeth now seem to rest apart, your tongue is overpowering the muscles which attempt to close the mouth, thus keeping your jaws open. The method to correct this is by chewing harder foods and/or chewing tough gum in order to strengthen the chewing muscles. The opposite case involves your tongue being too weak to keep the jaws apart, resulting in teeth grinding. This solution to this issue is to consciously apply force against the upper palate with the tongue throughout the day, with which you will find that the tongue gains strength quite rapidly. Eventually you should have both of these sets of muscles (And the muscles associated with them) in balance, and will be able to strengthen both in unison. Stronger chewing muscles will impart more force to a stronger tongue, which will keep the teeth gently touching by transferring this force upwards and forwards into the palate and maxilla.
Maintaining Tongue Posture While Sleeping/Pillowing
This is a very common problem that will take time and effort to correct – but once you are able to Mew / maintain tongue posture while asleep you will see more rapid changes. You will no longer be relapsing on the work done during the day while asleep, and in fact be providing upwards and forwards force on the maxilla virtually 24/7. Sleep posture can affect the development of your face. Some infants who habitually sleep on their bellies have shown marked effects of pillowing on the hands. Older children and many adults, among them several dentists, with more pronounced malformations, observed while asleep, were found pillowing on their hands or arms. A common facial deformation, due principally to pillow habits, is marked by a narrow upper jaw, a large mandible, a contracted palate, a narrow nose, and a deflected nasal septum. Since the dental arches and jaws form a great part of the face, this type of deformity has been designated by dentists as "narrowed upper jaw," "Gothic arch," "V-shaped" or "church roof" palate, etc. Faces having such oral features are referred to as "dished," "bell," or "urn" faces. When the deformity is confined to one side, the cheek is flattened or depressed, making the face seem twisted or "lop-jawed." The compression of one maxilla makes the jaws appear to close crosswise, hence the malocclusion is called a cross-bite.
There are numerous varieties of wrong pillowing habits. Perhaps the most common is illustrated in Figure 1, where the wrists and forearm are placed between pillow and cheek. This habit presses in all the upper teeth from the canine back, producing the typical cross-bite. When the hand alone is employed, the malocclusion is limited to fewer teeth, principally molars and bicuspids. In rare cases the child may suck the thumb or finger of one hand andrest its face on the back of the other, which produces constriction of the upper jaw on one side and an arrangement of incisors to accommodate the thumb.
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Figure 2 shows a child who lies on the abdomen and pillows on the back of one hand and an arm; when she turns over she assumes a similar position; the arrangement of the teeth shows the effect on the upper jaw. A child may lie on the abdomen, keeping one hand on top and the other underneath the pillow, with the cheek on the one above, and on turning over exchanges hands. In such a case one side is usually favored. In simple oral deformities where the hands are kept under the pillow or where the pillow is rolled, both dental arches are narrowed as in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the effect of a pillow habit on the arrangement of incisors. Thus, the hands may be kept under the pillow or under the cheek or one in each place. The variations in breathing habits, together with those in pillowing, make the descriptions, classifications, and diagnoses of sleeping postures complicated.
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Children are in bed for half of their lives; if they lie on their faces much, development of the jaws will be repressed. Any small constant external force will in time produce damaging imbalance in such a complicated organ as the mouth. But we have here a force, derived from the weight of the head, acting on the plastic bones of childhood throughout the greater part of each twenty-four hours, and, as case histories show, many children suffering from these deformations have been confined to bed for longer periods during which the force has continued for a greater time. It is well known that a letter-carrier's spine becomes deformed by carrying bundles constantly on the same shoulder. Similarly, facial depressions may be developed by pillowing the face habitually upon hard objects.
If a normal breather pillows alternately on his right and left arms, he may have both dental arches narrowed, or if infants rest habitually on just pillows, their deciduous dental arches will be narrowed and their permanent anterior teeth will be rotated and "bunched." Parents have been known to give their children hard foods, remove their tonsils and adenoids, taking every precaution to avoid malocclusion except preventing face-pillowing, yet their children have narrowed dental arches and croWded anterior teeth, due principally to pillow habits. When teeth are fully erupted and interdigitate normally, the tongue, filling the mouth cavity, presses outward on them, the alveolar processes and the palate, while the lips and cheeks bind the structures on the outside, preventing too great expansion. If the mouth is closed most of the time, or during swallowing, so that the opposing cusps interlock, the muscles of mastication and the hyoid muscles keep the lower jaw in position, indirectly protecting the upper dental arch against pillowing. While pillow habits damage the normal arrangement of teeth ,even when breathing and swallowing are normal, greatest damage is done to a mouth-breather before the age of six, since worn, deciduous teeth, by not locking firmly, afford the jaws very little intermaxillary bracing.
Sleeping Correctly for Proper Craniofacial Development
You probably do not know that nature has provided an automatic manipulator to correct most spinal and peripheral joint lesions. In common with millions of other so-called civilized people you suffer unnecessarily from musculoskeletal problems and are discouraged about how to treat the exponential rise in low back pain throughout the developed world.
Summary Points:
- Nature's automatic manipulator during sleep is the kickback against the vertebrae by the ribs when the chest is prevented from movement by the forest floor
- Various resting postures correct different joints
- Pillows are not necessary
Figure 1 shows a mountain gorilla lying on the ground on his side without a pillow—a position in which chimpanzees and gibbons sleep—and a Kenya African in a similar position on a palm leaf mattress on a concrete floor. Note how he uses his laterally rotated arm as a pillow. Look at how the Kenyan is not even touching his jaw and midface, preventing obstruction. Notice how his rotated arm touching his temporal bone. This position is perfect as it can also allow the tongue to fall onto the palate as well due to gravity, assisting constant proper tongue posture.
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When lying on one side you do not even need the arm as a pillow: when the lower shoulder is fully hunched, the neck is completely supported. The neck should deviate towards the ground as gravity then shuts the mouth which prevents mouth breathing as well. When the head is down, the vertebrae are stretched between two anchors and every time the ribs move through breathing the tension is increased, the vertebrae realign themselves, and the movement keeps the joints lubricated. Largely anecdotal evidence has been collected by “old timers” for over 50 years from non-Western societies that low back pain and joint stiffness is markedly reduced by adopting natural sleeping and resting postures.
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General Posture
Body posture and tongue posture go hand in hand. A quick fix to get proper posture is to do the following: keep your back straight by looking at your hands, you should have a neutral hand grip with no supination and pronation without using any forearm/biceps/shoulder muscle to pronate/supinate it. Correct your hand position by moving your back. The middle of your neck should be aligned with the middle of your shoulders (think of a vertical line running across the middle of your shoulders, it should be aligned with another vertical line running across the middle of your neck.) Keep a neutral pelvic tilt. Your feet and knees should be parallel to each other when standing. You can manspread when sitting though. Your knees and elbows should be relaxed. When you look down, rotate your head instead of looking down using your neck. You should stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles for this posture to feel natural (MEWING GUIDE).
Sphenoid Bone Alignment
A user by the name of @baboom babadabibi made an important thread on Sphenoid bone alignment. Here is what he has to say:
“The Sphenoid bone is the foundation of almost all maxillofacial problems. For it Is the area that the bones in your face emerge from. Improper environment, not bad genetic, is the reason many modern humans lack proper sphenoid alignment.
Here is an interesting study I found that looked at the relation to poor posture to malocclusion.
Relationships between Malocclusion, Body Posture, and Nasopharyngeal Pathology in Pre-Orthodontic Children
In the study it is stated that:
"There was a statistically significant correlation between presence of kyphotic posture and a reduction in the SNB angle, representing sagittal position of the mandible. Also, there was a statistically significant association between kyphotic posture and nasopharyngeal obstruction"
The most important takeaway is that It found that poor (kyphotic) posture had a significant correlation with obstruction of the nasopharynx.
To understand why this is so important, I'll ask you to refer to this image.
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The red area is the nasopharynx and the green area is the sphenoid. Notice how close they are together?
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Now look at the following gif, look at how as the sphenoid bone aligns properly, the nasopharynx becomes less obstructed.
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To put it simply, without the study even mentioning it. It demonstrated that poor posture causes sphenoid misalignment, which also inadvertently makes everything else about your face develop improperly. (malocclusion, sleep apnea etc..) It should start to make a bit more sense now. Everything in your skull is connected to your sphenoid, and the fact that modern orthodontics only addresses these problems on a surface level is nothing short of a travesty. Also note how the sphenoid misalignment causes downward growth as well, which causes an elongated face.”
Downward Growth vs. Forward Growth
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Unable to Get Tongue on the Palate and Swallowing
Tongue Chewing by Dr Mike Mew
(If you have a have a tongue-tie, in which you should practice Khechari Mudra or get a frenectomy/frenuloplasty)
This issue is most likely caused by a tongue tie, especially if you are unable to even reach the front/tip of your palate with the tongue. It is recommended that you visit a medical professional to have this examined, and very much urgent that you have this done if you see such problems in a child. The tongue tie keeps the tongue anchored to the floor of the mouth, and will often require surgery in order to correct. However, you need not jump to the conclusion that you have a tongue tie if you are unable to get the back of the tongue to the roof of the mouth the first few times that you attempt proper tongue posture. This position, after many years of holding incorrect posture, can feel so unnatural that you are unable to manipulate your tongue properly to achieve it. One trick is to hold a big and wide cheesy smile, as wide as you can, and then swallow. This ensures that you are swallowing with your tongue and not with your cheeks, and you will be able to feel how far back in your mouth your tongue lands using this method. Every time you swallow, your tongue in this position will correctly impart multiple pounds of force into the roof of your mouth and reform the skull. As you maintain this posture, make sure not to keep your teeth far apart, they should be comfortably making contact without clenching – this is what will keep your tongue glued to the roof of the mouth all day.
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Let your tongue slide against your incisive papilla, going down, sweep, and do the swallow shown in the video.
View attachment 1600979
When swallowing solid foods, use the 1st swallow. When swallowing liquids, use the 1st swallow until the liquid is too small to be swallowed with the 1st swallow, when you reach that point, use the tongue sweep. Beginners in mewing will have issues with saliva buildup, a solution to this is to tongue sweep, you will have to use slight buccinator (cheek muscle) activation as tongue sweeping alone will not fix the issue. (Buccinators are the muscles the push your cheeks inward) If your bolus is too large to be swallowed comfortably in 1 swallow, separate part of the bolus under the tongue until you can swallow comfortably in 1 swallow (MEWING GUIDE).”
Mewing
The correct tongue posture of a strong tongue combined with strong muscles of mastication (the chewing muscles of the Temporal, Masseter, Pterygoid) are required to grow the face to the beauty of whatever phenotype that the person exhibits. For all cases this proper development results in under-eye / orbital support, properly aligned jaws, ideal spinal posture, and most importantly in a large unobstructed airway of both the nose and throat.
The 28 bones of the human skull never fuse together in a healthy adult, and a restoration of correct muscle function will result in the slow but steady restoration of proper skull form (and as a result, spinal stability). Studies have shown that the sutures of your skull do not fuse until your late seventies. Your improper muscle posture is subconscious at this point, and you will have to retrain your conscious mind to maintain proper postures until you are (literally) doing it in your sleep. Some muscles may be too weak, some may be too tight, and some may be completely out of place: The tongue is the most obvious starting point from which to begin your process of correction.
A user by the name of @YouLiveForYourself on this forum talks about the proper way to bite while mewing. Here is what he has to say:
- First, put the very tip of your tongue directly on the point between your two front teeth (Incisors) where they meet the gum line. If you move the tip of your tongue around slightly in this area, you’ll feel a hard ridge that is directly in line with the space between your two front teeth – the Incisive Papilla. It is here that the tip of your tongue will be at home – We will call this the Tip.
- From this position, keep the tip of your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth and slowly follow that Incisive Papilla ridge along the middle of the roof of your mouth. The first thing you will encounter are a series of ridges called the Palatine Rugae – We will call these the Front Ridges.
- As you move back further along the middle of the roof of the mouth, you will notice a ridge along the middle (the Median Palatine Raphe). We will call this the Mid-Palate ridge.
- So far you will notice that the roof of your mouth is hard, which is suitable for the area of your Hard Palate. Continue your bring the tip of your tongue further back in your mouth until you abruptly reach a soft and fleshy area, the Soft Palate.
- With the tip of your tongue, now explore your mouth in the area where the teeth meet your gums. The ridge along this area is called the Alveolar Ridge.
- You now know as much of the geography of your mouth as is necessary to begin correcting the tongue posture! Take notice now with some exercises that your tongue is capable of simultaneously applying pressure upwards (towards the Mid-Palate ridge) and outwards (towards your Alveolar Ridge)
“The premise of mewing is that the force of the tongue on the palate combined with the teeth lightly touching each other leads to palatal expansion and facial upswing, while promoting forward growth. I want to focus on the contact of the teeth, as I believe it is essential. The aspect of mewing that actually leads to change. John and Mike have both emphasized that the teeth should be gently touching each other. However, with mewing being in its infancy, there is a great deal of trial and error involved. Both of them are intentionally ambiguous when it comes to details on the contact of the teeth, and it's because they don't exactly know how the action promotes upswing and forward growth, and Mike has mentioned this before. They just know that the correlation is there. Sometimes they will say to keep the molars in contact, sometimes all of the teeth. This, I believe, is a big mistake on their part.
Instead, I believe that the premolars (teeth that are more towards the front) should be in light contact, with minimal or no contact between the molars. This is especially for those who have an overbite, as it will help to reverse it. I don't mean keep the incisors together. You can do it if you want, but I think that it is detrimental. They aren't designed for chewing, and therefore cannot handle the sustained amount of pressure. You will damage them. Instead, you should keep your premolars in a light contact. For those with an overbite, moving your lower jaw forward so that the top and bottom incisors are side-to-side is important. Like so:
- Keeping the molars together leads to a CW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a longer, sunk midface and a recessed mandible. This is unattractive.
- Keeping all of the teeth together leads to no rotation of the maxilla. This leads to barely any progress made; a complete waste of time.
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Keeping the premolars together leads to a CCW rotation of the maxilla. Resulting in a shorter, compact midface that appears more forward grown and a more prominent mandible and chin.
Here is the skull, with the maxilla highlighted in green:
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These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the molars are gently touching:
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Upwards force on the back only. There will be a CW rotation and this is definitely what you don't want.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when all of the teeth are in contact:
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Upwards force on the back but also the front. No rotation. Minimal change. Waste of time.
These are the forces acting upon the maxilla when the premolars are in contact:
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Upwards force on the front only. There will be a CCW rotation and this is definitely what you want. It's clear as day. However, since it is not right on the front edge the change will take slightly slower than if you were to keep the molars in contact.
I think that this explains why mewing doesn't work for a large number of people. They either put pressure on the molars alone or all of the teeth, leading to no results or even a worse face. I believe that those who achieve progress primarily keep contact with the premolars or don't keep the teeth in contact at all, which is okay but so much slower.”
Thank you @YouLiveForYourself again. Here is the original thread if you guys want it: https://looksmax.org/threads/the-me...es-progress-or-even-makes-faces-worse.455354/
Chewing
“It turns out that chewing has had a huge impact on the way we look. The jaw elevator muscles develop the main forces used in mastication. The force generated during routine mastication of food such as carrots or meat is about 70 to 150 newtons (16 to 34 lbf). The maximum masticatory force in some people may reach up to 500 to 700 newtons (110 to 160 lbf). Being we are aspies and can chew 5+ pieces of hard ass falim, and build up the strength of our masseters from constant chewing, it is not unreasonable to expect to be able to exert 350+ Newtons of force per mastication. To compare how significant this is maxilla protraction is generally done with 10 Newtons, and the tongue can exert around 5 while hard mewing, so it is safe to say that chewing is 60x more force than your tongue, making it an extremely potent change for actual bone change, many people when thinking of chewing only look at it as a way to build masseters, but this is simply a bonus (Chewing Megathread).”
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University(TMDU), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and Kyoto University found that mice that ate foods requiring higher chewing force showed increased bone formation, impacting jawbone shape. Throughout an animal’s lifespan, bone tissue in the skeleton is continuously restructured in response to changes in applied force, such as those associated with exercise and locomotion. Examining how the structure of the jawbone varies with the intense chewing force, or masticatory force, may illuminate the mechanisms that lead to the reconstruction of bone tissue. Additionally, they found that increasing the force applied to the jawbone stimulated osteocytes to produce more IGF-1, one of main growth factors that promotes bone formation. This alteration led to bone formation, resulting in morphological changes in the jawbone.
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Summary:
Strong chewing modulates IGF-1 expression in osteocytes for the jawbone reconstruction
a. Superimposition of the jawbone images acquired by the computer simulation. Blue: before remodeling and red: after remodeling. Left: coronal section and right: lateral projection. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
b. Distribution of the mechanical stress in the jawbone, before and after remodeling under the increased mastication.
c. Superimposition of the images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. Blue: ND and red: HD. The dotted circle indicates the extrusion of the bone. The blue and the red lines denote the mandibular height.
d. Immunohistological images of the jawbone of mice fed with the HD or ND. IGF-1 (red); and nuclei (blue). The dotted lines indicate the jawbone surface. Arrows indicates the osteocytes expressing IGF-1.
e. Graphical abstract. In order to consume harder foods, masticatory muscles generate stronger force that induces mechanical stress in the jawbone. The stress stimulates osteocytes to produce IGF-1. The upregulated IGF-1 enhances osteoblastogenesis to reconstruct the jawbone morphology so that it endures the loaded force.
Most of the facial movement is achievable through alveolar remodeling, which is a process that takes place even on adults (AGGA is the most obvious proof of this, although as an approach it is awkward). The correct way to develop the alveolar ridge is to bite forward with the mandible, so that the bicuspids, canines and incisors make contact. Your mandible is a face-pulling device (or more correctly, a face-pushing device). You are meant to use the mandible to push the maxilla forward, as this also locks in the cervical posture in a way tongue alone couldn't.
By doing this, you cause bone resorption behind the posterior maxillary alveolar ridge, and new bone formation in the anterior maxillary ridge in front of your teeth. This allows the teeth to effectively hover through the bone. At the same time, you are pushing the mandibular incisors and canines backwards with the maxillary teeth, which allows your jaw and chin to slide forward, increasing its projection. In short, the upper and lower front teeth are moving each other to opposite directions, which leads to a better balance of the jaws as the mandible is no longer trapped behind overly forward lower teeth and overly backward upper teeth
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TLDR: “Hard food, strong jaw: jawbone structure responds to forceful chewing”
Mouth Breathing and Thumbsucking
Your nose is designed to help you breathe safely, efficiently, and properly. It can do this due to its ability to:
The most common cause of normal and natural facial development is mouth breathing. At a tender age, nasal breathing can become difficult at times. Apart from other causes, tonsils and Adenoids are the most common causes of obstruction of nasal breathing. When you or your child begin to breathe through the mouth, the nasal passage begins to narrow stunting proper growth because the tongue does not press into the palate, which is its normal position. When the shape of the upper jaw changes (cheeks put pressure on the teeth and cause crowding), the lower jaw starts to grow to compensate and maintain an open airway. This results in a long facial profile, less prominent chin, and an overall small mouth. This leads to a smaller airway and a less desirable facial appearance. Take a look at your teeth— if you notice your bottom front teeth are taller than the bottom back teeth, then you are a mouth breather.
- Filter out foreign particles. Nasal hairs filter out dust, allergens, and pollen, which helps prevent them from entering your lungs.
- Humidify inhaled air. Your nose warms and moisturizes the air you breathe in. This brings the air you inhale to body temperature, making it easier for your lungs to use.
- Produce nitric oxide. During nasal breathing, your nose releases nitric oxide (NO). NO is a vasodilator, which means it helps to widen blood vessels. This can help improve oxygen circulation in your body.
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This person had a pet gerbil in his room that he was allergic to which made him develop a mouth breathing habit. The picture on the left shows the boy at 10 years old with a strong jawline. Seven years later, his chin is recessed, nose is hooked, and has poor craniofacial features overall. Do not be a mouth breather.
Although it appears harmless, thumb sucking can actually alter the facial structure of your child. In addition, it can cause problems with your child’s breathing, teeth and speech.
Here are several issues associated with sucking the thumb:
- Protruding Front Teeth- The two teeth in the center of your child’s upper palate endure a great deal of pressure from thumb sucking. As the thumb is pressed onto the roof of the mouth, it pulls the front teeth forward, causing the front upper teeth to buck outward.
- Jaw Distortion- The sensitive bones of your child’s developing palate can also be affected, altering the natural dimensions of your child’s face and distorting his or her appearance.
- Receding Lower Front Teeth- As the force of the thumb presses against the upper palate, it also pushes the lower front incisors backward.
- Open Bite- When your child closes his or her mouth, the teeth of the upper and lower palate should meet. This includes the teeth in the front and back of the mouth. Due to the dental misalignment caused by thumb sucking, when your child’s back teeth meet, there may still be a gap between the upper and lower front teeth. The opening that results will likely resemble the shape of your little one’s thumb.
- Narrowed Upper Palate- As your child’s upper jaw forms, thumb sucking can cause the roof of the mouth to curve more intensely, reducing the amount of space between the teeth on the left and right side of the upper jaw. The strong flexing of the cheek muscles as your child sucks exacerbates the narrowing effect. Over time, the narrowness of the upper jaw prevents it from resting properly on the lower jaw.
Types of Malocclusion
Class 1 malocclusion is an overlap of upper teeth over the lower teeth. It happens due to prolonged bottle use or thumb sucking in childhood. But it doesn’t affect your bite that much and can be fixed with minor malocclusion treatment. Class 1 malocclusion of teeth has 3 types. The teeth lean towards the tongue in type 1. In type 2, lower teeth are angled towards the tongue, and upper teeth stick out in narrow arches. In type 3 of malocclusion, the upper teeth are crowded, and they lean towards the tongue.
In class 2, malocclusion also the upper teeth stick out over lower teeth. But this malocclusion of teeth is severe enough to affect your bite significantly. It needs early orthodontic intervention. It may take time for malocclusion treatment to correct the alignment of your teeth. But it can be permanently treated. Class 2 malocclusion has 2 divisions. Upper teeth lean towards the lips in division 1. In division 2, the upper central incisors lean towards the tongue.
Class 3 malocclusion is a type of underbite where the lower teeth stick out over the upper teeth. However, it can be a crossbite also when some upper teeth and some lower teeth overlap each other. Class 3 malocclusion is divided into 3 types based on the alignment of the teeth. In type 1, teeth form an abnormally shaped arch. In type 2 malocclusion of teeth, the lower front teeth are angled towards the tongue. And in type 3, the upper arch is abnormal and upper teeth are angled towards the tongue.
Limitations of Orthodontic Treatment
- Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a common condition typically caused due to lack of space resulting from overlapping or crooked teeth.![]()
- Spacing
When there is too much or too little space for the teeth, it results in crowding which can adversely impact the eruption of permanent teeth.- Open Bite
When the upper and lower front teeth do not overlap each other, it results in the formation of an opening that leads straight into the mouth. The problem of an open bite can also occur on the sides of the mouth.- Overjet
An overjet is when the top front teeth extend beyond the lower front teeth horizontally, interfering with the functions of chewing food and speaking.- Overbite
Some overlapping of the lower front teeth is natural but when the upper front teeth are biting down right into the gums, an increased overbite is caused where the lower front teeth can also bite into the roof of the mouth.- Underbite
When the lower front teeth are positioned far forward than the upper front teeth, it results in an underbite which is also known as anterior crossbite.- Crossbite
A crossbite can happen on either or both the sides of the jaw when the upper front teeth are biting right inside the lower teeth. The condition can also affect your front or back teeth.- Diastema
Diastema refers to the space between two adjacent teeth, usually the front teeth.- Impacted Tooth
An impacted tooth is the one that cannot erupt from the gum naturally and needs to be extracted or exposed so that a brace can be fitted.- Missing tooth
Also known as hypodontia, this condition occurs as a result of trauma or improper
Introduction
Braces and extracting teeth in teenage years does not solve the underlying causes of crooked teeth and incorrect facial development. Orthodontics with braces has been used for decades to straighten teeth in early teens when all the permanent teeth have appeared, and although effective in forcing the teeth into straighter alignment, it's important to recognise that there are well-documented disadvantages. Along with leaving the underlying causes of crooked teeth untreated, traditional orthodontic techniques have several other risks or limitations including surgery, enamel and root damage as well as the high likelihood of relapse, unless a permanent commitment is made to wearing a fixed or removable retainer.
The main risks and limitations of treatment with braces are:
RELAPSE - up to 90%
ENAMEL DAMAGE
ROOT DAMAGE - 100%
RETENTION - For Life
Relapse
Long-term stability is a common problem with traditional orthodontic methods and treatment will most often result in relapse unless the teeth are permanently retained. Research shows that when braces are used with or without extractions, the chances are about 90% that they will return to their original position or become worse than before treatment. The pictured image illustrates teeth relapsing after treatment with braces.
"Relapse occurs in up to 90% of cases when retainers are removed."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1988
Enamel Damage
The surface of a tooth is made up of tooth enamel - a hard, mineral coating that protects the tooth against decay. When braces are fitted, they are bonded to the teeth through a chemical process. The enamel surface of the tooth is etched to allow for better bonding strength. Because they are bonded to the teeth it is more difficult to clean, which means the enamel can decay around the braces, causing white spots or stains. When the braces are removed, the enamel on the surface of the teeth can be permanently damaged in the process. If the teeth are not cleaned properly, problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, and decalcification (white or colored marks on the teeth) can result.
Root Damage
Research has now proven that orthodontic movement of teeth through the constant force of braces will cause root damage in nearly 100% of patients. This means part of the roots are dissolved away by the orthodontic treatment and some teeth can be lost over time as a result. The use of intermittent forces and removable appliances has been proven to cause little or no root damage. The pictured animation represents damage to the root tooth caused by braces.
100% of cases can expect root resorption of up to 4mm."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 2011
Permanent Retention
A retainer is an appliance that is used to stop the teeth from moving once the braces are removed. Due to the fact that conventional treatment with braces does not address the causes of crooked teeth, the only way to ensure the teeth stay straight is by fitting a permanent retainer. Newer treatments with clear aligners have the same problem of relapse and also require lifetime maintenance with retainers.
"The only way to ensure continued satisfactory alignment after treatment is by the use of fixed or removable retention for life."
American Journal of Orthodontics - May 1998
Diet
There are different factors affecting growth and facial development during the entire life cycle. All these factors could be categorized in two main groups: Genetic and environmental factors.. Nutrition is one of the environmental factors. If you choose to eat the right foods and drinks especially during puberty when you are still growing , it will be easier to develop proper bone structure. Other environmental factors like climate, urbanization and altitude will be at play.
During cell division and development, adequate provision of amino acids, calories, vitamins, fats, water and minerals is required thus, the foods you eat daily are closely linked to body growth and development. More than 50 essential nutrients for body growth and development can be found in the foods we normally consume.
1. Milk
Milk is one of the foods that will make you grow taller and even help with facial development. It contains several essential nutrients, especially protein and calcium. Look at the top milk consuming countries in the world relative to population size as an example. The Finns, the Swedes and the Dutch are some of the tallest populations in the world
2. Protein or amino acid Rich foods
Amino acids are the most important feature of proteins in terms of nutrition.
Out of the 20 amino acids required for normal growth and development, 12 can be manufactured by the human body thus, they are considered non essential.
The other 8 have to be obtained from the foods we eat thus they are termed essential amino acids and without them, tissue growth and repair is impaired .
All the essential amino acids can be found in protein from animal meats and other animal products .
Hence, eggs, dairy and animal meats like beef, fish, pork, and poultry are recognized as complete and high quality proteins .
A number of studies have linked protein from animal meat (fish inclusive ) to increased concentration of Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the blood.
IGF-1 is associated with bone mineralization and plays a vital role in bone lengthening since IGF-1 also triggers the rapid reproduction of cells and their differentiation at the growth plate cartilage zone.
Because plant food proteins like fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds, lack some of the essential amino acids, in most cases proteins from such foods are thought to be incomplete apart from soy and quinoa. Plants are not recommended because they contain anti-nutrients. See this thread: ANTI-NUTRIENTS MEGATHREAD - Plants are DANGEROUS
Protein intake is particularly crucial because it provides essential amino acids required for protein synthesis, which are necessary for growth.
Amino acids like lysine and arginine have also been linked to growth hormone and insulin release which catalyze accelerated growth.
Hence, When protein intake is too low, growth is restricted.
Best sources of animal protein:
Eggs, beef, diary (milk, cheese etc), mutton, pork, chicken, Fish, turkey and sea food.
Proteins found in milk, whey, egg, casein and beef have the highest score.
What if you are a vegan or prefer a vegetarian diet?
You don’t.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a nutrient that the body requires in small amounts to function and stay healthy.
Normal vitamin D concentration levels in the blood stimulate calcium and phosphorus absorption in the small intestines.
Without vitamin D, only 10–15% of dietary calcium and about 60% of phosphorus are absorbed.
That’s why vitamin D deficiency during childhood can cause delayed
growth and bone abnormalities while during adulthood, it increases risk of fractures.
Thus, the primary function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood calcium and phosphorus concentration levels to provide the conditions for bio chemical functions, including bone mineralization.
Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D can potentially make growth plate cells more sensitive to GH and IGF-1.
It’s also suggested that changes in seasons can affect growth for instance, during summer when the exposure to sun is greatest, children experience greater growth spurts than during winter when there is no exposure to sun. The body synthesizes vitamin D after sun exposure. [2]
Sources
In humans, the most important forms are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 ( cholecalciferol).
Vitamin D2 is found naturally in sun-exposed mushrooms.
Vitamin D3 is naturally obtained from the sun.
According to the journal of investigative dermatology ;
a) The ultra violent B-rays in sunlight trigger synthesis of D and this is the body’s principal vitamin D source because usually only small amounts are obtained from diet.
b) For most European and North American cities, 9–16minutes of mid day sun exposure to 35% of the body three times a week is enough for the body to synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D.
c) Mid day is the best time because at solar noon, sufficient amounts of ultra violent B-rays are available.
It’s when the sun is directly overhead.
Its the time when solar radiation takes the shortest path to the earth’s surface.
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble, It can be stored in the body fat for a limited time until the reserves get depleted. Cholesterol is needed for Vitamin D absorption.
Hence you don’t necessarily have to expose your skin to the sun every day.
Vitamin D from sun exposure may last at least twice as long in the blood compared with ingested vitamin D.
Vitamin D3 can also be obtained from most oily fish like mackerel, herring, and salmon.
Since only a couple of foods are good sources of vitamin D, besides sun exposure, the best way to get additional vitamin D is through supplements.
4. Minerals for Bone Growth
Can Calcium Help You Grow Taller ?
Calcium is a metallic element mainly stored in bones including teeth and up to 99% of calcium is deposited in bones by the body.
It’s therefore very important for normal bone development functioning and structure.
Calcium also plays a vital role in contracting muscles including your heart muscles as well as enabling blood coagulation though not more than 1% of total body calcium plays this role.
Bone is constantly remodeling by continuously removing old bone and replacing it with new one by deposition of calcium though age plays a role in this process.
Insufficient intake of both calcium and vitamin D during stages of rapid bone growth adversely affects bone development and it’s responsible for ailments like rickets – softening, and distortion of the bones typically resulting in bow legs.
Children therefore require plenty of calcium during puberty stage due to the accelerated muscular, skeletal and endocrine development.
Which calcium food Sources will help you to grow taller?
Egg shells are probably the highest sources of calcium with 38mg of calcium per gram of an egg shell.
Dairy products, like cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Tinned salmon and sardines with bones, some leafy green vegetables like Kale, broccoli, and calcium-fortified foods.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral present in the body in trace amounts, normally obtained from the diet and its daily intake is required to maintain a steady state because the body doesn’t have an efficient storage system of zinc.
The recommended daily consumption is 15 mg for adults.
It plays a role in protein synthesis, DNA synthesis , immune function- (referred to as the gateway to immune system), wound healing, cell division and also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
In human subjects, body growth and development is strictly dependent on Zinc and dietary zinc deficiency has been linked to impaired skeletal development and bone growth in both humans and animals.
Zinc plays a role when it comes to hormonal mediation by participating in;
a) Growth Hormone synthesis and secretion. Circulating levels of growth hormone and IGF-1 are reduced during zinc deficiency.
b) The action of Growth Hormone on liver somatomedin-C production. Somatomedin-C is secreted by the liver and muscles to foster the division and growth of cells in conjunction with growth hormones.
c) somatomedin-C activation in bone cartilage.
In addition to all the above functions, zinc interacts with hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones and testosterone.
Such hormones contribute to bone growth and development.
An assessment of the impact of zinc on growth among children and adolescents established that after 12 months of supplementing the diet with zinc, the body grows more rapidly. [3]
Fats:
The media tells you that saturated fats are harmful however it is the opposite. Ever since the food pyramid was released in 1977, where carbohydrates were the main consumption, obesity rates have increased dramatically. Saturated fats were replaced with PUFAS. Fats like PUFAS are used to lower cholesterol, however cholesterol is needed for proper function of the brain and hormone production, as well as absorption of nutrients such as vitamin D.
Best Orthodontic Treatment
https://myobrace.com/en-us
https://orthotropics.com/
https://www.earlyorthodontics.com/
http://www.thecranencrp.com/
At Home Appliances:
@nelson makes good videos on at home appliances. You can email him and add him on discord.
1kieranbright@gmail.com
kieranbright#5145
Dowden Appliance V1 Creation - Achieve Maxillary Forward Growth - YouTube
3D Printing Invisalign at Home
Invisalign at Home
Hey can u update, did u get ur deep bite fixed?I have deep bite i am still in puberty can mewing chewing etc completely fix my bite or i need orthodontic treatment? And if so what kind?
So the only civilizations which still had perfect teeth 25 000 years ago were the ones like the nords or indigenous that only ate from nature and not egyptians greeks or romans?so much bullshit the skull you showed is from the mesolithic not from fucking 1000 year ago faggot they found fucking braces in the egyptian mummies crooked teeth came from the beginning of agriculture and humans starting to stop living like nomads and eating grains wich is from aproximately 20.000-25.000 years ago
yes all civilizations (post-agriculture) were far far from ideal in term of cranofacial developpement the gigamoggers were the one who were born and raised in the wild 25.000 years ago they were born from young mothers got breastfeed with their lifestyles of hunting animals and eating hard raw meat they had way more test and igf1 than cucks modern humans (even greeks romans etc) but the greeks still had more prenatal and pubertal testosterone than modern humans so they mog the average guy today . Now even of the average guy keep eating meat etc it wont do that much change because its been thousands of years that we've been self-domesticated your hormone levels wont be that high especially that you need them during puberty and even beforeSo the only civilizations which still had perfect teeth 25 000 years ago were the ones like the nords or indigenous that only ate from nature and not egyptians greeks or romans?
Can I still get any masculine face changes from eating hard meat and gum and increasing testosterone levels with sun or an ai etc if I'm 15?yes all civilizations (post-agriculture) were far far from ideal in term of cranofacial developpement the gigamoggers were the one who were born and raised in the wild 25.000 years ago they were born from young mothers got breastfeed with their lifestyles of hunting animals and eating hard raw meat they had way more test and igf1 than cucks modern humans (even greeks romans etc) but the greeks still had more prenatal and pubertal testosterone than modern humans so they mog the average guy today . Now even of the average guy keep eating meat etc it wont do that much change because its been thousands of years that we've been self-domesticated your hormone levels wont be that high especially that you need them during puberty and even before
ai will make you slightly taller but less of a mogger facially and the more test and igf1 you have the more masculine you're gonna look even if you're not going to be chad bcz its too late you will be more dimorphicCan I still get any masculine face changes from eating hard meat and gum and increasing testosterone levels with sun or an ai etc if I'm 15?
I thought ai increased your testosterone so made your face more masculine? I was trying to increase testosteroneai will make you slightly taller but less of a mogger facially and the more test and igf1 you have the more masculine you're gonna look even if you're not going to be chad bcz its too late you will be more dimorphic
ai barely increase testosterone we mainly take it to reduce oestrogen so that the growth plates fuse later a,d yeah even if you just inject test you wont see incredible differences (except for muscle mass ofc) you need to start doing your own resaerch on anthropology and hormonesI thought ai increased your testosterone so made your face more masculine? I was trying to increase testosterone
Btw is it really too late for many changes?
Also got 1000 posts now lmao
Shit then I thought I could get more masculine from chewing and stuff stillai barely increase testosterone we mainly take it to reduce oestrogen so that the growth plates fuse later a,d yeah even if you just inject test you wont see incredible differences (except for muscle mass ofc) you need to start doing your own resaerch on anthropology and hormones
have u tried thumbpullingthe origin of the mew cope.
Couldve atleast give us sources
saying this is the equivalent of saying „have you tried putting your fingers in your ass“have u tried thumbpulling
Well shoving fingers in your ass helps enlarge the rectum, now if you do it in your mouth it might help enlarge your palate...saying this is the equivalent of saying „have you tried putting your fingers in your ass“
It doesnt do anything.
Im gonna try surgery rather
try bothWell shoving fingers in your ass helps enlarge the rectum, now if you do it in your mouth it might help enlarge your palate...
Are you getting lefort 3try both
probably High cut or modified lefort 1, still trying for lefort 2, lefort 3 is impossibleAre you getting lefort 3
isnt high cut hard to get tooprobably High cut or modified lefort 1, still trying for lefort 2, lefort 3 is impossible
not really. I literally mentioned it once and he said „sure i can do that“isnt high cut hard to get too
does it have better results than normal lefort 1, if so then why dont people get that instead of standard lf1not really. I literally mentioned it once and he said „sure i can do that“
well it makes rotation harder to get. Not every surgeon wants to do it. It depends on the case. Lefort 2 mogs tho and it‘s still uncommondoes it have better results than normal lefort 1, if so then why dont people get that instead of standard lf1